The TTRAK module I've been working on with my dad

[Ed Kapuscinski]

When my dad, @EdKap2, was diagnosed with cancer last year, I decided it would be a good idea to get into a project together to help him pass the time during his treatment and recovery. Things have gone VERY well and he's starting back at work next week. We're all very fortunate.

Luckily, that project is wrapping up somewhat too and I wanted to share some pics.

The idea was to make some TTRAK modules together since he and my mom already have some. It felt like a good family thing to do.

We still have many more planned, but here's the first: a very marginal Penn Central customer on the Eastern Shore.

Here it is before we hit it with water and glue last night:



My dad applying some leaves:


Post grout and some leaves:


The starting point of the evening:


And here are my dad's pair of modules. He's currently working on more trees and at my urging, some more underbrush and deadfall.





This is a fun project, and I'm looking forward to making more progress when I'm up their way.

[MK]

The student becomes the teacher?   

So glad to hear your dad is doing alright!!!!

[Ed Kapuscinski]

The student becomes the teacher?   

So glad to hear your dad is doing alright!!!!

I'd more say "so the student has become the collaborator".

And me too. We're very fortunate. I know it doesn't always turn out this well, and we all got very lucky.

[davefoxx]

I really like this module.  Those trees are fantastic.  Who knew that a Kapuscinski could model leaves? 

DFF

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I really like this module.  Those trees are fantastic.  Who knew that a Kapuscinski could model leaves? 

DFF

Seriously. I've come by this stuff honestly... he's good.

[Dave V]

This is really awesome.  Makes me want to do up some modules to run what remains of my PRR N scale stuff!

[eric220]

This is really awesome.  Makes me want to do up some modules to run what remains of my PRR N scale stuff!

Hey, you’ve got all that extra room now!

[davefoxx]

This is really awesome.  Makes me want to do up some modules to run what remains of my PRR N scale stuff!

Maybe a project like this is what it will take to get me back into the layout room.  Since I bought the 2000 Mazda Miata almost two months ago, I have hardly even run a train, let alone work on the layout. 

DFF

[jpec]

And here are my dad's pair of modules. He's currently working on more trees and at my urging, some more underbrush and deadfall.

Glad to see he's making a few trees each night...

Jeff

[narrowminded]

Nice!

[unittrain]

Excellent work again I love following all this top notch modeling. it's great to hear your dad is doing well, my dad had cancer surgery in 2012 and so far he has done well, my dad likes railroads too we often walk the NS and sometimes CSX mainlines together my dad wants to do a small HO layout so I'm assisting.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Excellent work again I love following all this top notch modeling. it's great to hear your dad is doing well, my dad had cancer surgery in 2012 and so far he has done well, my dad likes railroads too we often walk the NS and sometimes CSX mainlines together my dad wants to do a small HO layout so I'm assisting.

Working on stuff together like this is the best. Even if it turned out like crap it'd still be my favorite project. Luckily, it's not

[Mark W]

These look great!

I realize the track overhang/gap is part of the standards.  Have you considered adding a strip of thin foam tape/weather stripping along the endplate, flush with the top edge?  You can then paint and add ground foam (using flexible glue/hob-e-tac) to the side of that weather stripping and eliminate those distracting gaps while maintaining the flexibility of the overhang.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

These look great!

I realize the track overhang/gap is part of the standards.  Have you considered adding a strip of thin foam tape/weather stripping along the endplate, flush with the top edge?  You can then paint and add ground foam (using flexible glue/hob-e-tac) to the side of that weather stripping and eliminate those distracting gaps while maintaining the flexibility of the overhang.

I've been thinking about stuff like that, actually. But this reminds me that maybe I need to actually go and do it for real.

[squirrelhunter]

The gaps are essential to getting the modules apart after a setup, and I'm not sure puthing foam or weatherstripping wouldn't make it hard to get the modules apart.

What about having a thin piece of wood that can be slid into the gap after the modules are set up and removed before takedown? You could still put grass or other scenery base materials on it.