Good morning and Merry day after Christmas to all.
The Saturday morning train group that I've been a part of for some years now that used to build and take an HOn3 layout to shows semi-retired the layout to the LHS owners shop. It had become cumbersome and as interesting as it was to learn about modeling HOn3 railroads, not everyone in the group ran or had HOn3 equipment personally. The store owner then introduced an idea and it took with the group to build and setup HO and N scale modules using HCD doors as the base, connected by door hinges to make the layouts we now take to the train shows we go to, and the annual train show here in town that our group hosts.
Each individual is responsible for his/her module(s) and while the HO guys have been a tad eclectic with their modules, the guys who run N scale in the group have spent time coordinating with each other and building modules that flow well with each other. The modules that I have worked on for awhile (3 in total) have been very bland and have had many issues (not with track work as much as landscape and structures), so I thought I would submit the modules here and get some ideas, thoughts, suggestions on improving each one.
With the Christmas season coming to an end and everyone has left the house again, I'm able to utilize the dining room table as a work area to start making some modifications and updates to the modules.
Here is the first one I'm going to work on; it is the Winslow module (loosely based on a small hamlet in Northwest Arkansas that the Arkansas Missouri Railroad runs through)
This is a turnback module that we put at an end of a section. The modules are based on 16" parameters, and most of them are 32x80" HCD's, but a few have started building 16" HCD's to take off in other directions from just the ends of the modules. Our normal setup has been in a giant E shape, being about 26 feet by almost 30 feet. We've agreed on using Kato Unitrack on the modules because of the ease of installation and how well the Kato track turnouts work for what we do. There are some sections that a couple of guys have used some Atlas sectional track, but the vast majority is Kato.
Our mainline restrictions are; 12-3/4 inch radius on all mainline track, #6 turnouts on all mainline track. #4 turnouts are acceptable on any sidings or interior tracks. Smaller radius is also usable on non mainline curves.
Some of the modifications I'm planning are;
The gray area center photo will have a small row of businesses, either using the DPM structures, or a more modern shopping center look. I'm leaning towards using the DPM kits because of the age of the town. The two foundation areas behind that with the cul de sac are way too big. I'm going to remove them and instead insert a one or two street small neighborhood with some older looking houses using the Laser Art Thelma and Stanley houses.
Another plan is at the turnback loop.
I'm planning on installing another LH turnout near the curve that will allow a track to run outside the current curve, and end off layout top left which in the future I will attach a 16" module with a small 4 track yard for a staging area that would be on the opposite end of the current staging area when the modules are connected. Also, this would allow me to have a small staging area when I set up the modules here at home to run trains apart from the rest of the group.
The current siding will have a drive and parking area installed, and I'll probably put together the Gripps Luggage Mfg. structure for that siding, although it will probably become another industry; probably a furniture company.
There will be more trees added and shrubbery, and the road will get double yellow lines and (hopefully) some guard rails on the curves. Also there will be some more detailed work to cover up some white areas, make the road shoulders a little more appealing, and will paint and rust the bridge so it doesn't look so shiny.
So that's all I can think of for now. If anyone has some ideas, questions, or other suggestions please feel free. When we put the modules together to show, anyone in the group brings their equipment to run. My engine roster includes GP38's and GP40's from Missouri Pacific and Union Pacific. Most of the scenery details are midwest, and mid-south regions, Arkansas to Illinois and west.
Having some free time today my plan is to work on a few of the houses for the residential area so I can plan the road(s) for that section in and out of the layout.
