Those are standard T- Trak end caps/corners...no issues. We run Athearn Big Boys and Bachmann Centennials around them with no problems except that they look silly.
lol..yes...a couple of these guys are the guys we always see at shows...one or two nice engines,(and lots of 30-40 year old stuff) with anything and everything trailing... even today, I'm appalled that they still need a 'transition car' to pull most of their rolling stock! with the incredibly GORGEOUS weather we've been experiencing down here in Coastal Alabama, module and scenery work has now moved to the 'fair weather' hobby room (aka, the garage). I'm finally adding scenery to one of the very first SWARMTrak modules, one of the original 180 degree end caps. The other original end cap quickly became the Triple D Farm and Ranch, but this one always seemed to take a back seat as other modules were built and sceniced. I'm taking the opportunity to do it now, as I have a few more modules in the queue that will also receive the same type of desert scenery, so I can do all of them together. This one is getting several layers of 1" foam (sic), rummaged from scraps, to build up the general forms that will become eroded mesa formations. At this point, I've got the general shapes in, but I'll add1-2 more layers to what is seen here. General shaping of the slopes and cuts will follow, using a rasp and foam knife, followed by capping with the eroded rock formations. I'll blend those in with a little sculptamold (I want them to appear to be formations that have been left protruding out of the eroded slope of sandstone, etc...) I'm trying to present the scenery in such a way as to create a view block to attempt to hide the ridiculously small radius that is become the T-Trak standard for these end caps and corners.
The Buckeye Show was today, Saturday, 4-16-16, at the Ohio State Expo Center. The t-trak layout taken by Central Ohio N-trak was based upon a diagram posted by Paul M on the yahoo t-trak site. Here are the pictures:
OK, this is getting annoying. After doing some digging, I still can't find a definitive answer that shows Kato track components by part number. If I'm building a SINGLE module, and want to put a turnout on the INSIDE track that results in 33mm centers from the new siding back to the inside main line, what turnout/curve combination do I use in Unitrak with the part numbers? Think of this as going from two tracks on the RH side to three tracks on 33mm centers on the LH side, on a single length module. I'll do it in Peco with adapters if I have to, but I keep thinking 'how hard can this possibly be?' This shows everything except resulting track centers for those #4 switches and adjusting curves.... http://www.katousa.com/PDF/N-Unitrack.pdf This may show the part numbers except for the 'blank thing' beside the #4 turnout on the top line (between S62 and "R"), which may be included with it (I've never had a Kato turnout before, so I'm clueless) http://www.nscalesupply.com/KAT/KAT-Unitrack.html
Go to the Kato USA web site, www.katousa.com under N scale, N track plan examples; #4 turnout geometry & spacing, the diagrams give you the Kato numbers, just remember that they show only tracks using the #4 left and if you need #4 right just reverse the drawing. You can also download the N tracklist with all the track pieces displayed with their part number. This should give you all the info you need. later Craig
OK, thanks, found it.... that confirms the 33mm spacing and the weird part and the standard track template gives all the lengths. Just to prove this isn't all smoke.... here's where I'm at. The geometry on this was a bear, but it's all fitted. What I'm looking at is a single module on the RH side to close that 3rd track to the second, just as on the prototype track chart. (see a couple posts back).
Update on where I'm at: did the final realignments of the sidings including moving the house track so that the siding is parallel; the angle just looked too goofy as the original was on a gentle curve. And spread the tannery tracks once I found some rough dimensions of the buildings. The depot was scaled as best as I could from photos and is now roughed out in Evergreen styrene, and the house track came right in the back of the combination depot.
I'm following this with more than a passing interest. I've been kicking around which way I want to go when I get sufficient progress on my mine loco, wanting to make a neat coal mining scene, maybe several. While it wasn't originally on my radar this stuff is starting to suck me in. As I look at the various modules and now Randy's triple I start to see the space and pretty good possibilities for a pretty nice coal mine scene. The mining tracks would be narrow gauge (Z) and also would be self contained, not needing to connect to adjacent modules. The coal tipple siding and hauling could be modeled as part of the through track. It doesn't seem that the idea would go against any module rules, would it?
I've had some fun with those kind of design arguments. On mine, the 'inner' track was actually a passing siding and the 'outer' track was a main line, according to the 1950 PRR track chart I got. Which means inner gets cinders, outer gets ballast. Most of the track in the module behind the station, across the diamond, and back to the 'tannery' tracks is my little Hickory Valley, which is operationally independent from the PRR. The actual interchange track was the third track at the top, which means I'd have to do another module to close that to the inner track. Got material to do that, but I want to get this one more finished first before I bite another off. The 33mm spacing of tracks was preserved at the edges 'just in case' I had to link up to other modules in the future. It's not a bad standard even for stand-alone modules. It's looked to me like if you can maintain a precise length and 33mm spacing on two tracks with a nominally standard offset off of the edge, the world is pretty much up for grabs. The biggest reason I went with T-trak instead of N-trak was the fact that I could get that reverse-curve curvature to fit on the third inner track with 9 3/4 (which is fine for my HVRR) but the curvature restrictions on the third main in Ntrak made it so bad I couldn't fit on a 4' module. Mine is only Kato Unitrack at the ends and everything else but in the middle, mostly Peco C55. Just for fun I did 'measure out' a standard combination of Kato components right on top of it to verify my length precisely and it came out fine. You can also see I bought a couple of the double-track, concrete-tie little pieces at 33mm spacing just to use as track spacing jigs at the edges. So for length and spacing I'm satisfied I'm compliant to T-trak. The other thing I've found out (being new at this) is that the clubs I've talked to are 'all over the map' in terms of DC vs. DCC vs. wiring standards. I decided to take my track wires down to a screw terminal strip so that if all else fails, a simple screwdriver can make field adjustments as necessary to flop or isolate wires BWWB or BWBW or whatever. My entire logging railroad concept from logging camp to PRR interchange has one more massive hole in it, and that's the Allegheny River bridge at West Hickory. That's where the diamond track goes, and that's also why the edge of my module is 'sawed off' like a riverbank because at West Hickory it went right off the edge of ties down over the bank into the river. My 3' bridge module will attach to the FRONT of this coming right off the diamond, not assuming this is a valid T-trak anything, if I put everything together it would go out in space as a peninsula that is about ten feet long. Might be possible on tables, was just about impossible doing the very same thin N-trak. That was one of the cool things about West Hickory, even after the HVRR was long gone, you drove across a ex-railroad bridge and right at the end - BANG - across two PRR (PC) railroad tracks. Pretty easy to imagine what it was like when the railroad was there. I did just buy one Kato #4 with the idea of using it on a single - it's my very first Kato turnout ever and I have to admit I was not impressed. The points are so 'soft' they don't want to close against the stock rail reliably, I can see why people gripe about them picking points, and the whole two-wire switch machine thing is just weird to a guy that started in model railroading back in 1966. It's not as 'out of the box' as you'd expect for a zero-skill product. The other thing that messed me up was the two 64mm pieces with the switches instead of 62mm, for about an hour I didn't realize they were two different lengths and I had no idea why my track measurements weren't coming out right end-to-end across a single module! An arrangement not totally unlike this (bridge across a river merging to a NYC main line interchange) was also done on the LEF&C at Summerville, PA (now long gone) but it had a similar wood combination station, small yard, etc. It didn't have to resort to diamonds, but the idea is pretty much the same. I also have a collection of LEF&C equipment.....
As kind of an announcement - Dave Ferrari is organizing a T-trak module layout to be put together at the N Scale Weekend in Altoona Aug 19-21 at the Jaffe center. As we're no longer stuck in the gymnasium there's now lots of space. Mike has details about this and also put me in contact with Dave - if you have a T-trak module and want to participate in Dave's layout assembly either contact him or contact me and I'll give you the contact information (PM me). This is just the boot I needed on my module - I've got the track done and painted, wiring done, shot the backdrop pictures last Saturday. Finished up what little plaster scenery I have to do across the front (riverbank). It was GREAT fun to go down there again to West Hickory and walk around looking for clues and remnants of the railroads - my biggest discovery was confirming, once and for all, that the original PRR roadbed was all cinders and the rock ballast was an add-on. I did a few 'before and after' shots as well lining up with historic photos. Also was able to prove that a lot more of the brick tannery buildings survive today than I ever imagined, now that I realize the entire tannery was rebuilt "modern" after the 1922 fire.
Looking forward to seeing the joint t-trak layout, hope to pick up some ideas. My club (Central Ohio N-trak) is bringing a t-trak layout to the weekend, 12x20 1/2, on 10 6' tables. See you there, later, Craig
This is why I always hope to see pictures. Aside from the fun of doing so, I'm always looking for inspiration.
OK, well here's an update of where I'm at. Got track painted, depot painted, some ballasting done. This is my first test of the backdrop photo prints I took, I think I really like it. The 'cutaway' across the front for the riverbank should do a lot for photography on this module as it puts the edge of the plywood down 2" or so, and that will all be grown up in brush as it was. That's all plaster hardshell.
Went through the 'shakedown' of the module after ballasting this weekend, and it passed all tests after a little track cleanup. It was good to see something creep through all those tight Peco turnouts - that had me a little concerned - but the jumper wires did their job, and the Peco switches still work fine despite a liberal dousing of ballast, cinders, and good 'ol dirt. Solder and jumpers are your friend when you're soaking everything in glue. I use diluted Elmers school glue as the standard adhesive - mostly because if you ball something up, it's water soluble and you can get it off relatively easily. It peels right off rails, throw rods, etc., and it never forms a white film or looks glossy. But even diluted, it's tough enough you could make sandpaper with it. I came up with a McGiver solution for power - I used some Unitrack power feeders and hotwired those between the first and second mains, and then used my MRC power jack (round 4-pin trailer plug in the lower LH corner) to run externally from that. I have it wired so I can run the mains independently, or the 'yard/crossing' independently connected to my other modules - or DPDT them over to the standard T-trak scheme BWWB. Appears to work OK. So, it may not be finished, but it's usable. Even if I don't get anything more done for scenery, it can be used in a modular layout now.
Bill, my N-Trak club has morphed into a T-Trak club. We're based in Paterson,NJ. We operate & maintain a N-Trak layout at the Paterson Museum. If your interested, PM me & I'll give you the info.
