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Shipping a Sectional Layout

September 21, 2017

Just a few weeks ago when we heard that Pelle Søeborg was to the point that he was going to have to dismantle and scrap his beautiful Union Pacific Daneburg Subdivision layout we knew we had to act fast. After contacting him and starting to work out the details of purchasing the layout from him we needed to get an understanding of what it would cost us to get this layout here. It's no small endeavor, fortunately we have a fair amount of experience with shipping containers filled with goods because of our relationship with ExactRail.

Pelle needed to start clearing his layout room ASAP. As soon as we worked out the shipping details and let him know we were a go, all parties agreed on the purchase details and his work began! The Layout was dismantled and packed into a shipping container in about 1 week. This sectional layout design proved how efficiently it could be packed and moved. (For more info on how he built this layout to disassemble easily see his book HERE)

The following are excerpts from both Pelle's Facebook page as well as from e-mails that he sent to our team as he worked through the shipping process:

'I have a couple of busy days ahead preparing the layout for shipping.
As this layout unfortunately will be the last from my hand it is nice to know that it will still be around for many years and not just torn down.'

Splitting the Layout Sections

'First step in preparing the layout for its journey is to separate the sections and they separate nicely. I designed the layout so it would be easy to take apart but theory and practice is not always the same thing. Fortunately it was in this case

I have only cut the staging at the ends and in the middle so only need to put two sections together. You will need to assemble the rails at the ends and in the middle with rail joiners. I have included some but I am not sure there is enough. I used PECO code 83 for the staging. Where the wires are cut I have marked them “A”, “B”, “C”, etc so it will be easy for you to connect everything.'

'For the most critical structure - the grain facility - I have created a support system from wood and foam insulation board. To remove it you first brake off the insulation board pieces and then carefully loosen the screws on the wood frame and remove that too.

I plan to cover each section with plastic so anything that shakes loose during transport will stay on the section.'

'I usually wake up around 3 in the night - unfortunately a common problem among men at my age Often I can't fall asleep again and then my brain starts up trying to solve whatever problem I have at the moment. This night's subject was how to secure a delicate structure like the CVMW bridge on the river section. I was worried it would shake loose from its abutments during transport. After a sleepless hour or two I had the solution: clingfilm...

'I have been very worried if the trees on my layout will break during the transport so where it was possible I supported them with a piece of heavy metal wire stuck in the foam insulation board sub-terrain. There are a Surprising number of trees on this layout by the way'

Sectional Layout is ready to ship!

'All sections are now ready to be loaded in a container and shipped. The container will arrive tomorrow afternoon. It involved more work than I thought to prepare the layout for shipping. So far it has taken me 3 full days.'

Packed and ready

'The container is packed and will be picked up any minute. We have supported the sections the best we could. The staging sections are attached to hooks at the floor and ceiling with metal wire. You just need to cut the wire to get them out. The layout sections are supported by a wood frame (on the floor to the left in the picture). It is assembled with screws only so it is easy to take apart.

Hope the layout arrives without too much damage.'

'Bye bye layout. Safe travels.
My son who is posing in the picture took the day off to help me packing the container.'

We are Grateful for all of the hard work and care that Pelle put into this move. The Layout is now in the hands of the shippers. We're hopeful that all of his hard work will pay off and that the layout will arrive without incident.

Watch for our upcoming blogs about the preparations we're making to be ready to receive this beautiful layout.