N Scale T-Trak

billmtx Oct 28, 2010

  1. Massey

    Massey TrainBoard Member

    1,982
    6,258
    53
    T-trak modules are designed to be moved constantly and they do so wonderfully. Partially because of their size and partly because they don’t have a ton of dangly bits that the N-Trak stuff has. N-Trak on the other hand are larger free standing modules that are in fact clamped together. They use standard type track and have a small 4” piece that is not glued down in the gaps between modules. It works pretty good. I’m involved with 2 N scale clubs, one T-Trak and one N-Trak but I have only built T-Trak modules so far.
     
  2. Onizukachan

    Onizukachan TrainBoard Supporter

    752
    1,198
    24
  3. Shortround

    Shortround TrainBoard Member

    4,333
    5,037
    93
    The suggestions were what I was looking for as well as how to connect them. I can see moving them and putting them on a few of my folding tables for display. But, I would be concerned about a layout in the apartment with lubricated people moving around.
     
  4. Onizukachan

    Onizukachan TrainBoard Supporter

    752
    1,198
    24
    Yeah, just put them on a shelf or two in your closet. Or slide under the bed.

    they are easy to take apart and put away, really.
     
  5. Massey

    Massey TrainBoard Member

    1,982
    6,258
    53
    With the 1mm of overhang of the track it leaves a 2mm gap between modules. This actually allows for some imperfections in each module and to help them fit together. So putting a buffer between the modules so a clamp can help hold them together will work on your own home layout, but may not work if you ever decide to join a T-Trak group. Also putting a clamp on T-Track modules can be problematic as there is not usually much room underneath them in the first place.
     
  6. Onizukachan

    Onizukachan TrainBoard Supporter

    752
    1,198
    24
    Here is where we are at.

    still need water in the ocean, but so far so good.

    A03DFA72-D168-4AC3-B09F-67ED030129EC.jpeg
     
  7. Onizukachan

    Onizukachan TrainBoard Supporter

    752
    1,198
    24
    Boring part, but necessary. At Wally World in automotive you can find a set of electrical tape in 5 colors.
    Here I used yellow and red to mark the plugs and extensions.

    6CDE772E-5C83-4EF7-95E3-17681FA6DEF8.jpeg


    unless I am really stupid, I can’t mess it up.
     
    BNSF FAN likes this.
  8. Shortround

    Shortround TrainBoard Member

    4,333
    5,037
    93
    Thank you and the others for the information. It is what I was looking for to help make a decision. I have 6 hollow core doors 14" to 34" so, a platform for the HO around the room. I just need to learn how to hook up DCC. Then go smaller for N scale maybe in the middle.
    Thanks again.
    Rich VH
     
  9. Massey

    Massey TrainBoard Member

    1,982
    6,258
    53
    The hookup for DCC is literally as simple as a single power pack to a loop of track. Just a pair of wires to the DCC unit of your choice. That is all it takes, but will be issues on larger layouts if this is the only method used. Usually we drop feeder wires every 3 or 4 feet of track to a buss wire that is then connected to the DCC unit. This provides a good strong signal throughout the entire layout. There are also things like power managers that can help with various features, but they start making things more complex.
     
    BNSF FAN likes this.
  10. Onizukachan

    Onizukachan TrainBoard Supporter

    752
    1,198
    24
  11. Massey

    Massey TrainBoard Member

    1,982
    6,258
    53
    Looks great!
     
    BNSF FAN and Onizukachan like this.
  12. Massey

    Massey TrainBoard Member

    1,982
    6,258
    53
    Well I finally got some work done on my modules this weekend. I have decided to add DS64s to the modules with turnouts, and have them set up for both push button and DCC control.

    I also made a shelf system for the modules for storage and transportation purposes. I took 2 sheets of thin plywood cut about an inch wider than the modules were, put a 1/2 square dowel on it where the module will sit, and routed a hole for the track to poke through. Then I drilled a hole through the module and ply so I could bolt them together to stay put. I left 6” between the top of one and the bottom of the other on my doubles, and about 4” on my triples. This provides protection for the structures and scenery on the module and allows me to carry more than one at a time. My triples hold 2 so far since I only own 2, and my doubles stack 3 tall. I still need to make a single carrier and a carrier for my end caps. This setup works pretty good while the modules are bare, I’m not sure how it will be when they are completely populated.

    Sorry, I didn’t get pics of the devices or the assembly, there was too much mess going on at the time. I will get some tomorrow.
     
    BNSF FAN, mtntrainman and Onizukachan like this.
  13. Massey

    Massey TrainBoard Member

    1,982
    6,258
    53
    So here is a pic of the “shelves” I made. There is another that looks the same for the other side. And since these are flat when not in use, they tuck away nice and east like. There are actually 4 of them in this pic.

    BD74A814-9091-4C48-9C43-4F60B7A4EF5C.jpeg
     
    Onizukachan, BNSF FAN and MK like this.
  14. Onizukachan

    Onizukachan TrainBoard Supporter

    752
    1,198
    24
    Nice work! I need to build something like that also.


    I saw in another thread you mentioned you had the type 500 HK Shinkansen. It’s the exact same as my 500eva, jsut a repaint, (like the prototype) so if you ever have questions about DCC conversion, it is possible and can be done without them being visible in the motor car.

    I did NOT like the way I had seen them done on the JNS forums.
    for me, I did lightboard and motor car with 3 $15 dn164 or do 163 motor decoders. They are mounted under the floor after removing one of the fore-aft ribs in the end cars belly and wire direct to light boards, and wired in at the end of the motor car above floor a la Kato lightboard thru very small holes and 34 ga tCS stranded wire.

    I set them all up to step 1-2=50% and step 3-128 100% when doing baseline/initial number programming (cause you need to motor car to ack for you to get a read) then take endcars off prog track and put a normal inverted curve acceleration profile on the motorcar itself, add some momentum (2& 4 iirc) and turn on the switching (1/2) speed button function. That way you can sit in a siding with headlights dimmed but have full bright when it moves, and it is much easier to control speed in yards or low speed sections.

    if you ever need pics, let me know, I have a few and if not I’ll take it apart and get you what you need!
     
    Massey and BNSF FAN like this.
  15. Massey

    Massey TrainBoard Member

    1,982
    6,258
    53
    Sound. We all love sound, right? Well I don't much care for sound out of more than one or two locomotives at a time. It is simply too much noise at that point. I honestly could care less if the engine makes any sounds to begin with. To me that doesn't make for a realistic layout. There are so many sounds all around us that we simply take for granted as they are almost mute to us any more. I'm talking about birds, wind, people talking in the distance, cars driving by, kids playing in a park, things like that. These are the sounds of every day life that 99% of the layouts out there are really missing. This is the sound that I want to hear on my layout, even if it is not really heard. How about a river or stream crossing on your module, or layout... that should sound like something, and while real water effects are difficult to manage on an N scale layout/module, the water scenes are still created in resin form. And we make those forms look like the water is flowing with ripples, and waves. So why not the sounds too? @Onizukachan this little device in my video would make for an awesome addition to your ocean beach module!

    I introduce to you the Adafruit Sound Board. There are a few versions of this board out there, this one is a stereo 16MB with built in 2W amp. The speakers are just little project box speakers nothing special. This device has it's own built in microcontroller that needs nothing from you to make it work. Simple upload the files (with special names like T01, T02 etc) and when the trigger pin associated with the file (pin 1 with T01...) is pulled to ground the file will play. It's that simple, but there are more complex ways to play as well if you so desire. The board can be activated with a simple momentary switch, or via some type of sensor or microcontroller device if you want. Here is a quick demo video of my unit playing a few city ambient sounds.

     
  16. Onizukachan

    Onizukachan TrainBoard Supporter

    752
    1,198
    24
    Hahaha! I already have one of those in my San Medina module! I can canabalized it from my whistle warehouse. I used to use them in my Disney monorails to play station announcements.
    glad you found them too.
     
    Massey likes this.
  17. Massey

    Massey TrainBoard Member

    1,982
    6,258
    53
    Here is another video of the sound board, this time using an Arduino and an IR sensor to initiate the sound.

    I used a similar sensor on my Tram layout to stop the tram at the stops, this just adds a couple lines of code to initiate the sound. This type of set up could be used to give an "ALL ABOARD!" message, or something like that.


     
  18. SD35

    SD35 TrainBoard Member

    55
    39
    17
    Hi,

    where can I find the dimensions for a T-Trak-curve with Kato double track superelevated = 3 x 20-181, 1 x 182L and 1 x 182R ?

    Thanks......Rainer
     
  19. BigJake

    BigJake TrainBoard Member

    3,259
    6,172
    70
    Those pieces are 414mm/381mm (or 16-3/8 & 15 inch) radius, so the 180 degree turn would have a center-center 828 mm diameter for the outer track. You would need to add the standard spacing from the center of the front track to the front edge of the module (x2 for both ends of the module). I don't have that information immediately at hand.

    There is a company that makes bases for this track curve arrangement in two half-modules. The center 45 degree curved double track is removable to allow separating/re-joining the two modules (or adding the 22.5 degree transitions and keeping them separate 90 degree turn modules). This makes the modules more easily transportable.
     
    SD35 likes this.
  20. SD35

    SD35 TrainBoard Member

    55
    39
    17
    Thanks.......Rainer
     

Share This Page