T-Trak Woodland Central

[poppy2201]

It's been quite a while and I can't believe how much time has passed.  When we moved and down-sized I had to dismantle the Bay Line project I was working on.  One thing has led to another and no work has been done but now it's time to start fresh.

Over the last couple of months I dusted off the old archives of plans that I had drawn up over time and started tinkering with them.  I finally narrowed it down to 4 plans I had drawn up in the past and started tweaking them.  Then the list was narrowed down to two plans that I thought I could live with.  Let me interject here that I have a 10 foot wall that is available to me.

While doing some research I ran across an article written by Thomas Tuerke in the October 2014 issue of Model Railroad Hobbyist magazine on T-Trak.  So I started exploring this idea and even wondered why I had never jumped in before this.  With many people downsizing living quarters, both young and old, space necessary in the home for storage and setup is a good reason to pursue T-Trak. Absolute ease of transport is another and the variety of being able to swiftly rearrange modules is an added benefit.

I will never have a "basement empire" nor at my age do I even want to consider one if I could.  So I decided to go the T-Trak route.  I have 2 priorities, running trains and developing scenery skills.  I have no interest in operations/switching or complicated track plans.  So I drew up a simple oval with two major industries, nothing complicated here.  The initial plan will be 8 modules with the possibilities of expanding.  These modules will fit on a standard 30" x 96" folding banquet table and I will be able to quickly dismantle and store away if needed.

I have a couple of trips planned over the course of the next couple of months and probably won't be able to go full force with this venture until after the Christmas holidays.  Comments and suggestions are most welcome and if you are a T-Trak enthusiast please chime in with your experience and anything I should know or "tricks of the trade". 

Regards,

Charles

[poppy2201]

Woke up this morning and saw a minor error in the plan, so I have attached the revision.  Sorry about that.

Regards,
Charles

[David]

What I like very much is the central shield that prevents viewers from seeing everything at once, if I interpret your layout plan correctly.
I'd put the street pattern at an angle, just to make the whole scenery much more lively and less 'sterile'.

[Mike from CT]

This is frequent advice that I've heard often - so I'm not disagreeing with you so much as a majority of the entire modeling world....

The problem with putting streets (or track) on an angle in an urban scene is placement of structures and scenery.  In real world, whether track came after cities or before, they tend to be parallel each other for maximal use of space.  Same applies in the modelling world, only 10 times moreso, since space is at 10 times the premium.  As one approaches either the edge of the table or the backdrop, (for me, at least) space becomes harder and harder to use convincingly.

(Note this doesn't apply to rural areas.  You can put in half a wheat field far more realistically than half a building.)

Just my 2 cents in a 10 cent world....

[poppy2201]

What I like very much is the central shield that prevents viewers from seeing everything at once, if I interpret your layout plan correctly.
I'd put the street pattern at an angle, just to make the whole scenery much more lively and less 'sterile'.

Thanks David for taking a look and suggestion.  A couple of thoughts, 1) in the plains of the U.S. a lot of towns were laid out in a grid (north to south and east to west; I know kind of boring) 2) I laid this out in case I pull out a module and replace it with a different module and the scenery different then the roads could line up without it appearing just "hanging" there with no where to go.  Also if I take a module to a meet then it could line up with someone else's module with no problem; I say "could" depending on their module scenery configuration.

That being said, your suggestion is well taken and I most certainly can experiment with it.

I see Mike posted while I was composing my reply.  His 2 cents are well taken also.  I believe in the modeling world nothing is ever cast in stone but for my purposes as stated above I am inclined to leave the streets as laid out.  No offense to anyone.

Regards,
Charles

[David]

Hmmm, talking about maximum space, this is near where I was born, the situation until 1985.
http://autobussen.blogspot.nl/2008/01/met-de-trein-van-groningen-naar_19.html

Sorry for going off on a tangent.

[poppy2201]

Hmmm, talking about maximum space, this is near where I was born, the situation until 1985.
http://autobussen.blogspot.nl/2008/01/met-de-trein-van-groningen-naar_19.html

Sorry for going off on a tangent.

No worry about going off on a tangent.  Just goes to show that sometimes space is a premium and you have to utilize what you have.  The same holds for me and the track plan.  I was looking at it and said to my self that the end caps have a lot of "real estate".  Since this is an agricultural based theme I need a farm and decided to put it on the left end cap.  I found a picture on the internet of a farm scene and have attached it to show how the house, barn and other outbuildings are close to each other and will try to model something similar.

I have also tweaked the plan when I realized some of the measurements were slightly off.  Revision 4 is attached.

As a side note to David's comment when I lived in Germany from 1972-1976, we used to attend the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort every year from 1973-1976.  As enjoyable as that was the most fun was visiting smaller communities and absorbing the culture.  I have ancestors who settled in and around the Utrecht area.  But by far one of the most fun times was being in Amsterdam celebrating its 700th birthday in 1975.  Party time!  So much for reminiscing.

Regards,
Charles

[mrsax2000]

Too bad Kato doesn't sell the 20-020 with concrete ties. They can be found in the passenger platform track package, but not separately. Or the 20-010 with concrete. Having single tracks with concrete ties would fill in some gaps.

I've done the same as you, using 040 with #6 switches. The 9" 875 w/concrete aligns nicely next to them. But it would be better if we could have a concrete 20-010 and skip using the 040s.

[poppy2201]

Revision 005 was just some minor cosmetics so no need to post it.  After a suggestion from a long time T-Trak modeler on another forum he suggested to make changes with the modules.  Basically he said that the fewer modules you have the easier it is to set up and tear down.

So I combined the 2 singles in New Gottland and kept the triple and moved it.  In Woodland I kept the first double and combined the other double with the single to make a triple.  I also took the liberty of rearranging some structures and some minor changes with the track pieces.

Regards,
Charles

[poppy2201]

So I'm still in the planning stage.  I decided I would like some place to store cars so I incorporated a small ladder-style yard with engine servicing.  I added a feed mill in New Gottland and moved the grain elevator to Woodland.  The double crossover was moved to the Woodland side of the layout.  As usual comments and suggestions are welcome.

Regards,
Charles

[poppy2201]

So no more planning.  Revision 009 will be the final version.  No yard for storage.  That may come at a later date with a new module.  For now I'm going to concentrate on these 6 modules.  Due to a couple of planned trips in the next couple of months I will not be starting the modules until after Christmas.  Once I start I will most definitely post progress pictures here.

[Mike from CT]

One bit of total trivia I picked up from a comment on a propane distribution center in Model Railroader some time back....

Rotate the propane tanks at the propane company 90 degrees.  Fire codes say tank ends (weakest part of tan) cannot face an enclosure so that, if the tank blows, the blast won't directed at the structure.

I'm sure that'll make all the difference in the world.... 

[poppy2201]

One bit of total trivia I picked up from a comment on a propane distribution center in Model Railroader some time back....

Rotate the propane tanks at the propane company 90 degrees.  Fire codes say tank ends (weakest part of tan) cannot face an enclosure so that, if the tank blows, the blast won't directed at the structure.

I'm sure that'll make all the difference in the world.... 

Interesting the things one learns.  It makes a lot of sense.  Now I understand why the cylindrical tanks on my grandparents and uncles farms were positioned the way they were.  As kids you just don't think about those things.

Regards,
Charles 

[poppy2201]

I know I said that my interests were running trains and developing scenery and not switching/operations.  Well, I decided a little switching was okay so now fast forward to revision 011.  I've added a spur coming off the rear main line that will service the propane distribution on the front quad module.  All of this will comprise the Cooperative Grain and Supply complex along with the front single wide module.

This should make things look a little more interesting.

Regards,
Charles

[mrsax2000]

I notice you used a 20-042 (which is double track concrete). So here's your plan using concrete ties where ever possible and super elevated curves. Kato has pieces that fit what you did.

Notice the 20-875s opposite the switches on the double track. These are single straights w/concrete ties. They work nicely in tandem with #6 switches and 20-040 straights.

The track is on a different layer, with your (unaltered) Track layer hidden.  I also added another siding by Wheatland Milling. You would have an extra 20-101, why not use it.

A station would fit nicely by Klassen Feed and Supply.