Bravo Howard and Paul!? Thank you for the enjoyment you brought - and the inspiration!??
Bravo Paul
Reluctantly I had to sell the key modules to my famous Circus. The person who purchased them, promised to spruce them up and start to display them soon.
It is not everyone who can say they won Best in Show at the National NScale convention. I was able to get that honor.
Paul, you are right on.
I am no longer physically able to display my modules. But I sure enjoyed developing them.
Howard
Howard L. Young
Fiesta Medals, Lapel Pins, and Challenge Coins
210-542-6121
Veteran owned
> On Aug 27, 2022, at 6:54 PM, Jeffrey Reynolds <Cteno4@...> wrote:
>
> ?Paul,
>
> Good thoughts. Yes the primary standards of Ttrak to play with others is just getting up to track height, correct track spacing and wiring, and fitting onto the tables and modules being used. The module itself can be made in a myriad of ways.
>
> If model railroading is to survive we need to keep bringing in more modelers and the younger you get them hooked the more of their life they can enjoy the hobby and contribute to it. Trak really is the best option for all ages to get started and involved.
>
> I have some of the 9¡± deep art boards to do a few demo modules. They cost all of $4 each for the module itself. Wood on the is very good and cleaner woodworking than any module I¡¯ve ever seen built. Ply edge and joint are very clean and almost invisible. Going to see how well it just oils as is. Also playing with some #10-24 bolts and rivet inserts (these can be very easily glued in place) as more economical (and lighter) alternatives to 1/4¡±-20 bolts and t-nuts or inserts. Of course these art boards are not a solution for corners, but almost always folks start on a straight module.
>
> The points you have made have been what I¡¯ve been preaching to the public at shows for over 15 years now. Yes Ttrak is not going to get you a really complicated layout track wise, but it¡¯s the perfect way to get started and one of the few options to those that are space challenged. Also when your focus more on the module scenes you will find less need for a complicated track plan when doing public events. Once folks get fascinated by the scene, they tend not to notice it¡¯s a simple oval of track on a small setup. And most times when I point out to a non modeler that the layout is made by little modules (you would be surprised how many folks in a more public show don¡¯t notice this) they end up commenting that they look like an easy way to get started!
>
> It¡¯s also a perfect way to get started but also to learn and progress in your skills and creativity as well as it¡¯s a small investment of time, materials, and money to try a new idea for a scene or scenery technique. Each module can really be a step up in abilities, ideas, and experience. If the early module(s) were a bit funky then it¡¯s easy to go back and fix them up or just scrape off the scenery and start over with new skills and experience. This really is the best way to learn. I¡¯ve seen so many people dive into a whole layout early in their modeling experience and have one aspect flummox them and they get stalled and many exit the hobby in a bad way.
>
> Also nice as modules can easily be displayed on a book shelf in even a small apartment to enjoy them as little dioramas when not in use.
>
> Ttrak saved our club. For the first like 10 or 12 years we had Unitrak set up on the fly layouts, then a large sectional layout. These were very complicated traditional ¡°layout¡± designs with 4 lines (2 ground and 2 viaduct), yards, sidings and scenery.
>
> But when we went to do our new section sectional layout we kind of hit a roadblock of only having one place to really set up the layout to work on it (my basement unfortunately and I that to pack up all my hobby stuff usually there to setup the layout). This just didn¡¯t work out logistically for the amount of time it was going to take to get the new layout done and a royal headache for me. It¡¯s too bad as the new sectional layout had a lot of improvements in design and construction to make it more expandable and adaptable as well as easier to store, transport, and setup.
>
> Luckily since the club started 18 years ago we had been doing 25mm streetcar Ttrak to use with smaller events where we didn¡¯t have the person power to transport and set up the regular layouts or not enough room at the event. When development of our new sectional started to slow down we quickly got going on 33mm Ttrak to fill the gap and also use for smaller events. As it became apparent that the new sectional layout may never get finished we are now a fully Ttrak club. This pivot was able to happen quickly and easily for us and really works well for Japanese scenes where trains are literally right next to just about anything you can imagine and Japanese scenes tend to be very dense on details so even a smaller Ttrak loop can hold a visitor¡¯s attention for quite a while and we don¡¯t need a really massive layout. We now have a small loop of club owned modules to start a loop with and just add whatever modules show up, no complicated planning on who is bringing what and worry someone with corners not showing up!
>
> Ttrak is also fun as when the grand nephew is here I can just plop down a loop of modules and let him build his own scenes (the old 25mm had the buildings loose ro use between Ttrak and club layout and my home stuff). Takes less than 30min to set up and he has tons of fun and remakes the scenes several times.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Jeff
>
>
>
>> On Aug 27, 2022, at 5:43 PM, PaulMmn <PaulMmn@...> wrote:
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>> ?There have been comments that T-TRAK isn't real model railroading. That we're not serious model railroaders.? And that using the 'art boards' will lessen our chances of being taken seriously.
>> .
>> C'mon!? Seriously?? Why is NTRAK more serious than T-TRAK?? They both create layouts with trains running in circles.? Yes, there are yards and turnouts and switches and such, but how often are they used?
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>> And now some claim the art boards are no better than the Kato/Woodland Scenics foam-and-hardboard modules.? Which, by the way, have created some very nice modules!? And the modules are more than strong enough to survive attendance at train shows!
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>> It all depends on what you build.
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>> The T-TRAK module standard was intended to be a free-form standard-- basically, as long as the track is in the right position and the module meets the limitations of setup on a table-top, and it's wired BWWB, it's T-TRAK.? Whether it's a high-quality, furniture grade base, or a chunk of 1x12 with bolts in the corners, it is a T-TRAK module.
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>> The real issue is not "I could do it so much better," but "is this the best the modeler could do at their current level of expertise?" I've seen 'first modules' that have lumps of styrofoam with a crudely carved tunnel, to modules with tunnels with portals and arrangements for the lineside wires to enter the tunnel.
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>> Now-- is this to say that T-TRAK is just for entry-level modelers? No.? No more than NTRAK modules are.? There are apartment dwellers with no space for a layout.? Even those modelers with a house are no better off-- the attic is too hot or too cold, the basement is damp and leaky, and the garage is dusty and drafty.
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>> The solution is T-TRAK.? You can build it on a kitchen table.? And detail is what you decide it is.? Have you seen the Star Wars Museum T-TRAK module?? Detail galore!? Modeling at least as good as what you see on any NTRAK module.? ?But there are dozens of high-quality modules that you might consider run-of-the-mill--? a farmer's field, with hay wagon and bales of hay being hauled back to the barn.? A block of apartment houses in a city scape.? A block of apartment houses in a city scape with a major fire, fire trucks and police cars.? A swamp, with alligators.
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>> And let us not forget the humourous side of modules--? Jurassic park, with dinosaurs.? A module with Frank-in-stein (the monster standing in a beer mug (Fred Brooks)).? Halloween modules.? Flying saucers stopping by to pick up a few cows.
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>> Let us not forget that humourous scenes have been part of the NTRAK world as well!
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>> Now.? The Art Boards.? I haven't seen one in person, but the description on Amazon shows them as solid enough for a module base. Are the dimensions 100%?? Close enough!? The 'length' (width) of a single module is 310 mm, which is 12.2"? Used without 'padding,' the module would have 1/8" (3 mm) or so overhang at each end.? A strip of thin foam at one end would solve this 'problem.'? ?Besides, the 1 mm overhang is a suggested best practice.? Frankly, my module building is only approximately 308 mm-- and scenery tends to ooze over the edge of the module if I'm not careful.? So 1/10" overhang at each end it is!
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>> One comment popped up in an unrelated conversation-- how many modules do you bring to a show?? All of them??? How many have shown up at every show in the region for the past 5 years?? I've been to three convention shows this summer-- and a good number of modules have shown up at all three!? A suggestion has been made that you -don't- bring every module you ever built to every show!? Solves the problem of no more space in the car!
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>> And when that 'old warhorse' does arrive at a show again, it'll attract more attention!? Especially if you've rebuilt a module that's showing its age!? Or you finally dusted off all of the trees!? As someone once said, "A coating of dust is not the same as 'weathering!'"
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>> How long has it been since you've built a new module?? How many of your modules are less than 5 years old?? Build a -new- module with a theme that'll surprise everyone!
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>> --Paul E Musselman
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