Modular sections

[OhioRailroader]

Lately, I have been kicking the thought of building my layout in modules based on NMRA standards and practices so that if in the future I join the local club, I'll have something to add. And since I may be moving around for school. I had a question on the construction of the corner sections since no dimentions are mentioned on the NMRA site. Basically, are they a 4'x4' square to start out and cut down diagonally on 2 corners? Measurments being: 24"x24"x 34" diag. approx.x24"x24"x34" diag.. Hard to explain or ask without a visual aide, lol.

My original shelf plans have been put on the back burner for now until I figure out if I'll be moving to the UK or not. So I want to build something "portable" until then.

TIA for your help.

[OhioRailroader]

Lately, I have been kicking the thought of building my layout in modules based on NMRA standards and practices so that if in the future I join the local club, I'll have something to add. And since I may be moving around for school. I had a question on the construction of the corner sections since no dimentions are mentioned on the NMRA site. Basically, are they a 4'x4' square to start out and cut down diagonally on 2 corners? Measurments being: 24"x24"x 34" diag. approx.x24"x24"x34" diag.. Hard to explain or ask without a visual aide, lol.

My original shelf plans have been put on the back burner for now until I figure out if I'll be moving to the UK or not. So I want to build something "portable" until then.

TIA for your help.

[OhioRailroader]

I forgot to mention that this will be in HO scale.

[OhioRailroader]

I forgot to mention that this will be in HO scale.

[Anonymous]

I think your measuring is off? Most HO modules are about 30 inches wide and use 36" radius turns. If you do it this way the sides are 30 inches where they join and you trim off two triangles with 18" bases. If you go 24" inch watch the ouside corner to make sure the track stays on the top, I think the way you were looking at it it would hang in space. Better is to radius the inside corner so the backboard curves instead of having 22.5 degree angles where it joins the side modules. You do realise I guess that module layouts are reversed from shelf layous, that is they stand in the center of the room and are walked around. The center is used at shows to house the operators and controls.

[Anonymous]

I think your measuring is off? Most HO modules are about 30 inches wide and use 36" radius turns. If you do it this way the sides are 30 inches where they join and you trim off two triangles with 18" bases. If you go 24" inch watch the ouside corner to make sure the track stays on the top, I think the way you were looking at it it would hang in space. Better is to radius the inside corner so the backboard curves instead of having 22.5 degree angles where it joins the side modules. You do realise I guess that module layouts are reversed from shelf layous, that is they stand in the center of the room and are walked around. The center is used at shows to house the operators and controls.

[OhioRailroader]

See, I wasn't sure, just going by eye what I saw at train shows. Kind of why I thought I'd ask before cutting up a bunch of wood lol. Most modules I have seen appear to be between 24-30" on the straight sections, and sometimes up to 36" being maximum size. But it's been a very long time since I've been to a show locally, so some things might be a little fuzzy in my head.

And yes, I know 99.9% of the time they are outside corners, but I have seen on occasion a couple of inside corners on some HO and N-trak modules. I may not even build corner sections, but I just wanted to get accurate measurments first. Heck, I'll probablly only build 2-3 24"x48" straight sections for switching in the beginning.

[OhioRailroader]

See, I wasn't sure, just going by eye what I saw at train shows. Kind of why I thought I'd ask before cutting up a bunch of wood lol. Most modules I have seen appear to be between 24-30" on the straight sections, and sometimes up to 36" being maximum size. But it's been a very long time since I've been to a show locally, so some things might be a little fuzzy in my head.

And yes, I know 99.9% of the time they are outside corners, but I have seen on occasion a couple of inside corners on some HO and N-trak modules. I may not even build corner sections, but I just wanted to get accurate measurments first. Heck, I'll probablly only build 2-3 24"x48" straight sections for switching in the beginning.

[Anonymous]

Before you cut up any wood tape out a 24" wide area and see if you have enough room to do what you want. 24" is good in n-track, but I consider it too small in HO esp. if you use #6 turnouts as recommended. Any inside curve module would fit in that "special" section of the rules. Email me if you want a picture of an outside curve module. If I was starting out again I would build 4 corner modules first so I could run trains. That would gige you roughly 8 foot by 8 foot layout. FRED

[Anonymous]

Before you cut up any wood tape out a 24" wide area and see if you have enough room to do what you want. 24" is good in n-track, but I consider it too small in HO esp. if you use #6 turnouts as recommended. Any inside curve module would fit in that "special" section of the rules. Email me if you want a picture of an outside curve module. If I was starting out again I would build 4 corner modules first so I could run trains. That would gige you roughly 8 foot by 8 foot layout. FRED

[OhioRailroader]

Well, I mapped it all out in the way I thought it was done, starting with a 4'x4' square, and here is a pic of what I came up with, on my assumpsions with all measurements noted: http://hometown.aol.com/ohiorailroader/images/corner-module.jpg . I guess I was stuck on the 24" because it was a minimum for all scales. 30" wide does seem more reasonable in some ways. I'm going to draw that out in a bit to see what comes out. All suggestions are very helpfull. Thanks again.

[OhioRailroader]

Well, I mapped it all out in the way I thought it was done, starting with a 4'x4' square, and here is a pic of what I came up with, on my assumpsions with all measurements noted: http://hometown.aol.com/ohiorailroader/images/corner-module.jpg . I guess I was stuck on the 24" because it was a minimum for all scales. 30" wide does seem more reasonable in some ways. I'm going to draw that out in a bit to see what comes out. All suggestions are very helpfull. Thanks again.

[Anonymous]

That will work. And good picture too. Another little thing is I found is it's easier to use a 1/2" or so snap track section at each end of the curve to solder the flex track to. Keeps the ends straight for joining the modules. Some people also use easements, but I don't on this big of turns. FRED

[Anonymous]

That will work. And good picture too. Another little thing is I found is it's easier to use a 1/2" or so snap track section at each end of the curve to solder the flex track to. Keeps the ends straight for joining the modules. Some people also use easements, but I don't on this big of turns. FRED

[OhioRailroader]

I'll probably use easments on mine along with super elevation, just to keep the passenger and autorack/auto parts trains on the tracks at speed. Plus, some day I may run a large steamer in the future and even though 36" is still a relativly tight radius in prototype standards, it will look better IMHO.

[OhioRailroader]

I'll probably use easments on mine along with super elevation, just to keep the passenger and autorack/auto parts trains on the tracks at speed. Plus, some day I may run a large steamer in the future and even though 36" is still a relativly tight radius in prototype standards, it will look better IMHO.

[Anonymous]

It's nice to hear someone else who thinks 36" radius is small. I get so discouraged with people on this forum who argue 18 " radius is acceptable and claim they run 6 wheel CW44-8s and 84 foot cars on it with no problems everyday. FRED

[Anonymous]

It's nice to hear someone else who thinks 36" radius is small. I get so discouraged with people on this forum who argue 18 " radius is acceptable and claim they run 6 wheel CW44-8s and 84 foot cars on it with no problems everyday. FRED

[OhioRailroader]

I think I would only use 18" in very tight spaces and industries where a small switcher would be used or a Geep. Usually the smallest I use is 22"-24" and #6 turnouts in industries and short spurs. To me, anything smaller than the 2 are just too "toy like" to me. But that's just my opinion, lol.

[OhioRailroader]

I think I would only use 18" in very tight spaces and industries where a small switcher would be used or a Geep. Usually the smallest I use is 22"-24" and #6 turnouts in industries and short spurs. To me, anything smaller than the 2 are just too "toy like" to me. But that's just my opinion, lol.

[OhioRailroader]

Got started on my modules today. Here are pics of the start of my project. Down at the bottom.
http://hometown.aol.com/ohiorailroader/layout.htm

$28.00, 2 hours and a vanilla Pepsi later, I have a module, lol. This is a straight section and I'll add on a corner and maybe 2 other straights by the time it's all said and done. A rough draft of the plan for this section will be up as soon as I'm done tweeking it. I'm pretty sure I have it all built to "spec". Now I just need track, lol.

[OhioRailroader]

Got started on my modules today. Here are pics of the start of my project. Down at the bottom.
http://hometown.aol.com/ohiorailroader/layout.htm

$28.00, 2 hours and a vanilla Pepsi later, I have a module, lol. This is a straight section and I'll add on a corner and maybe 2 other straights by the time it's all said and done. A rough draft of the plan for this section will be up as soon as I'm done tweeking it. I'm pretty sure I have it all built to "spec". Now I just need track, lol.