performing a tedious task (albeit rewarding when done)...prepping and painting lots of sundry detail parts-plastic and metal castings. Some of these metal castings were almost 'throw aways' from Woodland Scenics, but, with a little filing, sanding, and prepping, will come in pretty handy (I especially like the pallets... I also took the opportunity to bring the remaining two modules that comprise the Grain elevator scene and clicked them together while I'm in the detail and clutter mode. This shows how the 2' General Store module fits in with the remaining two...
the Woodland Scenics castings are 'rough'...VERY soft white metal, prominent mold seams, lots of flash, etc... However, if one takes the time to sand, file, trim, and prime them, they aren't that bad...and with careful painting, should work well for the areas I have for them.
What is the building at the far end of the grouping? It looks like a station? The group looks really great. You really do great work, keep it up. later, Craig
adding some details only shows me how much more these scenes will need.... and a view down the line, past the grain elevators, shows an area around the loading dock that is screaming for detail/clutter!
The Northeast T-Trak club will be exhibiting along with many other T-Trak clubs at the Amherst Model Railroad Society's big show at West Springfield this weekend. I will have three modules in the show: http://ttrak.wikidot.com/new-england-town http://ttrak.wikidot.com/new-england-tunnel http://ttrak.wikidot.com/east-texas-pump-jacks The total layout looks like it will have about 150' of track in an 'E' shape layout. If you are in the area and like T-Trak come check it out.
with Photobucket back 'up', I was able to post the VERY quick build of this bridge from Russell Higginbotham and Red River Models/Marshall Shops http://higginbothamgraphics.com/redrivermodels/ it's a nice 'concrete' art deco arched viaduct model, that also just happens to be the exact length of a T-Trak 'double' module; it is designed to be height adjustable so it fits in perfectly in a T-Trak setup. I'm going to use it as a 'fill in' module when we need a 2 footer to help balance a layout. I will probably also build one or two more to feature ion a fully landscaped T-Trak module. It goes together in a couple of hours using carpenters glue; a simple laminate design laser cut from dense fiberboard(?). It's VERY sturdy once assembled. I just need to prime it now and spray a final concrete color. Bruce
The best way is to use the former trainaids mini screws...using the reinforced tubing molded into the underside of the Kato unitrack. I've also spiked the unitrack into the plywood surface but the screws really secure it. Since the unitrack IS the actual physical connection between modules, simply gluing the track to the surface isn't strong enough in the long run.
That's what I kinda figured. Just wasn't sure where to get screws small enough. Are they the type C screws? Your modules look really great !
I use the Trainaids mini screws and a thick white glue to hold down the track. I also use a straight edge to make sure that the track is straight. I use the screws at the ends to make sure that the ends stay down. Before attaching the track I use the 62mm double track piece (20-042) to insure that the track is at the 33mm centers and use the Kato gauge only in the middle of the track to make sure that the center distance is maintained. Carry a couple of the 20-042 pieces with you at shows and there is no argument over whose track is not the correct 33mm centers. later, Craig
I've been looking at doing an Ntrak module for a while, and it never occurred to me that what I want to do for an 'interchange' module between my Hickory Valley logging railroad modules and a standard PRR main line could possibly be done as a T-trak module instead. I'll have to do some sketching here, but I have to admit I'm interested. I'm a little puzzled by the wiring standards still but I'll get to that after I see if the geometry concept I want can be done in T-trak instead of Ntrak. Frankly, it's been a bit of a kludge to force the design onto three wide mains, I want to see if I can do it with sharper curves and fit it in the 12" world and the proper two tracks. I was noticing that nearly the entire back half of the Ntrak design was empty space anyway. I've already got two portable table-top logging-theme layouts built to no particular standards other than my own. One of the things that surprised me was how much more unwieldy the 21x42 module was to move around over the 18x36 I built years ago. Going up even more to 24x48 Ntrak looks more and more like it will take two people just to move, and I may be able to fit this on a Triple in T. Great thread anyway, got me thinking. The 'table top' with the visitors and operator to the outside of a module layout, not inside, seems to fit better with what I'm doing as well. For years I've enjoyed running my modules from the outside, WITH the public, answering questions, and playing guard as well. Never had any issues with sticky fingers or damage that way. Ntrak makes a fence out of it with you on the inside in an operating pit, and also really effectively prevents developing any concept where my modules would connect to the front, which is where it has to go it if was connected up. One stupid question. When you have a T-trak meet, who brings the tables? And what is the standard size of the folding tables, if any?
Not a stupid question at all; after all, w/o tables, you're setting it 'up' on the floor! Everywhere we've set up for a decent sized show, we've had tables provided by the arena, hall, etc...the same tables provided to vendors. I've purchase (8) 6' folding tables just in case none are provided...they seem to be a 'standard' cafeteria/banquet table height, although I've never had to mate one of mine to a provided banquet table. Bruce
Central Ohio N-trak members that have t-trak modules purchased their own 6' folding tables (30x72) because most of the places we wanted to set up had horrible tables. Only 1 location has the molded 30x96 banquet tables, the others all use wooden tables that are bowed, wobble, and are not the same height or even close and the surface is so uneven you cannot believe it. One thing to watch is that the tables might not match in height, one member has 3 or 4 tables that are just a little lower than all the others by about 1/2 to 1/4 inch. We brought our tables at Lowe's, Home Depot and Mannard's. later, Craig
A quick design check proved to me that I actually could do what I want on a triple, living with 9 3/4 curves on my own interchange tracks. The differences between this and Ntrak with the 18" minimum radius on the third branch track make the difference. A couple more things here..... 1) I'd have to use a pair of Atlas 60-degree crossings across the main. So I'm doing 'comp joints' back down to Kato joints at both ends. As long as I keep the end-to-end dimensions correct, and don't use Atlas Code 55 (probably Peco C55 on visible track) I'm still OK, right? 2) I'm not sure if I will have to do the 'standard' 13" depth or go to the 'full depth' size of 14.36. I'm under the impression you can't use skyboards with 14.36 and the wiring has to have plugs in the back. Correct? What I really like is that the stuff I just couldn't do on Ntrak - close the passing siding without construction two more 4' modules - I can do in T-trak with a double and a single. Those two could either fit together as a triple on their own, or I'd have five 'blocks' for my scene. Still thinking.... But I like what I see so far.
All of the above is correct... The module doesn't "have" to be 'powered' (Have it's own wiring system resulting in plugs for a bus wire in the rear). Whether you include it into your own layout, or into a T-Trak setup, your module can rely, for power, on the module(s) either side of yours. That way you can use the 'deeper' dimension for yours, and even use a skyboard, just as long as you're not also set up, 'back-to-back'. with a similar deeper dimensioned module. I'd also like to construct a module, or two, with a pair of diamonds, so I'm going to do as you suggest: the main trackage and diamonds will be flex and crossings, terminating, at each end, in Kato Unitrack. Bruce
If you look at the 1917 HVRR valuation map, you'll see that the HVRR came across a 640' four-span truss bridge and immediately hit a double-track PRR diamond, swung around a 15-degree curve, and came into a very awkward looking junction with the PRR. There was a small PRR depot there. This is what I'm trying to do in some kind of standard module format, and for my own use, my entire HVRR module sets would optionally connect to the front. http://www.randgust.com/West Hickory Valmap Extract.jpg So, if you conceptually straighten out the PRR to a two-track main, you can see how the track configuration could work, I need to come in from the front with a single-track branch and swing hard to the left. The actual town area with the tannery, bark piles lumber piles, etc. looked like this: http://www.randgust.com/westhick.jpg Yes, it was a joint railroad-highway toll bridge, and while the railroad was abandoned in 1938, the highway bridge was used until 2007. http://www.randgust.com/Hickory Bridge Today.jpg I have good shots of a couple incredible features, the toll booth at the end showing the tracks on the planked bridge, and a really old shot showing a highball signal at the diamonds. I already have plans drawn up for Ntrak, but finding this could work in Ttrak is actually very exciting, as all my existing modules are very much tabletop in nature.
very unique!... Despite the use of code 100 Unitrack, I like the T-Trak standard for the same reason you do; representing a double track main rather than the 3 track NTrak concept.
Bruce- what depth are your modules? I'm hard-testing actual track components to make sure my geometry works, about the only thing I'm still struggling with is whether I do the extra depth or not. Definitely must have a skyboard; don't mind putting a wiring bus through the back if that's the only standards change I have to integrate. Went on to the Facebook T-trak page; wow! I'm beginning to think that I've already been mentally working in T-trak since 1975 and didn't know it. I originally got started on 18x36 because that was the size of my bedroom dresser top I was taking to college, everything had to be tabletop for the logging railroad layout(s) and still is. That's been a highly portable module since day 1, it's been all over the state and was published in MR. http://www.pbase.com/atsf_arizona/image/137618527 I'll have three tabletop modules that fit together to do that full buildout, the challenge has always been how to integrate it with a full standard modular concept at the double-track PRR interchange. The hard part (which I did once) was to make legs to make it self-supporting and attach it to another friends layout for operating sessions. An 18x36 is not inherently stable at 48" off the ground. I was really surprised to discover that conventional N flex or Peco C55 flex on Midwest cork works out to exactly the same height as Kato Unitrack at the railhead. Fairly seamless transition, better than expected. The 33mm track spacing looks a lot better too. The potential full build-out here for T-trak would be a triple, a single, and double. The single and double could also connect if I had to balance across from each other on a modular setup, or go end-to-end for a total of six units. Add a couple end-turns and I'm free-standing, which I never could do in Ntrak without a tow vehicle and a trailer. Conceptually, this has been a light-bulb moment so far.
All of my modules were built using Terry Nathan's excellent T-Kits module kits http://t-kits.com/ All of mine are the 13" depth versions...I opted to start using his laser cut kits because, one, they're very easy and simple to construct, two, they adhere to the T-trak standard, three, they have the built-in height adjust which makes everything MUCH easier in a setup, and, three, he supports his kits with wiring products; specifically the Anderson Powerpole interfaces, which go a very long way in making everything even more 'plug-N-play' than the Kato plug system, especially when it comes to the power buses in a large setup. I should also mention that a major factor in using his kits were that it allowed me to get started laying track and getting scenery on the module w/o having to fool with the carpentry aspect of building the module itself, easy though that may be. As you already know, T-trak is but one of my N scale interests, but I really appreciate it for the 'inclusiveness' that it offers. although I prefer to model mine as realistically as Kato Unitrack and the T-trak parameters will allow me, I certainly encourage others who choose a more 'whimsical' or 'Toy Train' approach to theirs... I also appreciate the basic camaraderie developed when being part of a larger group of N scale enthusiasts, each of whom may have similar or dissimilar approaches and modeling disciplines. I especially like your idea of a module or modules doing 'double duty' as part of a home layout, but being able to be transported to a show for display in a larger setup, or as a single set of modules. you make a great point concerning the mobility factor...one of the real motivations for me to start an adventure into T- trak; all of my T-trak modules are SO much easier to transport than my Ntrak modules, AND are easier and quicker to set up and get trains running BY FAR! Bruce PS Check out the T-trak Wikidot page...
