Ashland, Virginia T-TRAK Module

[davefoxx]

All this talk of T-trak is making me want to build a simple one for the national train show in July.

Dooooooooooooooooo it.  Everything you see in the picture of my module above, including the frame, wiring, and track cost me less than $50.00!  The scenery costs just depend on how crazy you get finishing a scene.

DFF

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Below grade isn't a problem. You just have to plan.

And use 1x2s instead of 1x3s. That gives you an inch.

Otherwise, use 3/4" MDF as a flat base. I'm doing that for my some of my MPA stuff to get enough clearance.

[davefoxx]

Below grade isn't a problem. You just have to plan.

And use 1x2s instead of 1x3s. That gives you an inch.

Otherwise, use 3/4" MDF as a flat base. I'm doing that for my some of my MPA stuff to get enough clearance.

That's kind of overkill, isn't it?  3/4" MDF not only doesn't take well to moisture, i.e., scenery materials, but it's heavy.  Maybe that's not a concern in a standard module, but build larger modules, like a double, triple, or quadruple, to do up something like Fredericksburg correctly, and you're losing portability.

DFF

[Ed Kapuscinski]

That's kind of overkill, isn't it?  3/4" MDF not only doesn't take well to moisture, i.e., scenery materials, but it's heavy.  Maybe that's not a concern in a standard module, but build larger modules, like a double, triple, or quadruple, to do up something like Fredericksburg correctly, and you're losing portability.

DFF

It is definitely overkill. HOWEVER you need to use 3/4" so you can get the right height by stacking foam.

3/4" MDF (or plywood) + 2x1" foam and you get to the right height (more or less). You could use something thinner but then you'd have to make it up with foam that's not as commonly available.

[wm3798]

You could use 1/4" luaun plywood and 1/2" foam? 

Sometimes people use that for other things, like insulating their houses...



Or in my case, as finished siding...

[davefoxx]

You could use 1/4" luaun plywood and 1/2" foam?

That's what I would do, except that I might use 1" or 2" foam, depending on the situation.  The lauan plywood that I used as the base on the Seaboard Central 3.0 was actually some good quality plywood.  It would be plenty sturdy as the frame for the module- every bit as rugged as the plywood in the kit that I bought from CMR Products on Saturday.  I just went the lazy route, because CMR Products' kit was laser cut and made this easy- no muss and almost no dust!

DFF

[chuck geiger]

Kato does have a set of automatic crossing gates (expandable to two tracks) for use at the grade crossing:

This is boss if you do it...

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[davefoxx]

I think I can do a little better than that.  Those signals really won't fit for what I need to do with the streets.  Also, my crossings may not be perfectly perpendicular to the track, in fact, I prefer, like the prototype, that they not be.

Thanks,
DFF

[davefoxx]

Remind me to smack Ed the next time I see him.  I started painting the concrete ties with brown craft paint and a microbrush.  Ugh.  This is going to take a while.  “A few ties every night.” 



If I ever finish painting ties, I’ll also paint the rails a rusty color.

DFF

[Philip H]

yeah well the 3 foot rule seems to have yielded really fabulous results.

[Point353]

I started painting the concrete ties with brown craft paint and a microbrush.  Ugh.  This is going to take a while.  “A few ties every night.” 

Try using a foam brush or a paint marker.

[Dave V]

Heads' up...  If you use alcohol to presoak your ballast, it has a habit of removing craft paint from ties.  Doesn't stop be from using it, just that I can count on having to go back and touch up more than a few ties after ballasting.

[davefoxx]

Try using a foam brush or a paint marker.

I tried to buy a paint marker at Timonium a couple of weeks ago and at a train show yesterday but struck out.  That would make painting the rails really easy.  I can’t imagine anything better than a microbrush for the ties, though.  I think a foam brush would get paint all over the ballast, creating more work.

DFF

[davefoxx]

Heads' up...  If you use alcohol to presoak your ballast, it has a habit of removing craft paint from ties.  Doesn't stop be from using it, just that I can count on having to go back and touch up more than a few ties after ballasting.

It’s Unitrack, so I don’t plan on much ballasting.  We’ll see.

[davefoxx]

yeah well the 3 foot rule seems to have yielded really fabulous results.

Maybe even down to two feet.  But, no macro shots, please!