T-TRAK MOdules Boxcab E50. Things are progressing very well. I've added traditional wood box style T-TRAK modules to my repetoire of foam-on-board modules. However, to make them easier to assemble, my cabinet maker (with the ultra accurate CNC router), added dados. See the attached photos. The width of the dados is adjusted to the thickness to each piece of plywood, automatically. A very cool piece of cabinet making software. The wood box style modules go together like picture frames. You glue the sides and top in one session and add the four leveling blocks later. I've just placed an order for single wides, double wides, triple wides, 90 outside corners, 180 outside corners, and inside corners. Tee junctions will come later. This version does not have the track positioning holes. The next version will. Chaz
Hi Celi I see you are getting some Great advice here... I do want to mention that the depth of your modules are limted to 365mm (14.375"). This is due to the width of the corner modules. A Good Rule of Thumb would be 14" as this will allow some wiggle room for Cables and maybe a skyboard if you wish to add them. Ultimately, follow the rules of the club that you wish to join. Another point of concern is to be sure your Modules are Square and the sides do not bow out at the bottom as this will cause interference with the adjoining modules. I am in the Dallas/Fort Worth area... if you need any kind of assistance leave me a message on Trainboard. -Bill
Great Video Westfalen, I just got an Iphone too. I am encouraged by the quality of that device. I need to experiment a little with it so I can improve on the sharpness. I like getting in really close to the subject... I might try pulling back a little and then zooming in. What do you think
Bill, I have experienced all those construction problems...that's why I recruited a cabinet maker who applied his expertise to the problem. My last problem is locating the track to achieve consistent gaps between every module. Not something that seems to be very important, but now that I have precision modules, I want precision gaps. The spec calls for a 2mm gap between modules, but I think I can cut that in half. When I place track at the edges of the module to achieve the correct overhang and thus consistent gaps between modules, I often get gaps where the tracks connect in the module interior. I'm using shim stock to make all of these gaps the same, and therefore, each gap is as small as possible. What I'm finding is the track lengths vary a little. I should have expected that. Once all the track is gapped and placed, I solder the rail joiners and remove the shims. The 340mm depth is from the San Antonio club SANTRAK. I had to pick a depth. It looked OK to me. You mentioned that you had a friend who moved to Austin. Can you pass my name on to him? I'll help, but I'm 60 miles away. Thanks Chaz
Ipswich Heritage Model Railway Club's T-TRAK layout at the Gold Coast model railway show last weekend.
That's my brother's handiwork, it uses Kato bridges and the length can be varied according to the number of bridge sections used. He's working on a scenery base to go under the bridge.
So the bridge is 2 of the double track plate girder 20-457 (186mm) and 2 double truss 20-438 (248mm) which means that it is 868mm in length which is 62mm less than a triple? Or are the modules on the sides part of the entire bridge and are what length? Or is this a special length module that has a same length module on the opposite side? When you get the water, send another picture, should look great. Also, liked what you did with the layout design. Craig
You've got the bridges right and the modules either side representing the riverbanks are each 186mm, as it was set up last weekend it was equal length to two doubles. The third picture below is an earlier view before the end modules were finished with just one truss bridge making it equal to one double module.
Westfalen, you have given me an idea for my next t-trak module(s). Using the 186mm banks, you can have a double, 248mm bridge; a triple, 3 of the 186mm bridges; or a quad, 2-186mm and 2-248mm bridges. you just need river bottoms to fit the 248, 558, and 868 spaces between the banks. Brilliant, Brilliant, hope you do not mind my using your idea. Just for the record, I have 42 t-trak modules, 33 completed, 5 in the process of receiving scenery, and 4 planned out with only the lumber needing to be cut and the buildings to be built. I have now added the 2 banks and three bottoms, only question do I count this entire mess as 1, 2, or 3 modules?? later, Craig
Hello Westfalen, Is the planned scenery base that will go under the bridge a photographic one that can be rolled up for transport, keeping the bridges separate pieces, or will it be a more conventional, hard (3D) type of module with the bridges built in? Bill in FL
A Small Engine Maintenace Facility..With A Working Turntable I've been using Google Earth to find an engine maintenance facility that is small enough to have a chance at being a T-TRAK module. After more than a few late nights, I found one in Houston Texas. It's owned by: Motivepower Inc 800 Milby Street, Houston, TX 77023-1020(713) 222-0792 motivepower-wabtec.com This facility still too big, but take away a track or two, shorten it, tighten up the turnouts, and I think it will fit on a triple wide module. I like the placement of the building, parking, junk, etc. It's basically a single ended, 3-track yard with a run around plus 2 spare tracks accessed only from the turntable. I like the way the turntable is part of the run around. The remnants of a roundhouse is visible for those who have steam. Does anybody have any experiece with Fleischmann 9150 (discontinued but still available) or 9152 turntables? I would upload an image, but I seem to have exceeded some limit. How do I get down below the limit? Chaz
That's an interesting looking facility. Address is:800 Milby St., Houston, TXin case anyone wants to map it for themselves.
In both Google Maps and Google Earth, you can enter "Motivepower Inc" and also find it. I still have not been able to upload the image because I've exceeded some limit.
Hi Chaz Have you considered using a corner or better yet, an inside corner for the turntable. That would give you more room for the tracks without squeezing the space with the turntable. Regards
Hi John B Thanks, I did not think of that. The 9150/2 Roundhouses fill a straight module and could use more room. I did think about putting an Inside Corner between the Engine Service Area and the Main Yard. The result is a very long yard lead. And yard leads are seldom long enough to build a proper train.
