Autumn T-Trak that doesn't suck.

[chicken45]

So, let me tell ya something, brother... @Ed Kapuscinski  traded me a T-Trak frame in exchange for "unspecified labor". When I woke up, I had the idea that I'd like use this as a test run of a fall landscape.

I really like the fall. In fact, I love everything about the fall. Even the cold rains of November (that seem to last forever). I want to model fall at what I consider to be its peak. In western PA, that was mid October. Weekends consisted of visits to farms to pick pumpkins, apples, and get ripped off by the Amish. I also like Halloween quite a bit. I have fond memories of playing trombone in Halloween parades.

Now...stay with me here...there's a lot of ...uhh... "T-Trak style" modules out there. And that's okay, this hobby is for everybody, but I'd like to see what I can bring to the table (get it?) in this medium.

I want the Vollmer Vampire Villa to be the focal point. It's believable as a mansion without looking super gimmicky/cartoony.
If you remember my Baconrail car...I'm going for the same effect. Novel, but legitimate.


I made this a few years ago and can tell that I need bring some things up to speed. As for the layout, I'm looking for input. I don't have a lot or real estate to work with, though.



The concrete double track was just for alignment. It will be replaced with standard Unitrack.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Do some PRR style retaining walls. Put in a fence along the top (the Atlas hairpin maybe?), and then some ground cover.

I also have some trees you might be interested in too.

[chicken45]

Inspiration photos:

[CVSNE]

I like where you're going with this.
Suggest taking a serious look at the Super Leaf material from Scenic Express when it comes time to make the trees -
I've been happy with the results I've had with "Fall Leaf" "Rusty Orange" and "Rawhide."

Good luck, and keep updating us on your progress!

Marty

[chicken45]

Do some PRR style retaining walls. Put in a fence along the top (the Atlas hairpin maybe?), and then some ground cover.

I also have some trees you might be interested in too.

I had not considered a retaining wall, but was thinking about rocks not unlike this:

[Philip H]

I'd be tempted to make this a whistle stop sort of thing. Slide the house all the way back, do the rocks and fence like @Ed Kapuscinski suggested; then a set of wooden stairs to a platform on that side - with a wooden plank cross over - and a flag man or some 50"s era way to slow a train. Get a bunch of unpainted Preiser kid figures and set of a school group that went to the pumpkin patch by train.

[arbomambo]

love that you may get involved in a T-Trak diorama build...same thing I've been doing; getting involved in a local group of N scale modelers via the T-Trak route.
Just showing up at shows, with modules and scenery built to a decent level has generated all kinds of N scale interest. Some may get invololved and stay in the 'toy train' aspect; others may get involved and develop and hone their scenery skills on 'finer' modules. Still others may do a module, then decide they want to go the fine scale 'FreeMo' route.
My involvement has been to gather with locals into N scale, and build scenery and structures that wouldn't see the light of day on my home layout.
Regardless, there are plenty of T-Trak modules 'out there' that do, indeed, not suck...





Bruce

[arbomambo]

on another note...
My Sweetie loved Halloween, and wants to build a Halloween-themed T-Trak module (not my particular cup of tea but more power to her!), and that building would be just what she's looking for to sit atop the 'hill'.
 are these currently available?
Bruce

[chicken45]

1. Shame on the person who downvoted Bruce's post. His module is one of the finest examples of modelling I've ever seen.
2. Yes! I think BLW has it: http://www.blwnscale.com/vollmer.htm
3. Good idea, Phil!
4. I'm thinking about the best way to orientate the building. Again, I don't have a lot of space, but I don't necessarily want everything on a grid.

[chicken45]

I like where you're going with this.
Suggest taking a serious look at the Super Leaf material from Scenic Express when it comes time to make the trees -
I've been happy with the results I've had with "Fall Leaf" "Rusty Orange" and "Rawhide."

Good luck, and keep updating us on your progress!

Marty

Thanks, Marty. I'm definitely going the Supertree route. There will be tall trees for sure.

[Philip H]

A gong the front toward the garden would look nice, but I'd want to make sure there still room for the scenic treatment of the edge.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

A gong the front toward the garden would look nice, but I'd want to make sure there still room for the scenic treatment of the edge.

My mom has struggled with that space on her TTRAK modules too. It's too narrow to do too much with.

But maybe the edge of the pumpkin patch?

[Ed Kapuscinski]

on another note...
My Sweetie loved Halloween, and wants to build a Halloween-themed T-Trak module (not my particular cup of tea but more power to her!), and that building would be just what she's looking for to sit atop the 'hill'.
 are these currently available?
Bruce

One other thought, Bruce, is that if you want to keep it in theme with your other stuff, do a "haunted hayride", or a corn maze or something, you could probably fit one right in with the other stuff you've done without it being too over the top.

[arbomambo]

You may want to consider scenicing 'outside of the box' on the front edge...
I've toyed with the idea of having scenery cascade down from the front of the module another 2-3 inches, to the bottom of the module...ostensibly to 'break up' the parallel 'plains' rectangular box of the standard T-Trak modules, but to also add a bit more foreground scenery and continuing the 'slope' effect from the rear.
Bruce

[Lemosteam]

Rotate the structure and bury the corner int a stiff hillside built up from the current level, this will draw the viewers eyes down to the track an I love the platform idea with some rickety steps up to the left plateau, where there could be a farmside cart sale of pumpkins, corn stalks, hay bales etc.  a picnic table with a jug of cider an scale bees, weathered. Lol.  The track row would be overhung on the lef in the front an down the slope in front of the house growing our of the rocks, almost like the train is disappearing into a haunted forest. Behind the cart is a pumpkin patch with removal ready corn stalks with a maze opening and a sign. Believeable and all over Michigan, except for the tracks.