Hello my name is Justin and im trying to find people in my area to start a n scale club and layout build or find people interested in n scale or has a layout of there own the closest n scale club is 2 hours in portland im good on that drive for a club lol anyway if interested contact me
There is an N-Trak Group in the Portland area. While that might not be your main interest, I am thinking that they'd know a good number of of folks in western and northwest Oregon. So it is possible you could make a connection or two through them. I know they have also done some T-Trak.
Hi Justin. I just moved to Eugene area and want to get back into n scale after being out for 2+ decades. I have lots of rollling stock, some track, some accessories, but no layout. And no room to build a layout. I too am looking for an n scale club in the Eugene area. Have you found anyone?
Hi Justin and Ronn: If a club does not work out for you in the Eugene area, you might consider building Free-mo N modules. We have an active group in the Western Washington - NW Oregon area. Website: http://www.pnwfreemo-n.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/626963944029229/ We will have a setup on display at the Great Train Show in Portland on January 16 and 17. http://www.greattrainexpo.com/schedule.html Please consider coming up to meet us and see what Free-mo N is all about. I realize Portland is a long haul but the Free-mo concept may be a good option to get you started immediately while you get a club established. We do have one member in Aurora. We combined with 3 other groups from around the country to have over 70 modules at the National Train Show last August in Portland. Video:
There was a good group in the Eugene area called the Atlantic and Pacific Engineers. They had a nice layout that used the mountain division as well as the standard Ntrak 3 track and a great set of junction modules that was used to link mountain and non-mountain sections of large convention layouts. Last time I saw them was in 2005. Don't see them listed in Ntrak's current club list. Maybe ask around at any local shops you have in the area. As mentioned above, FreeMoN would be another option for you. Even if there are just a very few people in your area you could start something locally.
Hi Bert, FreeMo-N sounds intriguing. I will check it out. The train show in Portland in January sounds great! Wife loves train shows, too, so we may both come up for a day. Question. Show website lists a cost of $9. Is that for a one day pass, or a 2 day pass. And which day do you recommend we come. My experience is that on Saturday, people are busy still setting up. But on Sunday afternoon, they are busy tearing down. Your thoughts?
Hi Brad, I will be making the rounds of the local train-oriented hobby shops after Christmas. If I find out anything, I will post it...
I believe you can get your hand stamped and it is good for both days. You can also find a $2.00 discount coupon at the Portland show info site: http://trainshow.com/portland/ The organizers want all setup to be completed when the show opens at 10am. Seems to me setups are always done, but sometimes not always fully operational due to the normal little glitches. If a person is intent on finding items at a vendor, I suggest getting there at 10, but if you are more interested in seeing the layouts come at lunch time. On Saturday we are full of energy and excited about the show, by Sunday afternoon we are tired and ready to breakdown and go home. I think mid-day Saturday is the best time to attend.
The Willamette Valley Model RR Club has N-scale/N-trak. They are located in Brooks just north of Salem on I-5 at Antique Powerland.
Hi Bert, This may be the wrong forum for this post. Let me know I should switch. I checked out Dave Falkenburg's slideshow about FreeMo-N and found the following on the equipment page, "No pizza cutters". He then refers the reader to either Fox Valley Models or BLMA for replacement wheels! Really! Is it mandatory that the wheels be replaced on rolling stock so that it will run on Atlas code 55 track and turnouts? I don't ask this question lightly. I own approximately 200 pieces of vintage Microtrains rolling stock that is 25 years old. Much of it is NIB. At a cost of $0.80 per axle (in bulk), I am looking at $700 just to convert my rolling stock! Will I have to do that if I want to model in the FreeMo-N standard? And that cost will be on top of converting my engines/logos to DCC control and buying all new track. Ouch! Your thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks, Ronn
Ronn, Since many Free Mo N modules use Atlas 55 track, cars and locos with pizza cutters will not run well on them. Does that mean you need to change all your wheels? No, just the ones you will want run with someone else's modules, when in a club setting. If you are looking to build your own FreeMoN modules for home use, use ME 55 track, so there will be no over large molded plastic spikes for the wheels to bounce on. I was amazed when I first started running on the SV FreeMoN modules. My home layout is code 80 Unitrack, and I never quite understood what others were talking about. But, when my brand new IM AC12s wouldn't run, because of the pilot and tender wheels, I finally understood.
It is like Rick said... You can run pizza cutter wheels on code 55 usually, but the wheels bounce on the Atlas 'spikes' and sometimes cause de-rails. It is best to switch to low profile wheel sets. I have about 65 pieces of rolling stock and have switched most of them to low profile wheels (most new cars now come with both). I am also SLOWLY switching to metal wheel sets based on the advice of others. Metal wheel sets are so expensive, so I have to go slow. Just remember the intent of Free-mo is to be more prototypical and following the standards is the first step to having modules that work well. I have seem people try to take short cuts - it is just not worth it. Stick to the standards and things work better, you and the rest of your group will have much less frustration. One of the benefits of Free-mo is that you don't have to build more than one module at a time to join with others in a group. With a little forethought you can adapt a module to a home layout easy enough to use it both at home & 'on the road' Most of our group (PNW Free-mo N) have only two or three modules, some only one. I have been at this for 4 years and have 13 modules, but then I am crazy!!
