Also been building the small but very handy 45 deg. modules. At 2' across at the widest, they just fit a 22" radius curve with a couple inches of straght at each end. That last pair will have industries along the spur, so when connected it's a short runaround and large industry, but if separated there'll still be an industry on each end. We'll see how it works in practice. Thanks for looking.
Thanks, Rick! Feel free to stop by the Coast Div. Meet this Sunday at the Boy Scout building in San Leandro and run some trains if you want. Took out all the 1/4" bolts & t-nuts ("Mr. T" nuts?) I had been using as levelers on all my modules, chopped 4" off the ends, and installed Rockler levelers: The Rockler levelers require about 2" sq. space for install, thus the cleats around the bottoms. [screw split one (D'oh!), which is why it's still being clamped] For anyone doing modules, I highly recommend the Rockler levelers. http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=5217&site=ROCKLER At $17 for a set of 4 they're bit more expensive than bolts, but man are they awesome and make height adjustment a snap (or twist). MUCH easier than bolts! And as we're doing more shows in the near future, ANYTHING that makes setup easier is easily worth the money. Also finished building the endplates for Effett Yard: Which makes the module much easier & safer to transport, as well as occupy a smaller footprint in the car (YEAY!). Can also stack things on top! (Yeay!) So more room for more modules! [cont.]
On the 45's, I installed pockets for single legs using my patented "no screw" method of spreading wood glue in the center of the surfaces and CA at the edges. The CA cures quickly and holds everything in place while the woodglue emulsifies and cures. As single units, the 45's don't need legs: clamping to a larger module with legs on each side is enough. But if you use two or more 45's in a row (as either a curve or a snaking straight) then the legs take the pressure off all the clamps to hold it up. Originally I was envisioning one 45 to have an abandoned crossing across the rails, but then I remembered all the structures and trees I have left over from Mt. Coffin, and so built this little wayside stop: For now the water tower is removable with two long spikes holding it in place, but that might get perminantly affixed, depending on packing space on Sunday. Still needs bushes and tufts and details, but it's nice to see Mt. Coffin live again (or at least pieces of it, like the Creature in Frankenstein). Only a couple of days until the Coast Div. meet and lots of tasks to finish before then. Today will be dropping feeders and wiring up the folding storage yard. Woot! Thanks for looking.
Wow. You move fast! I'd hesitate to stand still in your garage. I might end up spackled, painted and flocked. Any chance you could post a close up photo of those levelers?
That is really great! I have never seen a Fremo layout. Wolfgang Dudler got me started on that, but I have never seen one.
Then you'd have to get the flock outta there You can see the levelers on the Rockler site. They're pretty awesome. Very easy to use, especially when the modules are already set up and their weight in on them. The 2 1/2" travel is very convenient, too. As I'll soon have enough modules to make a continuous-run loop around the garage, and as my garage has concrete sections poured by someone who poured himself a few drinks before pouring, anything that makes setup faster and easier is good in my book. Wolfgang was / is a big inspiration for my modeling. Hope one day my stuff is up to his standards. Miss him a lot!
Ah. OK. I recognize those now. Have seen them somewhere, previously. I'd bet he'd highly approve of this work you are doing! You aren't alone in missing him. There's a big hole in the universe without Wolfgang.
Here's the other 45 I'm scenicking. Same deal: needs bushes, tufts, etc. (that's today) but you get a sense of the scene. Think I'm going to leave the creek dry, though I can always put some water in later. And at some point I might cut the concrete culvert out and install an old A-frame trestle. We'll see. Now to figure out where the short is in the storage yard!