Any MiNi Mod-U-Trak Photos from the NMRA show?

[mcjaco]

Also looking at our full setup at this show made it clear we need to clarify a few additional things with paint, ballast, track paint colors, Silflor static grass mixes  and more. Every time we put these together you realize the difficulty in having people in different locations working on things separately and then tying it all together.

Jamie's on the money here.  Everything ties together as a whole, but we've got a few issues of modules flowing better with all of the other ones (mine included - as I used the wrong color for cinders, and my track color is a bit to light compared to the others).  It looks good individually, but when placed next to others, it kind of sticks out. 

It's kind of scary that a handful of us went to the Scenic Express booth seperately, and all returned with the same stuff, and we didn't even consult with each other.  Skibbe is really brainwashing us!   

[Dave Schneider]

Wow! Thanks guys for posting all the photos.
I hope to make it Trainfest again this year and encourage others to consider this show as well. The show is November 13-14 year (http://www.trainfest.com/).

Best wishes, Dave

[AlkemScaleModels]

... Kinda makes you take another look at n-scale."

I heard that sort of thing at many train shows when we showed the New River Sub  or the Mountain Sub oNeTRAK layouts.   By being inclusive NTRAK tends to devolve to the least common denominator. I have seen a lot of horrendous NTRAK layouts over the years (it's not the scale's fault, I have seen a lot of bad HO modules too). The problem is that people equate N scale with NTRAK layouts because of NTRAK's visibility.  Asbestos suit - ON.

[skytop35]

The problem is that people equate N scale with NTRAK layouts because of NTRAK's visibility.  

BINGO. Give that man a cigar! (or something less cancerous)

[mcjaco]

^ I was telling Marshall and Nate the same thing.  I never looked at N scale because of N Trak.  It wasn't until Mike invited me to see Bill's Kingsbury Branch at Oak Lawn, that I got seriously hooked.

I still like HO, but N is just so much more appealing to me now.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

It's a real shame that the NTRAK wheat is so tough to find with all the chaff.

[unittrain]

These modules are just absolutley awesome I see alot of great work on this forum and it is what I'm trying to learn to achieve on my modules. It is very inspiring and I agree there are way to many bad layouts out there giving N a bad rep. But you guys show it is every bit as good as HO. Keep it up!! I should have my first pics up soon of some of my new modules. I love the picture of the bridge with the river below it and the shot of the 53" radius curve I feel I could jump in the picture and be track side!!! The detail level is great the land contours trees weeds it is all there.

[Sokramiketes]

Last night I started stitching together some video I took during the show.  I will be tweaking it a little before it ends up on the youtube channel, but here's a sneak peek:

http://gallery.me.com/kskibbe#100005

[jsoflo]

That is one spectacular layout, well done to all!

[pfs]

Always enjoy seeing this, thanks.

[AlkemScaleModels]

Nice video. It brought to my mind the question, what is your operating scheme?

[Sokramiketes]

Nice video. It brought to my mind the question, what is your operating scheme?

At shows it's just roundy-round.  Even then we have trouble not running into each other.   

We have the ability to operate when we set-up the layout outside of public shows.  We can base the operations on the prototype traffic on the Milw Rd between Chicago and the Twin Cities, but need a few more key scenes to do it well. 

[wm3798]

I was wondering about that too.  So often you have a layout that has really good operations but lots of scenic compromises (like mine) or a fantastic looking, dead on real layout that does nothing but run loops.  Rarely you get one that fires on all cylinders (Daryl Kruse and the Reid Brothers come to mind)

A modular set up is always going to present challenges for operations, mostly because you never really know what the layout's going to look like until everyone shows up, and things like taking care of simple mechanical and electrical issues take time away from setting out cars and organizing switch lists and the like to make "play" possible.  If you're just running a simple schedule of thru trains it's not so bad, but to me, that's just glorified roundy roundy.

Regardless, the layout is a gem.

Lee

[Sokramiketes]

I was wondering about that too.  So often you have a layout that has really good operations but lots of scenic compromises (like mine) or a fantastic looking, dead on real layout that does nothing but run loops.  Rarely you get one that fires on all cylinders (Daryl Kruse and the Reid Brothers come to mind)

A modular set up is always going to present challenges for operations, mostly because you never really know what the layout's going to look like until everyone shows up, and things like taking care of simple mechanical and electrical issues take time away from setting out cars and organizing switch lists and the like to make "play" possible.  If you're just running a simple schedule of thru trains it's not so bad, but to me, that's just glorified roundy roundy.

Regardless, the layout is a gem.

Lee

I think we have too much interaction with showgoers to even consider doing "operations" during a show event.  And "operations" isn't what joe public wants to see either. 

We do private set-ups also, and that's the time to operate the layout.  So it's really not one or the other.  We spent all that time building the thing, and like Tony K. says, might as well get use out of it via prototype operations also.  It works for both scenarios.

[sizemore]

Mike,
Could you provide a shortlist of the products you guys adopted for the scenery? I'm interested in the ballast, and the grass products.

Thanks,
The S.