long time ago, i saw a N-trak module that looked like this, except it was actually completed. the trains were running through the jugs/cans and books used to "hold stuff down" lmao
Got the 4 modules together, Outer track is down. Iner loop to be a high line. Already planning a tunnel for one module.
Update on the single module that will be home to the Jantzen Creamery. For those who may not know, this module is in honor of my great-grandfather who owned the creamery in Hillsboro, KS from 1899-1903. He used to send workers to the train station to find out when the train would arrive so that the delivery of products to the train station would be as fresh as possible. Later he established a phone line (first in the area to do this) to the station so all he would have to do is call. Today I took the opportunity to plant some trees. I am waiting for the arrival of the Woodland Scenics O'Leary Dairy Distribution kit to serve as the creamery. The kit will serve as a tribute only and will not be operational. Once the kit is assembled and in place I'm pretty much going to call this module finished except maybe for some minor touch up and getting the ballast down. Regards, Charles
Project at hand: the Woodland Scenics O'Leary Dairy Distribution kit arrived today. I will start working on it this weekend and it should go pretty fast since it is a pre-fab kit. First up will be to prime it and then paint the building and the detail parts. It looks like most of the work will be painting the details and putting the details in place. Regards, Charles
tying to make the time and go back and add static grass to all of my T-TRAK modules that should have it. I put this off, when I originally built them, thinking it would be simple enough to get to. 4 years later on many of these, and I realized it's not going to do it by itself! So I gathered the grasses I needed and got cracking. I applied the grasses in 4 distinct layers. I put the initial layer down over a 50/50 white glue/water mix that I applied to areas with a hobby paint brush. Then, after vacuuming excess (using a nylon stocking over the nozzle to recover the excess), I applied successive layers with, either, Woodland Scenics Scenic Cement, or Tres Semme super extra hold aerosol hair spray. For these modules, my Mid-West Mother Road series of modules, I needed the static grasses along the highway shoulders and railroad right-of-way, as well as a few open fields that exist on a few modules. A base application of medium green short (2mm), was followed by 2mm burnt grass, a 'splotch' or two of 2mm 'wild honey', followed by a finish of a 'pasture' mix- 2mm, 4mm, and 6mm of various light and darker greens. As a final step, I added some fine green blend ground foam to form green flowering patches-I may add a scattering of white and/or yellow 'flowers' over these patches as I acquire the material. I'm averaging a module a day-I should have them in tip top shape by the time the National T-TRAK layout event rolls around-August 12-14th. ~Bruce
I also built my first junction modules and I want to maintain the Mid-West 'Mother Road' theme with them. The problem is though, the junction modules don't have skyboards, and it's difficult to disguise the 'non prototypical' track arrangement that these modules have. I determined that I'm going to disguise the converging yellow tracks as a 'wye' that serves a number of grain and feed facilities. The elevators will help create a man made 'canyon' that will assist camouflaging the tracks. To this end, I've been assembling some structures that would look 'right' in the 1950's. The first is the Walthers Cornerstone smaller concrete Co-Op 'prarie' elevator. I did some extensive weathering on this, using a combination of grays, sanding, and drybrushing. Bruce
I got around to printing out the sign for the Jantzen Creamery. First, I scanned the decals that came with the O'Leary Dairy Distribution kit. Erased out the O'Leary using GIMP, filled in the background, chose a font I liked and typed in Jantzen Creamery. I printed it out on regular paper and trimmed it to fit the sign. I then just glued it on to the sign board. Once everything is thoroughly dried I will age the sign by scoring and chipping out some of the area. Regards, Charles
I've been looking through the previous pages with interest because the local N-scale club in town is converting itself to a T-trak club. I'm considering possibly building a few modules, but have some questions: One of the things I'm not a fan of is the Kato track and how uniform and high the ballast looks. Do people use ground cover and stuff to make the track appear more scale? I'm coming from using code 55 with little or no roadbed (like a branch line) so it just looks so "big" to me. Also, the corner modules seem so sharp. Any solution to that as well? seems it would keep you from running a long coal train or stack train with multiple locos. Is it common to have multiple modules? They're smaller than N-Trak so I could see myself building four of these easily to have one continuous scene. I'd probably figure out a way to tie them into my home layout so they'd get used more as well. These questions aren't meant as a dig at all.....just trying to see if this is the way I want to go from traditional N-trak clubs. Thanks for any help in advance.
I just started a t trak system. I use the 19 inches radius double trak main line. Its super elevated. With enough room for a inner high line about 12" radius. If you paint the rail and ballast the edges it takes away from the rail size. Hope it helps. Jt
I've never used Code 55 before (only Atlas Code 80) nor Unitrack until I started with T-Track. So Unitrack doesn't look too big to me. I guess it's what you are used to in the past. I can understand the "shock" coming from Code 55. No one at our club or at the shows/events we participate in ever mentions that the track looks out of place. As for curves, you're not going to find broad flowing and sweeping curves like you would on a dedicated home layout. Even if you take a look at the N-Trak modules, the curves there aren't that broad either. There's only so much you can do with 2' x 4'. The curves do look tight somewhat but they have never given us any problems at all. We run 40 car trains with no problems. For modules, you can do singles, doubles or triples. Doing singles give you the most flexilble in swapping modules around but the longer modules give you a bigger piece of continuous canvas to model on. Take the look at the picture below. On the lower left you can see a single module that isn't used, not connected. And right next to that is a double. You can also take a look at how the Unitrack looks. T-Trak is more about flexible, small, modular concept made for running trains. You're not going to find such wow factor landscaping as you would on a home layout but I've seen some modules that come close.
T-TRAK specifications only require that Kato Unitrack to be used at each end of the module. You can use other brands elsewhere as long as each end has Kato track so they can match and mate with other modules. Regards, Charles
But you wouldn't be able to hook up Code 55 as Unitrack is Code 80. Some people have used Atlas Code 80 in the middle with the ends being short pieces of Unitrack.
One solution is to use Peco Code 55 which is actually Code 80 with an extra flange. Simply slide it into a Unijoiner. Regards, Charles
So I was playing around with some "crazy" ideas that a fellow T-TRAKer has come up with and I put together the attached plan. I called it the "balloon party" because it uses balloon modules on the ends. The balloon modules would be custom built with the triple and junction modules being standard modules. My thoughts were that this could be a stand alone display at a train show to help promote T-TRAK or it could easily be used as a "home layout". To fit nicely on folding tables you would have to use four 4' and two 8' tables. Enjoy, Charles
As Joe Todd said by painting the rail and ballast the track it goes a long way helping with the appearance. You can buy Kato ballast but somewhat expensive. You can also make your own blend of ballast to help disguise Kato's embedded roadbed. Check out the DIY Kato Ballast here on the T-TRAK Wiki. Also look at some of the images in this section e.g. Bruce Arbo and also find some of the work Bill Denton does. Regards, Charles
Thanks. I really need to focus on the modules I'm currently working on and get them completed. I am seriously considering doing this but like my other projects I have to plan ahead and save because of being on a fixed income. The track alone for this plan is $482.29 plus shipping with the majority of the cost being the 2 double crossovers and the turnouts. Then there's the cost of building the modules. Not really all that bad considering the size of this. Regards, Charles
