Modular Layouts?

[Anonymous]

I am about to embark on a project that will ultimately entail connecting sections of plywood together. As far as I know, there is no major toy train presence (read club) in my neighborhood, and I have never done a modular project before. Do the sections complete with rails hook together with some sort of fastner, or do you tear it down and build it back every time you move it?

[FJ and G]

From others' thoughts:

Radio Shack, Fry's and Jameco Electronics have Molex quick, multi-wire connectors that toy train enthusiasts use.

The lines I recommended are "Standard .093"" and "Standard .062"". Don't expect to buy them directly from Molex, however. The Radio Shack connectors are shown on
http://www.radioshack.com/category.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=CTLG%5F011%5F003%5F008%5F000&Page=1

You can get Molex connectors in up to 12 sets of contacts from Jameco Electronics- www.jameco.com
I use these for track power, as they can handle 12 amps per contact. I use DB-9 and DB-25 connectors for switch power and accessories,
as they can handle 2-3 amps per contact. HTH

[FJ and G]

also trailer connectors that are available at any auto parts store.(The four wire flat plug) They are cheap and work well.

[Anonymous]

I think I have a whole box of four pin molex connectors left over that I can use for the electrical. How to you handle the track connections?

[lionelsoni]

I just bring the ends of the rails to the joint at the edge of the board, with the track pins sticking out from one board. I don't fasten the (O27 tubular) track to the board for about the last foot. This allows the track to flex a little to make alignment less critical.

A common problem is a sudden change in grade at the joint. The modules tend to be not quite flat or in the same plane. Some folks keep the track back by half a track section on each side and then stick a single loose straight section across the joint. This helps, but only if there is clearance under that section so that it is not itself pushed up in the middle by a ridge at the joint.

I am now trying out a scheme in which each leg is exactly at a joint, with a 10-inch piece of steel angle centered above each leg and bolted to the underside of the plywood on each side, in the hope of creating a smooth transition from board to board. You need some way to connect the modules mechanically, anyway; and these angles replace the other hardware than I had used before.

[FJ and G]

sorry Doug, didn't answer Q.

I see a lot of liftouts with no rail-to rail connection at all. The sections but together with just a tiny crack that doesn't really affect operations.

No roadbed, subroadbed or wood module connection is needed. Just build a wood cradle (like a square U shape) to rest the liftout section in. If it is a module to module connectin, then you could install any type of fastener or latch between the modules to snuggle them together

[FJ and G]

Trackers use C-clamps:

http://www.trainweb.org/NationalCapitalTrackers/NCTStandards.htm

[Anonymous]

Wow! That's impressive. They have a standard module that can be assembled interchangeably with other hobbiests. I suppose there is also a standard corner module which fits the straight ones and if you get enough train nuts together you could cover a polo field, or more. Thanks for the lead. I can make my straights to conform, and do my whiffordills on separate modules that articulate with the straights.

[FJ and G]

doug,

glad to help. They do in fact have corner and "odd" modules. The biggest trick they have in a meet is ensuring that the "odd" module owners show up! It's happened before.

Their layouts featured on their sites do cover a lot of territory and vary widely in shapes. They have so many members they can hold 3 shows simultaneously.

There's also another club, but it's a hi-rail one.

[SPFan]

Doug, I just completed the bench and track work on a couple of modules. We use Gargraves track. Gargraves offers a thin bar about the size of a dress shirt collar stay (remember those). The track is cut three inches short at each end. When the tables are clamped together a 6 inch piece of track can be placed over the track connectors. This works because Gargraves has a slit on the underside of the rail. It might work withany tubular track but not with the newer solid rail like Atlas. Each module has the rails wired and has a molex connector at each end of opposite gender. Straight modules are built to a standard (in our case 48 x 32 inches) as are the corners. More ambitious members build modules that are longer (up to 8 feet) and in some cases wider but the three mainlines are consistent.

Pete

[spankybird]

Doug
you should pick up OGR video Great Layout Adventures Vol 2". It has a great section on Modular Layouts.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the tip. First I have to find someone to modular with. The only folks I know of at the time are a thousand miles away, up by Dave. I am also getting the idea that the standards are pretty standard within a club, but might vary widely from club to club. Trudging along, learning more every day.

[Anonymous]

[:)]
Go to this website
http://www.hirailers.com/
This should help in building a modular layout.

[dougdagrump]

Doug, Are there any hobby shops in the area that carry the trains that you are interested in running? If there is and it doesn't appear to be any existing clubs why not see if they will let you put up some sort of notice to see if there would be any interest in developing a "Train Runner Group". If you haven't been to the site already check out the All Gauge Model Railroading site. They have info about setting up a group. [:D]

[Big_Boy_4005]

Doug, I have a very diffrerent modular concept. I set up and tear down everything each time, so it is not a system for the faint of heart. It has real advantages over the permenant track style, because every layout can be different.

Here is a test layout set up in my basement.



Now that doesn't look very exciting, but it does get better. The actual tables are 2' x 4', and covered with indoor / outdoor carpet, the kind with a tight loop that velcro sticks to. The velcro hook side is applied to the bottom of each section of track.



My entire system consists of 24 rectangular tables, and 24 triangles.



My focus is on automated operation, using relay logic. I don't bother with scenery on this layout because it is portable. Using insulated sections, relays and some 072 switches, I create some pretty wild layouts.



This layout featured two intertwined figure 8's with the 4 crossings controlled by a real interlocking. There was also an outer loop that had two trains taking turns making laps in opposite directions. All done with relays. A total of 4 trains running

Two weeks ago I did a show, and the layout was quite different. Here is a plan from that show.



The red path operated on the same principle as the outer loop from the previous layout. There were also 2 interlockings where the red and blue paths crossed. The blue path was maybe the most fun, because the trains would meet and pass, run off in opposite directions, around the end loops, and come back and do it again. The layout was 32' x 32' in an L shape.





I guess I'm not into dealing with clubs when it comes to my display layouts. I have been a part of many clubs over the years, and they can be a real pain to deal with. Beside if you are part of a club, your modules aren't worth much without the rest of the group. Some people try to incorporate them into a bigger layout, but that just puts limits on what you can do, because you still need their track spacing.

With this layout I do the extra work, but it is all mine. The amazing thing is all of that fits in the back of a full sized pickup with a topper. No trailers.

Want to know more? Email me.

[Anonymous]

That is really something to think about, Elliot. I have a little hobby shop near here who does mostly (pretty much all) O guage, but he has only been here two years, he is more than 70 years old, and he is not interested in going out and setting the world on fire. In fact, he is liquidating a much bigger store that he moved down here from up Nawth. So if I do the club scene, I'll be doing it myself. Your solution looks interesting, albeit expensive. Still thinking.

[Big_Boy_4005]

Doug, you have a good eye, because creating this system has been very expensive, all things considered. This project has evolved over a period of 25 years, to what it is today.

The whole thing started off as 4 4x8 sheets of particle board, on frames made of 2x4. That didn't last long, and the 24" x 48" modules with the triangles, on 1x4 frames were born.

The velcro idea was with me almost since the beginning, but didn't get implemented for the first 6 years. It was also about that time that I switched from 027 to regular O gauge track.

Then came the electrical. First each rectangle was given 21 wires with terminal screws at each end. Each module was bridged together with a bunch of jumpers using allegator clips. You can imagine, that got old in a hurry, so 15 pin Jones connectors were used, two per end, for a total of 4 per table. This is still a work in progress, even though I have had the materials for 17 years.

Also, on an electrical note are the relays. They came into the picture in about year 8. A 24V DC supply was added to the control panel, and wired in common with the AC ground, on the outside rail. A small electronic delay circuit was added to each relay to prevent chatter, and facilitate operation.

One of the early incarnations of this layout actually spent a number of months set up in a small train shop out in Denver. It was a win win deal, because I didn't really have a place to store it, and he didn't have a working layout.

If you decide to build a system like this, It doesn't have to happen all at once, as you can see. The only thing I would recommend, is that you buy all the carpet you ever plan to use, in a single purchase. That way, it all matches.

8 rectangles and 8 triangles, translates out to 2 and a half sheets of plywood. The possibilities are somewhat limited with those small numbers. More or less, you are looking at an oval of 8' x 16' or a square of 12' x 12'. Double those numbers, and thngs get interesting for design purposes. Triple those numbers, and you get to where I am, and approach the limit of a full sized pickup.

That L shaped plan above took 22 and 22 to build. So, only 2 rectangles and 2 triangles were left at home for that show. It took about 3 hours to set up the tables, 4 hours to do the track work, and 5 hours to fully wire with all of the relays. For all of the effort, I wi***he show had been longer than just Saturday and Sunday.

In the past I have used this layout as my home layout. It has been a public Christmas layout twice, both times were long gigs, 6 to 8 weeks. It was at the TCA national convention in 1993. I did a paid show in northern Minnesota once, and of course the weekend mall shows. I have never bothered with GATS, maybe next time.

[spankybird]

This is one of the temporary layouts that was at our local train show.





















It always amazes me how much detail these layout have for only a one day setup!

BTW – This is privately owned.

[FJ and G]

Odd shaped modules of Trackers include a special T module that allows some real funky design.

The beauty of modules for home layouts is that you can change one module (swap it out) rather than build an entirely new layout, if you come up with a great structural or scenic idea.

Tom & Elliot supplied photos that hopefully will inspire others to think modular.