Page 18 - March April 1999

CONSTRUCTOR’S CORNER...
Modules
for the Future
Paul Doggett
Is it not time that we threw out the NMRA modular system? Three tracks for N-Trak (about 2% or less of the US is three-tracked, if that.) Also different members doing their own thing scenically, on both the HO modules and in N scale. At Calder Northern, when at public exhibitions, we are always asked why the modules do not match. Also those 6” pieces of track across the module joins - well, it really is rubbish!
Go to any exhibition with European or British running and all the modules match. Please don’t give me the excuse that module owners can go to any other group - not many do. The only decent American layouts I’ve seen at shows are modular but not to the archaic NMRA standards.
Is it not time we pulled ourselves into even the 1970’s, never mind the 21st century? What do other members think?
Ed.s note: Abusing my position as usual to have first bite, the best compromise I’ve read about was Midwest Mod-U-Rail. (Bear in mind we are talking about modular systems, not just large one-off layouts built in sections.)
Mod-U-Rail’s originators ensured that their standards covered many more aspects of the module than just size, track spacing and electrics. Theirs included the profile of the adjoining end boards, the colour and nature of the scenery through the layout, especially ballast, ground cover and skyscene, the equipment being run at any one time (they ran mostly CB&Q at that time, but did it in ‘eras’) and several other things.
The effect was that the layout looked as if one team had built it as “sectional”, but in fact the modules could be arranged in almost any order. One major requirement was that new builders had to obtain jigs and even some materials from “central office”. A good system, but maybe too organised for some folks’ taste.
A vital ingredient that would eliminate the need for joining-track pieces, would be to provide on loan an engineering- quality steel jig for the end boards, so that every aspect of track spacing and height across the joint, as well as exact positioning of baseboard location dowels, would be tightly controlled. Then the boards/tracks could be reliably butt-joined to any other similar section/module. Combine this with all the modern light- weight construction methods, DCC control and Proto 87? Over to you...)
P.S. As far as I remember, N-Trak wasn’t an NMRA-developed system, though it might have been informally adopted in later years. ●
18 ROUNDHOUSE
9) Thanks again to Dickie Smith, we have a fourth freight track here, increasing capacity by nearly 20%.
Now we move on to Ludlow...
Martin had already drawn in the crossover track in the loop, near the AMB Santa Fe New Mexico station. The only other change has been at (1), a 12” extension of the passing track length. At the other end a double track Walthers girder bridge replaces the single track Kibri one. The passing track extends onto the bridge. Part of the turnout also lies on the bridge, and to be fair to a certain ex BR civil engineer, Great Northern fan, and WUT member disapproved of this. I countered, “There must be a prototype for this somewhere!”
On up and around to “Hereford”.
(See Dec. 98 Roundhouse.) There have been no changes since we revamped the mine spur off through the middle of the town. The industry track on Fig 3 (Dec. issue) now leads to a Walthers stock yard. Though not long enough (about 3 to 4 40ft. cars) there is nothing I can do now.
At this point I will jump back to the fiddle tracks. Shown originally as just 4 tracks, by judicious movement of the Peco curved points (2) at the east end, and curving the approach, I found I could ease the radius and get a fifth track in. At the west end there was not enough room, but that BR civil engineer suggested losing about 24” of the siding and setting the turnout in the nearly straight section of track (see Figs.) Now we have three full length tracks, one east, one west and one through, each nearly 18ft. long, and two shorter tracks for locals, each about 10 ft. long. Also directly under the mine (at “3” and “4” on fig.) we have 4 short storage tracks either representing “National City” or used to store locos not in use.
This outcome made me re-think “Kadiz”. Did I really need a siding so close to Hereford? I decided that as I could store one or two more trains underneath, I could afford to lose the holding siding at Kadiz and put in something more scenic, a winding, ascending single track, much like Raton. Once completed, something extraordinary happened. An article in Santa Fe Modeler magazine on the 1960 realignment around Williams to Crockton mentioned some 32 miles east of Williams, on the OLD main, a spur and telegraph office
The Ultimate Em-
pire Part III - Revi-
sions
Roderick Welch
Following on from my ramblings in recent issues of Roundhouse, let me take you step by step through the modifications taken following advice of various visitors, starting with San Demiego station area (Roundhouse Oct. 98 p.5). Numbers refer to the sketches with this article (compare with the previous one).
1) Jym Phillips recommended that the arrivals track crossover be changed from left hand to right hand switches. Thus head end cars on arriving trains can be switched to the side of the station nearest Roger’s Street. Jym argued they would then be spotted nearest to the US mail vans etc. for trans-shipment.
2) The arrivals throat track change allows a slightly longer passing siding down the second (middle) track, at the expense of less than one passenger car length on the arrival track. The tracks are now independent and can still hold a medium sized steam loco and 5 cars in either track.
3) A new stub track holds either the gas- electric with one coach, or a small 2 or 3 car loco-hauled train.
4) I have drawn in the track from the dock to the power station, omitted on the original sketch. Fig.1.
5) An extended baseboard allows three more loco holding tracks.
6) A further extension allows a diesel refuelling track long enough for A-B-A Alcos or A-B-B-A EMD’s. This track layout now follows the general arrangement at the 6 stall roundhouse at Williams, Arizona, with roughly the same relationship to the main line. (See pre- 1960 Railroads of Arizona - Vol.4 p.123).
7) An additional track leaves the turntable, with oil one side and sand facility the other.
8) An added short spur was going to serve an electricity sub-station but may now be a scrap yard - there are lots of scrap yards along the ATSF in the south west!