Building Childrens' Train Table the BYOAC way?

[Mark70]

My son is now almost 2.  He loves trains and the Brio/Thomas wooden trains.  I've noticed a lot of play tables for sale which are very simple.

I thought that I would poll here to find out how would YOU build a train/lego table for your child?  The BYOAC way.

The best I've seen is a coffee table with a train diarama in side, a pinball coffee table, and a train table conversion with a quarry of cut foam for a kid who liked trucks more than trains.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Convert-a-Train-Table-to-a-Constuction-Zone-Table/

http://images.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://bp2.blogger.com/_XGRz6uWGK3I/SEltZsKZzmI/AAAAAAAADaU/xsVM-IRnXk0/s400/EB1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://ikeahacker.blogspot.com/2008/06/train-in-your-coffee-table.html&h=300&w=400&sz=24&hl=en&start=113&um=1&usg=__m6IRzvOTvjHPUz1RwhVU-WaUlRM=&tbnid=GTP7AJEF__yNyM:&tbnh=93&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbuild%2Ba%2Btrain%2Btable%26start%3D105%26ndsp%3D21%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN

http://www.cynical-c.com/archives/2006_01.html
Scroll through looking for a pine box table and a brunette sitting on the couch behind it.  Lights on.

[ChadTower]

Where do you live?  We have a train table that hasn't been used in years... I'll just give you the base if you're close enough.  All you'd have to do then is take a ply sheet and attach your tracks to it.  Ours is sitting vertically in a closet.

[ClubNinja]

Where do you live?  We have a train table that hasn't been used in years... I'll just give you the base if you're close enough.  All you'd have to do then is take a ply sheet and attach your tracks to it.  Ours is sitting vertically in a closet.

If Mark passes on this offer, let me know.  We have the platform with tracks and buildings attached, but no base.  I could probably give you a little something in trade for it.  Suppose I need to get the wagon highway-safe, too.

[Mark70]

Where do you live?  We have a train table that hasn't been used in years... I'll just give you the base if you're close enough.  All you'd have to do then is take a ply sheet and attach your tracks to it.  Ours is sitting vertically in a closet.

Ottawa Ontario Canada

[ChadTower]

Where do you live?  We have a train table that hasn't been used in years... I'll just give you the base if you're close enough.  All you'd have to do then is take a ply sheet and attach your tracks to it.  Ours is sitting vertically in a closet.

Ottawa Ontario Canada

WAAAAAAY too far, though I'd love to hang out in Ontario again.  Been a long time.

ClubNinja, email sent.  No need to get the wagon highway ready - it probably can come apart enough for me to bring it to you.  I'd love to do it.

[Mark70]

Yes, easy to forget that it's an international forum.  Thanks for the offer thought.

CWT, do I recognize your avatar from here or elsewere?  Do you to 3d graphics, or achitectural renderings?

[ChadTower]

Yes, easy to forget that it's an international forum.  Thanks for the offer thought.

CWT, do I recognize your avatar from here or elsewere?  Do you to 3d graphics, or achitectural renderings?

I did 3D graphics maybe ten years ago... stuff that was cutting edge then but wouldn't be anything at all special now.  I don't know exactly where you'd remember the avatar from based on that, though, unless you went to UMass in the late 90s.

[Mark70]

Must be from here.  I spent a lot of time here when I was building my cab.

...back to the thread.

Anyone have ideas on how to use the things that we are used to working with and making a train table spectacular.  Cherry microswithches, lights, sounds.  Any PC software that will take input from an Ipac and trigger sounds to be played.  Anyone know anything about proximity switches.... using RC servos for bridges or crossing guards.

Lets get some brain storming going.

[ChadTower]

Sounds like what you really need is an electric train set.

[ClubNinja]

Lego 9V is very fun and VERY flexible (being Lego, and all).  The track pieces even have small, depressed holes for securing them to a table.

[Mark70]

I'm very tempted to do the train thing.  I always have been, ever since trips to a local hobby store which had a huge table.

This, however, is for my two year old son.  Anything electircal, or small parts have to be inaccessible.  The brio wooden trains are perfect.  I just have the burning need to put all kinds of prox sensors and switches and bells and whistles into it to make it a BYOAC type project.

[ChadTower]

Don't overthink this one.  He's 2.  Just make sure it's a good layout and that the tracks are well secured to the tabletop.  I did mine from underneath with countersunk wood screws.  Took quite a while.

[ClubNinja]

Agreed with Chad.  Don't overdo this one.  Sounds like you ought to build your own pimp-my-train-table in the basement.  Then, when he's older, play with that one together. 

[SithMaster]

The BYOAC way?  So your going to start it now and finish when he turns 10 right? 

When I think of trains I always remember the lego space mono rail set.  Combine that with slot cars that have to cross the tracks and you have a winner.

[Mark70]

I finished my mame cabinet in two months of evenings.  It doesn't look like Pixelhugger's (I think it's pixelhugger... rocket logo, you know)

Anyhow.  Perhaps you're right.  Don't overdo it. 

Any thoughts on convertability?  Train table with  a cover or insert that lets it double as another kind of play table?

[SithMaster]

Kinda like the 3 in 1 tournament table (air hockey, pool, and table tennis).  That could work depending on the layout you have for the train meaning tall buildings would be a no no.  So train set at the bottom and a board over that turns it into a desk or the above mentioned table tennis/pool/knock hockey.  Sounds good to me.

Can I suggest looking into these items?  construction/monorail set  I understand this is on a budget (most likely) but its uber cool.  Though you mentioned Thomas (sucks they got rid of shining time station) so there is this electric Thomas set but then you mentioned lego 9v so I'm not sure where you want to go or how much you have to get there?  If I had to pick one choice it would be to go with the legos and build your own Thomas set.  Just find suitable Thomas engines and cars and stick them to lego suspensions to get the look of Thomas and the versatility of Lego.  Then you can toss in this mindstorms since star wars, legos, and thomas equals a good time.

[ark_ader]

Have you ever seen Z gauge?

The size and quality is totally unreal.

You could probably build one on to of your cab.

http://www.marklin.com/start/z.html

[Cakemeister]

When my son was into Brio/Thomas trains I just got a sheet of plywood and painted it green. When he outgrew it, I pitched the plywood. I still have the trains though. If you are interested I can sell them to you for minimum cost.

[DaOld Man]

Must be from here.  I spent a lot of time here when I was building my cab.

...back to the thread.

Anyone have ideas on how to use the things that we are used to working with and making a train table spectacular.  Cherry microswithches, lights, sounds.  Any PC software that will take input from an Ipac and trigger sounds to be played.  Anyone know anything about proximity switches.... using RC servos for bridges or crossing guards.

Lets get some brain storming going.

I know a little bit about proximity switches, since about 99.9% of the switches on our aluminum mill are proxes.
But they tend to be expensive.
How about this, in the style of BYOAC:
why not use the emitters and receivers out of a mouse?
Shoot an invisible beam across the track.
You can use your printer port to give you 5 inputs and 8 outputs, and 3 more outputs with a little extra work.
These outputs can drive LEDs very nicely (for your train crossings).
I could probably throw together some PC software if you tell me what you want. It should be pretty simple.
I always wanted to build a (real sharp) train set, but couldnt afford it.

[ChadTower]

Dude, it's for a 2 year old.  Opticals are great until the kid poops on them.

[DaOld Man]

Aw come on Chad, dont tell me that if you built your 2 year old an arcade, you wouldnt go all out on it..
 

[ChadTower]

Aw come on Chad, dont tell me that if you built your 2 year old an arcade, you wouldnt go all out on it..

I built my 2 year old a train table.  It was wood with wooden tracks and wooden trains he could push.  That's all  2 year old needs.  Imagination is a better toy than a thousand optos and servos.

[Mark70]

The table would be for the two year old.  The building of it would be for Dad.

CakeMeister, thanks for the offer on the train parts, but I suspect that the shipping would make this an unreasonable deal.  Especially if you're in the US, I have to pay duty and sales tax on it when it comes across the border.  If however you're in Ontario...