Modules for SWARMTrak ( a T-Trak goup)

[Cajonpassfan]

Bruce, now that "we" solved the store placement problem 
The traffic engineer (motorist) in me thinks it would be difficult to come out of the side road and make a right turn onto the main road without clipping the corner...maybe a bit more asphalt is needed inside the triangle?
Otto

[Frisco Larry]

If the road was engineered, it would probably enter main road perpendicular to it.  If it just happened to get built, it  probably would have a lot of tracks, pot holes etc, where the traveling public sort of made their own road across that tight triangular area.

[VonRyan]

I had a few minutes to go up to the office/hobby room and orient the general store in the manner suggested...
i have to agree that it doesn't look un-natural this way...

Looks much better now! Like it has been there for generations.

[arbomambo]

you guys are killin' me with the great suggestions!
truly, though, I should have realized that all of your suggestions about the orientation of the General Store was better than mine...
one of our favorite hangouts in Austin/Round Rock, for lunch, was the McNeil Company store and Post Office...which sits right next to the diamond where the MoPac crosses the SP next to the white lime plant.  I spent many a lunch break with Jim Rasmussen, Joe Cox, Kim Saign, Bill Nash, and George Hollwedel there!






Bruce

[GimpLizard]

you guys are killin' me with the great suggestions!
truly, though, I should have realized that all of your suggestions about the orientation of the General Store was better than mine...
one of our favorite hangouts in Austin/Round Rock, for lunch, was the McNeil Company store and Post Office...which sits right next to the diamond where the MoPac crosses the SP next to the white lime plant.  I spent many a lunch break with Joe Cox, Kim Saign, Bill Nash, and George Hollwedel there!



Bruce

Gate's down. Train's comin'.

[arbomambo]

I spent a few minutes adding a little detail to the General Store, then clearing the area where it will be cemented...

[fhmac]

Real nice detail. Enjoyable to look at and reminisce. Don't forget the American flag ... required to be flown outside all
post offices ( federal law ).

[wazzou]

@arbomambo - or the chimney. 

[arbomambo]

Real nice detail. Enjoyable to look at and reminisce. Don't forget the American flag ... required to be flown outside all
post offices ( federal law ).

absolutely....I'm either going to put the flagpole 'dead center' in front of the porch, or place it on the near front corner...

@arbomambo - or the chimney. 

lol..yes!

I've cemented the Store in place and had a few moments to work on the gas pump island...
very nice casting from Showcase Miniatures...



these castings come (2) to a package, along with a bagged ice freezer and Coke machine...
card stock signage is provided (Although I would have preferred decals)

I painted mine in a red/white scheme...and cleared an area in front of the Store where it will go...



Here, the island is temporarily in place...I still have to pick out the nozzles and hoses, along with painting the oil can display (I may have to search for appropriate decals for this)...I also will paint the vertical edges of the island a 'safety' white.







Although this 2' module is fairly simple...it's going to soak up a ton of details...road signage, highway barriers, wire fence, grade crossing, a few more distant trees...then static grass and weeds.
Bruce

[GimpLizard]

Looking good, Bruce. You're gonna make a T-Trakker outta me yet.

[arbomambo]

I appreciate the sentiment behind that comment!
T-Trak isn't for everyone...but...

I well remember my first impression of T-Trak...some very good modelers from Central Texas, part of the established NTrak groups there, AustNtrak, had built some T-Trak modules and displayed an operating layout, alongside the Ntrak layout, during the regional NMRA convention a few years ago. Being somewhat of a 'fine scale' snob, I was very prepared to be 'underwhelmed'...I have difficulty with NTrak for the same reason, although I do enjoy the camaraderie that goes with being part of an N scale group that sets up and operates N scale regularly for the general public in addition to operating for N scale modelers.
 Even though I was impressed with some of the very fine modeling, I wasn't real impressed with the medium, nor the unitrack standard, and, truthfully, passed it off as a minor 'phase'...
 THEN...I notice the general public's reaction...all ages...they kept gravitating to the T-Trak layout, almost ignoring the fine scale layouts...Hmmmmmm. Then I started to think about the mobility and compactness of the concept, not to mention the photo backdrop possibilities of a T-Trak module...
What is most appealing to me, is that just about anyone can build and participate.

Here are some of the modules I saw two years ago in Central Texas (Round Rock/Austin)

















Even Model Railroader is jumping into  T-Trak with a group build featured in their MRPLUS video series
Bruce

[GimpLizard]

My initial take on it was pretty much the same. The early modules I saw looked rather toy-like. And I've never been much of a Unitrack fan. Though I did find the module size kind of convenient. But then I began to notice some of you talented modelers taking a stab at it. And have been quite impressed with your results. Now I'm thinking maybe I'll give it a shot. Even though I'm still not all that enamored with Unitrack. Mostly do to its looks. But I've even seen people who could make it look not too bad. So who knows, if I ever manage to get up off my lazy dupa... I may just give it a try. In the meantime, I'll keep admiring your work. Thanks.

[Santa Fe Guy]

When our Melbourne, Australia Melb N trak club was up and running we built 8 T Track modules and had some of the members sons do the scenery on them. Sent the pics to Jim Fitzgerald and his wife of N track fame and his wife returned certificates to pass to the youngsters. It went down very well. That was back when T Track started and now there are over 300 modules here in Australia.
[ Guests cannot view attachments ] This was one I completed way back.
Rod.

[GimpLizard]

Very nice, Rod. Got any more like that?

[Santa Fe Guy]

This is one of the three I did. They are no longer in my possession.
[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
Rod.