Well not finished but got it finished in time for the T-Trak set up at Galesburg RR Days this past weekend. Here is my Cafe module I'm calling Rick's Place, named for the lead guitarist, Rick Nielson from one of my favorite bands, Cheap Trick. B&M #1715, a GP9 from the 1957 order, rambles across East Main Street and past Rick's Place on a hot and humid June day in 1977. The building started out as a stock Roadkill Cafe kit, but I modified the front windows by removing the trim that formed the top quarter windows. I used Tobias Locomotive Works interior kit for the main floor which included the three walls, stairs, booths, counter and jukebox as well as a roof. The top floor was scartch from the styrene sheet that was included in the kit for the roof. I built the top floor to resemble an apartment and painted the upstairs in various colors per room. The floor on the main floor is Evergreen styrene tiles. I painted the building with Poly Scale Acrylics and built a hollow foundation with a small metal bar that snaps into rare earth magnets in the foundation base on the module. I'm using rare earth magnets to mount my buildings so they wont get damaged if they get knocked off. It also makes transport easier. I still need to ad interior lighting, people, signs and some weathering. So far a fun project.
Jim, the building looks great. I searched Tobias Locomotive Works and it appears that it is out of business as of 2005? If you have a source or other information, could you share it with us? thanks, Craig
Thank you. Yes unfortunately TLW went away in 2005. I had seen the display at Cincinnati NMRA and stocked up on two each of everything he had so I have a spare I could use as a mold down the road. It is a shame he vanished. Yes, here it is in the early stages. The white is from a label that was attached to the underside of the Woodland Scenics grass mat that had been previously applied. As you can see, this is the standard module that is sold at T-Trak's web site.
Wow, the layout pics from different clubs on this site are really great. Thanks to all of you for posting them for guys like me to see. I've built enough modules for a layout of my own. Like Boxcab, mine are all standard for the same reasons. I tried for months to get something going in AZ, but no takers, not a single response from someone interested. What with all the apartments in the Phoenix area I figured I'd get lots of hits from folks like me with no space for a layout. I had this dream of a bunch of guys getting together now and then to run on all our modules. I guess I'm alone here. Seeing all the great work by modelers in groups and clubs, I'm sure envious of you all.
Brian- Like you, I am alone in my locale. There are a fair number of model railroaders, the largest number are in HO. There is On30, G, N, tinplate and more. But nobody interested in such as modular or T-Trak. Only one small club in any scale that limps along. And one tiny round-robin group of 3-4 guys that barely stays together. These folks are quite content to be lone wolves. So I don't worry about it and just enjoy my own efforts. Maybe, maybe some day...
Some day I need to pack up all my T-Track modules, a bunch of trains and drive to Montana. We could have a mini meet.:happy:
This region and my area in particluar, are destinations for many conventions. We have all kinds of gatherings, many, to me, are certainly much less worth while. However, I am not certain the hotels and motels could withstand such a massive influx. Do you think they could handle two people? We might collapse the entire system!
Like boxcab, I built my modules to standard specs. When I down loaded the plans, I went out and bought the lumber to make six or eight modules. I did however order one kit from Jim and Lee thru NTRAK. I planned on using it to show folks who might be interested in it. One thing that was interesting, there were only three sides in the kit. I built mine with all four sides. With a lot of folks who have disabilities, and there are a bunch of us, and folks without places for a layout, I figured T-TRAK would be a hit in the Phoenix, AZ area. I was in for a huge let down however as no one has ever showed any interest in it here. I just love the smaller size, and light weight of these modules. A HCD,(hollow core door) is all one needs to set up a layout on, and it's portable. I usually use the wife's patio table to set up my layout in the backyard. The portability of T-TRAK is really great
I've made my own, but did buy a kit from Jim and Lee via the Ntrak catalog for about $14.00 so I'd have one to show folks if I got any interest in AZ, which I did not.
T-TRAK I have been working on my T-TRAK modules for my home layout, and have ten modules with only three left to do the scenery on. Here in the Phoenix, AZ area I've had no interest shown for T-TRAK, yet at the hobbyshop the other day I overheard a conversation between a guy and the owner and this guy was asking about N scale track. After being told about kato unitrack, I invited him to my home to see my little layout that uses kato unitrack. He was very impressed, and has decided to go the t-trak route with the kato unitrack. Who knows, maybe I won't be the lone crazy here afterall.
I think people have to see what it T-TRAK can do to be converted to it, I'm sure most think of it only as little square modules with two tracks across them. Our club has found it's incredibly more versatile than N-TRAK for small and large show layouts as well as home layouts.
Our club decided over the summer to build a T layout for the the WGH show in StL., as it would be easier than moving the big layout for the show. even got some of the HO & O guys involeved
So easy to see what a great youth recruiting tool T-Trak can be. Great for adults, but it is perfectly sized for kids.
