SWARMTrak participated in the Southeast Region NMRA Train Show, in Birmingham, AL, this past weekend... This was the first time we invited other T-TRAK clubs to set up with us and it was a lot of fun! Participating with us was the Conecuh Valley T-Trak group from Troy, AL, and the Central Kentucky T-TRAK club from Louisville, KT...the layout was our largest to date: 35'x 28' , with the layout forming the shape of two capital 'E's, back-to-back. One of the highlights of this show was meeting all of the team from ScaleTrains. They participated in the show with a very nice booth, displaying all of their products, including the two new carbon black cars in N scale. (very nice but decidedly out of my era). They graciously lent us a production sample of the beautiful Gas Turbine, to run as long as we pleased, on the T-TRAK setup. The unit performed flawlessly, and if you're a fan on N scale onboard sound, sounded like a 'tinny' version of the real thing. I was most incredulous to see how well it negotiated the ridiculously tight radii curves of the standard T-TRAK corners! Kudos to their design and a hearty 'Thanks' for their generosity! ~Bruce
Those bridge modules are great, especially the first one. And from the pictures those turbines look very nice, even if they are Borg...
Still Borg-ish, but maybe someone has one of these they can run for you next time: https://www.katousa.com/N/SD70ACe/old/176-8408.jpg
The NMRA National Train Show in Orlando, FL is only a few weeks away. August 4-6, 2017 at Orange County Convention Center and there will be a large T-TRAK layout right down at show center! We're still accepting modules for those who would love to participate. Even more exciting, this layout is being sponsored by a number of N scale manufacturers who have donated some INCREDIBLE prizes as contest awards for participating modules! Sponsors include Kato, Blair Line, Showcase Miniatures, Woodland (formerly Woodland Scenics), T-Kits, and Trovestar! If you would like to participate with a module or modules, contact Fay Chin at nttrak@gmail.com.
Thank you to Dave Ferrari for writing the text below (which we used to create a mini-blog on our website). T-Trak at the Pittsburgh NSE Convention 2017 Dave Ferrari puts the finishing touches on T-Trak layout. We had 14 clubs represented by 19 participants with 91 modules from 23 different people. The large "E-Shaped" layout in the Waterfront Room was set up on 20 banquet tables measuring 37 feet by 21 feet with DCC and analog loops. This layout contained 79 individual modules with about 140 feet of double-track mainline. The smaller, two-table layout was analog powered and was comprised of 12 modules from three different participants. It had a double-track mainline run of about 20 feet. If any of you are interested, Dave Ferrari is running the T-Trak layout at the Pennsylvania N-Scale Weekend in Altoona again this year. Setup is August 18 and the show is the 19th and 20th. Check out the show at: N-Scale Weekend.
We are excited to announce a large T-TRAK layout at show center at The National Train Show, in conjunction with the National NMRA Convention in Orlando, August 4-6, 2017! The layout comprises a space 35' x 28' and is arranged in a large 'E' configuration, and, with the addition of more modules, grow even more!. If you still want to contribute a module or modules, contact Fay Chin, of Northeast T-TRAK at nttrak@gmail.com Even more exciting, this layout is sponsored by manufacturers who have contributed some incredible products to be awarded as prizes for various contests for participating modules!!! Kato Woodland (Woodland Scenics) T-Kits Showcase Miniatures Blair Line, LLC Trovestar In addition, everyone who contributes modules to the layout will receive a souvenir Mug and plaque commemorating your participation in the T-TRAK layout at The National Train Show! Again, if you would still like to participate in this show, contact Fay Chin at nttrak@gmail.com ~Bruce M. Arbo
working on the 'Bushy Creek' T-TRAK single...hoping to pour water (going to try the new 'Murky' Deep pour water from Woodland, in their Woodland Scenics product line...) added some sandy banks and rock...I'll add some dead branch effects here and there before the pour...have to have this reasonably 'done' before Orlando. eventually the bank and top edges will be covered with bush, tree, undergrowth... ~Bruce [/UR We are excited to announce a large T-TRAK layout at show center at The National Train Show, in conjunction with the National NMRA Convention in Orlando, August 4-6, 2017! The layout comprises a space 35' x 28' and is arranged in a large 'E' configuration, and, with the addition of more modules, grow even more!. If you still want to contribute a module or modules, contact Fay Chin, of Northeast T-TRAK at nttrak@gmail.com Even more exciting, this layout is sponsored by manufacturers who have contributed some incredible products to be awarded as prizes for various contests for participating modules!!! Kato Woodland (Woodland Scenics) T-Kits Showcase Miniatures Blair Line, LLC Trovestar In addition, everyone who contributes modules to the layout will receive a souvenir Mug and plaque commemorating your participation in the T-TRAK layout at The National Train Show! Again, if you would still like to participate in this show, contact Fay Chin at nttrak@gmail.com
My Sweetheart, Denise, is making the awards ribbons for the various module contests for the T-TRAK layout at The National Train Show in Orlando in 4 weeks! Winners in each category will receive a ribbon, certificate, and a generous prize/product donated by the sponsor of that category... Sponsors include: Kato Woodland (formerly Woodland Scenics) Blair Line LLC Showcase Miniatures T-Kits Trovestar
Here's the recent progress on my own new triple - West Hickory Bridge. The mains split on a double on each end of this, the inner main goes behind the bridge module on each end. Finally got the plasterwork and riverbottom painting done and I have a 'pour' coming as well. This 'should' be at Altoona this year: Thanks for getting me motivated to getting this thing moving again Bruce!
a little more work on the 'Bushy Creek' module; attempting to get it ready for the WS Deep pour water before the Orlando NMRA National Train show: a little weathering of the Kato double track girder bridge... then some painting, decaling, washing, and weathering of the highway bridge... I hope to be able to pour the 'murky water' by the beginning of next week... ~Bruce
Mugs, plaques, awards ribbons and awards certificates are ready to pack for Orlando! Each participant in the T-TRAK layout will receive a commemorative mug and plaque (so will sponsors/contributors), winners of the various contests will receive ribbons, certificates, and some INCREDIBLE prizes from the sponsors!!! (not shown here are the ribbons for Kato-1st-2nd-3rd, T-Kits, Woodland, and Trovestar)
Bruce, I hope your water goes better than mine did. Poured it this morning. By 1 PM it cracked in half and also separated from the bottom. I tore the whole works out while it was still a little flexible to salvage what I could, but I've got a lot of repair work to do before I can try again. I just ordered Woodland Scenics Deep Pour clear, we'll see how that goes. This was a disaster today. The shrinkage crack was over 1/8" wide in the center. When I'd used the stuff on my log pond, it was a much smaller area.
Sorry to hear about your water woes...what did you use? I have high hopes for the 'new' deep pour water ( I think it's significant that WS went ahead and gave in to the two part resin system- I had heard of nothing but problems with the 'realistic water' system) I'm also waiting on another box of deep pour water...after careful measuring I wasn't sure one box would be enough so I want to make sure I have enough to get it in one pour.
I thought that I would share some new t-trak modules that Central Ohio N-trak is building for our new club owned t-trak layout.
This is a 'preliminary' and unofficial report from the National Train Show concerning the T-TRAK layout and displays...Fay Chin and Terry Nathan are preparing a nice, 'Official' report on the T-TRAK presence! I was part of the Kato booth display with a few of my T-TRAK modules...I spent my entire time at the show as part of their booth. It's been my honor to have been contacted by them to represent and help promote T-TRAK at this and future shows when Denise an I are able to attend. KatoUSA has realized how T-TRAK can really help encourage new model railroaders to get started, and, since their Unitrack is proprietary, they see the obvious benefit to a relationship with T-TRAK. So they are going to be trying to feature a small T-TRAK display, at their booth (in lieu of their previous circle of Unitrack on a table), at most of the shows that they will be attending. I did not attend the convention at all, but I heard the same from my friends (Terry and Bill) that did...not the best organized convention...this is entirely on the NMRA National organization as they rely on local members to organize rather than having a core of National members who are National convention 'Ramrods'...missing clinics that were already pre-paid, wrong times listed for tours (many missed the buses because of this), etc... The National Train Show, on the other hand, was much better. attendance was 11, 472, I believe...not the largest, but I believe the venue (Orlando, where a local train show is low on a list of activities for families during the summer), coupled with the issues with the local NMRA organizers, may have added to a non-record breaking attendance... both the larger T-TRAK layout, and the small one at the KATO booth were VERY well received! PLENTY of exposure!...Cody Grivno, from Model Railroader, assisted in the judging of modules for various awards, and I was video interviewed by Cody and David Popp on my T-TRAK modules set up at the Kato booth (LORD , I'm praying I didn't come off as a total 'doofus' if and when it airs...) And David also stated that the Model Railroading Magazine staff are about to revisit more T-TRAK modules in a near future segment. So, it was a great time showcasing T-TRAK and we introduced LOTS of new folks to the concept, which they loved for most of the reasons we already know. I will say this about standards...we encountered some initial frustration during setup, when we discovered that some of the modules were not wired to the T-TRAK international standard of B-W-W-B...(blue Kato wire to the 'outside', white Kato wire to the 'inside')...this prevented us from easily using a common bus wire to attach as many power leads as we would have liked (it's always best to have as many power drops as possible to ensure great electrical connection throughout the layout, throughout the show. We were VERY fortunate to have Terry Nathan (of T-KITS) and Joshua Murrah, both who are electrical wizards(!), as part of the crew; they were able to isolate and fix the issues to the point that the layout was operating, continuously, without interruption, for all three days of the show, from open to close! This experience drove home the necessity of all of us wiring our modules to the T-TRAK standard IF we want to connect them with modules from other groups, states, countries, etc. at shows...our group has wired to the standard BUT we also have the capability of changing the polarity of either, or both, tracks so that we can run, operate, whatever, in any polarity we choose...we want to be as accommodating as possible to setting up with other groups' modules. If we were to adhere to a non standard wiring that only benefits our club, then we couldn't possibly expect to be able to easily set up with other groups, we we also wouldn't expect them to change all their wiring to indulge us... Also, the response we received from major manufacturers in the industry was fantastic! Obviously Kato, but also Woodland Scenics (Woodland), Blair Line, Showcase Miniatures, Digitrax (they donated their VERY FIRST new Wifi interface module off of the production line to the T-TRAK layout to use and showcase-Terry Nathan and Joshua Murrah had it installed and operating in minutes!) I'll be posting a few photos in the files section a little later, but Fay and Terry should have their official report available for post fairly soon; including the award winning modules and the prizes awarded to them from the various manufacturers! Respectfully, Bruce Arbo
Bruce, thanks for the prelim report on the train show and your experience with KATO. Hopefully, Kato continues to build the relationship with t-trak by offering in the future some different 4 axle diesels. Glad you had fun and a great time at the show. later, Craig
