How many of you out there participate with NTRAK? What do you like about it? What are some disadvantages? DCC on NTRAK, and how do you wire it? I am thinking about building a modual because of my lack of space and moving.
I am in an N scale N track club called, The Orange County "N" gineers. I like N track becuase I can display my stuff and I don't have to make a TON of stuff. We sometimes run the inside line or outside line DCC. For this, simply don't make any block seperations for that line. N track is cool unless the guys in your club are a-holes! But the guys in my club are great! Though you will get in some arguments. The best thing about N track..........LONG TRAINS!!!!!! ------------------ Craig Martyn BLMA(best looking models around) Custom painting and detailing **Soon to come, N scale detail parts!!!
Ntrak is the defacto NMRA for Nscale. Wasn't meant to be this way but that's reality. I met a great group of people in our Ntrak club. The beauty of it is that I get to operate on a layout that will support prototypical length trains. With all things in life there are the good the bad and the ugly. Being with a group means that the majority rules and you might not always get your way. (Our group voted down DCC as a club standard) But members can do it on their own.
I used to be in an N-Trak club when I lived in Boise, 5 years ago. I had a great time, and our club had its share of "good 'ol boys" in it; you know, the rivet counter type, that always wanted our modules to blend in with with theirs. (my modules had mountain division, and mountain scenery and theirs was just the 3 track mainline of the OSL snake river desert!) Well we all managed to get along just fine when we were doing shows, and we managed to keep the rules to a minimum. I sure miss those guys up there! ------------------ Robert Ray The NP & UP N-Scale Railroad
If I join a group like N Trak I would go for oNe Track. Happy Railroading!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dane N. ------------------ TAMR2860-AKA BC Rail King TAMR2860@Canada.com for TAMR info. To send a general TRAIN! E-Mail send to BCRailKing@Canada.com AIM me at TAMR2860!
I have started construction on a railroad empire that is going to include NTRAK style modules within the framwork of the layout. They will be wired to the NTRAK standards, but they will be modified enough to allow me to run DCC (which I plan to have eventually). This may not be the perfect arrangement, but it will enable me to remove some portions of the layout to take to conventions, to shows, or to the layout's new home (if that ever happens). The three-track mainline was more tracks than I wanted to model solely; so the area between the modules is mostly single-tracked, shelf-style construction. When I get done, I may even have enough modules for my own NTRAK show. http://canyonmtngineers.homestead.com/CanMtNgineers.html ------------------ Rett [This message has been edited by upguy (edited 10 June 2000).]
Been an NTRAKer since 1992.The reason being I like long trains,and Nscale is a blast ------------------ Catt!
I joined a local N scale club in 1997. They have a super web page, including extraordinary DCC info, as linked in the DCC forum, at: http://www.trainweb.org/nrmrc/ I am usually not much of a "club" person, but have enjoyed what little time I can devote to it. One reason I joined the club was I had no home layout, and enjoyed being able to run "whatever" at the shows. I have learned a lot from my club members and enjoy supporting their efforts when possible. Chessie
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Excited007: How many of you out there participate with NTRAK? What do you like about it? What are some disadvantages? DCC on NTRAK, and how do you wire it? I am thinking about building a modual because of my lack of space and moving.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> I'm into N-Trak and looking at expanding into BendTrak or TwinTrak. For more info on this subject, go to the N-Trak web site at: http://ntrak.mv.com/ You'll find all sorts of info there and you might just find a N-Trak Club in your area. I know Minne-Paul has a club but I don't know any of the details. You will find it there! ------------------ RAILROADING-TO-THE-MAX, Burlington Northern/Santa Fe Style! Brent Tidaback, Member #234
NTrak is simply the best thing since sliced bread. Most NTrakers I've ever met are a sociable group of modelers. The long trains one is able to run are simply unbelievable. The future of N Scale is so bright I gotta wear shades. ------------------ Grant grantha@Canada.com CEO Wascana Sherwood Lines
At some model railway exhibitions and at NMRA meets here in England, the Black Diamond division have a large NTrak layout, and we see some awesome trains running!! It is certainly a good way to show the might of American railroading to the uninitiated ------------------ Alan The perfect combination - BNSF and N Scale! www.ac-models.com Andersley Western Railroad Alan's American Gallery Alan's European Gallery Alan's British Steam Gallery
The Ntrak folks I know have been wonderful assets to the annual Galesburg Railroad Days Train Show at Carl Sandburg College. This year, Ntrak of Bloomington/Normal, from Central Illinois, Heritage Ntrak group, from the Joliet, Il area, a group from Dayton, Ohio, Northwest Ntrak, from suburban Chicago, as well as some folks from Wisconsin, will display three large Ntrak layouts as part of the show. Every year the Ntrak participation gets better and better. More modules, better modules, and now a big move in the direction of anamatied modules. I realize that the portability of Ntrak makes them a logical choice for temporary public showings like the RR Days Show, but we do have to look long and hard to find layouts representing other scales. Just yesterday my G scale display canceled and that's 10 days before the Show! Anyway, through the efforts of the above mentioned Ntrak groups, among others, the Carl Sandburg College Foundation has raised in excess of $40,000 for scholarships in the last five years! If you want to see some nice N scale modeling both Ntrak and individual layouts, you are welcome to join us June 24th and 24th on the Campus of Carl Sandburg College in Galesburg, Illinois for the annual Galesburg Railroad Days Train Show. 15 Displays and 225+ vendor tables. All proceeds to the Scholarship Foundaton. Contact me for further info. Harry M Grossman (aka Little Giant) Director, Carl Sandburg College Galesburg Railroad Days Train Show harryg@galesburg.net [This message has been edited by LittleGiant (edited 14 June 2000).]
Gee that was supposed to be a smiley face not a frown in my last post. Look at which side the button is on dummy! Little Giant
YESSIR. I have been member of NTRAK for a long time 15+ years. NTRAK is one of the main reasons that N-Scale has grown like it has. Before NTRAK you never saw very many model railroad layouts set up for public viewing, except at Christmas. Now you can see layouts up at various times during the year. My local club KENTUCKIANA SOCIETY OF N-SCALERS (KSONS) have been together for at least 15 years (time flys when you're having fun!). We have had 2 regional NTRAK conventions in the area, one in Louisville KY/Sou.Indiana area in 1991 and last year in Evansville Indiana. Our region is called the GREAT LAKES REGION. Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and Minnesota. I may have left a state or two out, sorry if so. We use NTRAK standards for our modules and are slowly getting into DCC. The week of June 16 thru the 24th we will be setting up in a library in New Albany Indiana. I am not sure of the final size of the layout, but most likely about 20ft X 60ft. You can take a day off work and run the whole layout by yourself, with whatever trains you bring. Run however/whatever you want. Run those LONG,100-150 car, trains! This is what NTRAK is all about. ------------------ Let's Go Run Trains MARK [This message has been edited by porkypine52 (edited 17 June 2000).]
