Weekend Update 9/15/24

[Ed Kapuscinski]

As @SAH said, how often are you parked next to @Ed Kapuscinski ?

This is one of my favorite parts of the event: mixing it up with people you only know online.

[SAH]

 Speaking of parking next to @Ed Kapuscinski, it looks like the V&O went up the Wheeling for a transfer at Spencer.  The things you don't see at a FreeMoN meet.


The Wickenburg Canyon, @vermonter_railfan , modules were set up such that they faced a full wall of windows.  The natural light made Ryan's module simply "pop" when you viewed it in person.  His photo only hints at how good it looked.

I'm more-or-less meh when it comes to UP.  An E unit in UP colors however is stunning IMO.  I'm sorry not to have caught the owner of these beauties name.  Although the modeled location is my Spencer module, this scene could occur anywhere across the Midwest or Plains. 


First time I've been to Altoona since it was at the Shrine.  Quite a show.  The facility is beautiful and everyone seemed to be having a great time.  Well done.
An observation:  It seemed the T-Trak setups outnumbered N-Trak by 2:1, more-or-less.  A glimpse into the future perhaps?

[Ed Kapuscinski]

An observation:  It seemed the T-Trak setups outnumbered N-Trak by 2:1, more-or-less.  A glimpse into the future perhaps?

Absolutely.

NTRAK was great when it was the only game in town, but I think people are realizing that there are better ways to scratch the itch: want to build something that looks like a home layout that can be seen in public? Freemo. Want to build something convenient? TTRAK.

Regular old NTRAK is like the mid sized sedan. Good enough when there weren't many other options, but rapidly disappearing at the hands of more evolved options.

[Missaberoad]

I like that... "N-Trak, the K car of model railroading"

I remember being so frustrated with its stale standards, and it's stale membership (very resistant to the smallest change) back in the day when I was a kid in the N-Trak club.

Now a days it seems like there is a perfect fit for anyone. If only I didn't live too far away (2+ hours from the nearest city big enough to support clubs) and I wasn't too busy with 1:1 scale trains. I definitely miss and envy the guys that live close to a MR community.

[delamaize]

George, I decided to put it back in NEPA where it belongs 




With these legs, rail height is 40" to use with our club's oNetrak annex. My plan is to make it Free-moN
compatible with longer legs. The trouble is that it's 8 ft long and it won't fit in my moose wagon.
 I'm going to try building a weatherproof box to for it so I can transport it on the roof rack.
 My goal is to bring it to Altoona N-Scale Weekend next year and possibly Evanston in 27. 





I finished the wiring, layed and painted the track and ran a MOW train to test it.
Next up is trying to get the color of the viaduct a bit better, before I ballast and scenic the "valley".

Greg O.

I guess I need to get off my a$$ and finish my one-trak-ish end loops now...

Hmmm... if I get the loops done, and my station scene.... Lewis Co train show?

[Pizzaparty]

I really like T-Track - it’s small enough to be easily set up, store it, the track work is always good (as long as it is set up correctly) and make some quality scenery in a small space. My biggest complaint is it’s fairly rigid in terms of track layout.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

My biggest complaint is it’s fairly rigid in terms of track layout.

Ahem. https://conrail1285.com/hacked-unitrack/

[MK]

And this.

https://www.teamtrackmodels.com/create-a-stand-alone-layout-with-t-trak-modules/

[Pizzaparty]

See it pays to say something and members will prove you wrong 

Thanks for the links, I’ll be doing some research for the next set of modules

[chuck geiger]

N-joying Altoona N Scale Weekend this weekend with my Wickenburg Canyon

I live just south of this in Yuma and love this line - How did you model the cactus and shrub?

[vermonter_railfan]

I live just south of this in Yuma and love this line - How did you model the cactus and shrub?

I'm originally from Mesa, haha. As for the Cactus, those are all 3d printed on my resin printer. More than willing to print some off for you if you want some, they are essential if you are modeling AZ! The shrubs are various colors of "weed" from Martin Welberg studios. Then my "mesquite trees" are Woodland scenic Fine leaf Foliage that I broke small chunks off of the larger pieces. The dirt is all sanded grout.

[x600]

I guess I need to get off my a$$ and finish my one-trak-ish end loops now...

Hmmm... if I get the loops done, and my station scene.... Lewis Co train show?

Maybe the spring show, Mike. That would be fun.

Greg O.

[chuck geiger]

I'm originally from Mesa, haha. As for the Cactus, those are all 3d printed on my resin printer. More than willing to print some off for you if you want some, they are essential if you are modeling AZ! The shrubs are various colors of "weed" from Martin Welberg studios. Then my "mesquite trees" are Woodland scenic Fine leaf Foliage that I broke small chunks off of the larger pieces. The dirt is all sanded grout.

I have been following your modeling of the line for a while. I use grout as well and the same MW "sage" weeds. Love the mesquite trees, I wish we could find some "palo verde" trees. Unfortunately, I am modeling the high desert of California, need "Joshua trees" lol.

[delamaize]

Maybe the spring show, Mike. That would be fun.

Greg O.

I think we have enough one track to do something with a few of us. I got scenery started on one corner, and the station module, just gotta figure out what to do with the other corner now.

[vermonter_railfan]

I have been following your modeling of the line for a while. I use grout as well and the same MW "sage" weeds. Love the mesquite trees, I wish we could find some "palo verde" trees. Unfortunately, I am modeling the high desert of California, need "Joshua trees" lol.

Appreciate it! One way I was thinking for Palo Verde was possibly using a similar small armature like the fine leaf foliage and then covering the ends in glue and then using some 2mm or smaller static grass. But that would take some trial and error to see how it would work.