Modules? I've built plenty!

Need therapy? Join a modular club or should I say support group. You will find many others with the same affliction. 23 will get you brakeman status. 

Pete

I found the photos! Most were 'flat" but there was a wharf module and a bridge module and a corner model all had a backdrop painted blue and every second module had four legs for ease of assembly the legless modules just simply dropped onto a small shelf on the modules that had legs, more later. Roo.

Pete. How many for an Engineer status!    NO! NO! must resist...... where are my pills!!!

Nice work I have been contiplating a table saw  I think my table building skills would get better those are nice. I hate with my layout I can't seem to make a straight cut to save my life. jigsaw and a small 4.5 inch circular saw is all I use.

Roo,

 It must be world wide.  I recently was working on modules, for the Fort Pitt High Railers. (4) modules 3 ft X 6 ft (a little less than 1 meter X 2 meters) and one more to build.

More modules than we know what to do with.

Most asked question at any train show: "How long does it take to set this up?"  

Even small (two foot) modules, there are two.

and boxes to box things.

And if not building new modules, there is constant repair/paint/ and fix, that's the hobby.

It's has developed to the point, I can go to a train show and spend the entire show fixing things, never even running one train.  Who would a thunk

The (4) modules (24 ft)  are for a new staging yard, where complete trains can be parked, center of the modular layout.  A fifth module goes to one of the new members, for a circus display.

Best wishes

Mike CT.

I think I'm looking at my future, here.

It's spreading all over the world ! Going to be interesting how far it goes Ha Ha. Roo.

These are the way I made the legs.

Mike CT, nice work mate! here is the plan for the modules. Roo.

Well understand the syndrome.  Have built 34 modules to date with 10 more under construction.  Sixteen make up the Longmont Terminal & Northern (see coloradooscale.org or Erik Lindgrens posts on this forum) 14 make up the ends for the Denver, Trinidad and Southern featuring 110" radius curves (the race track for Erik's Super Chief and California Zephyr),  new 72" radius curves for the LT&N,  2 6' modules (1 trestle and its mate),  2 5' for the new bridge,  and 2 6' making up a John Allen Timesaver. All are O scale and most weigh less than 10#.

Given today's mobile lifestyle,  modules make a lot of sense in that they can be moved with little fuss.  We display the LT&N at least 4 times a year.  Even my home layout is built in the modular style,  even though it hangs on the wall.

john

One of the up-coming major projects is side board replacement of the (4) corner modules.  The existing corners are 12 years old.

Without the corners this project doesn't go anywhere.  

Best wishes

Mike CT

The home layout was built in two pieces the other modules are what I was working on before the steel mill. I build them strong and run the wiring on the inside edge in ducting also shown is one of my jigs. Mike CT.... great corner module  Roo.

great work!

Super !!

Roo

Is your email not working?

Cheers

Max.

Yes I'm just slack. Have a family of kids staying with us for Christmas, pretty chaotic at the moment. Sorry for not replying do it now. Roo.

Very nice and thanks for sharing your photo's.

Layout under construction. I think the final count was over 130 modules. Some are 4 ft, some 6 ft and some 8 feet long. Each mainline covered about 600 feet.

Pete

Pete.

It's spectacular, I have photos of a German O gauge module group with over a 100 modules but I'm a one man band and only have limited space I would love to have a factory unit like yours did you build those yourself? Once you set the jigs (I assume you used jigs) up you can churn them out in a week. Roo.

Roo, I can't take credit for any in that pic. I have a measly 4 modules. These belong to the FCTT Hirailers in Rochester, NY. This was setup for the National LOTS convention held here a few years ago. Not seen in the pic are another 25-30 FCTT mods setup in the city convention center along with those from the Central NY Hirail club for the LOTS swap meet also part of the convention.

The ones in the pic took about a month to setup for a display that lasted three hours for the attendees. Consolation was the club members had use of that layout for another few weeks before having to take it down.

Pete

Module-makers All ...

A local train club launched an ambitious O-gauge modular railroad with high hopes and good intentions, but with limited shop tools. There's no substitute for power tools that can produce accurate, truly-square 90-degree cuts for the platforms and fascia boards so that all mate perfectly with the adjoining module.  Legs, as Vegas showgirls know, are especially important for success on stage, and legs are also important to module-makers.  Stable, level, adjustable, and easily installed/un-installed/transported/stored legs are beautiful -- in their own way.  I've seen wooden "L" legs, metal conduit legs, lead pipe legs, plastic legs, vinyl gutter downspout legs set in corner pockets and held in position with thumb screws, bolts with wingnuts, wood wedges, etc.  IMHO, hinged fold-up metal legs (similar to legs installed under Conference Center tables) are very stable and self-storing; they are available at a Big Box Store near you (about $25/pair). 

Thankfully, "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts" so that after set-up a modular layout gains stability and strength from assembly when all the components are square and stout, yet also lightweight; just as the intertwined underground root system of Sequoia Redwoods supports the height and weight of the big trees.

Top Secret:  the natural tendency is to cut modular platforms to a "convenient" dimension for economical use of plywood sheets; such as 2x4-feet pieces that will fit in the back seat of a car or SUV.  However, a more practical dimension can be derived by calculating the combined lengths of track sections per platform and providing a "set-back" for a spanner track across the seams to adjoining platforms. Although the resulting math may seem awkward, it produces a perfect fit for the track sections on platforms and avoids pesky hacksawing of "fitters."

The LCCA has pioneered a modular railroad system based on Lionel FasTrack. The geometry has already been figured out for various configurations, industrial strength 1/4-inch steel corner brackets for legs are included, and an under-platform wiring harness is conveniently color-coded.  Perfect!

Mike
(ritrainguy)

 Legs and leveling assemblies.  Also note the stuff-pocket, where coiled wires, that extend to the next module, can be safely stored for transportation.

Another stuff-pocket.

Leveling assembly is a 5/16" X 5" eyebolt with a star nut installed in the bottom of a leg, 2 required per leg assembly (4) per module.

Leg assemblies on top of stored modules.  Curved corner modules have different, smaller legs. 

One of the members recently acquired a used box/covered, tandem trailer for transportation/storage.  We have been tweek-ing the trailer for best/most efficient storage/transportation. There are several ratchet straps to secure the modules.  

Another useful tool is a (4)wheel drywall cart that allowed relatively safe/easy movement of the modules.  Set-up with knee pads for those working the lower level/adjusting legs and plugging the electric, module to module, is another safety consideration.

 Best wishes on your projects,

Merry Christmas Mike CT

Mike H Mottler posted:

Module-makers All ...

The LCCA has pioneered a modular railroad system based on Lionel FasTrack. The geometry has already been figured out for various configurations, industrial strength 1/4-inch steel corner brackets for legs are included, and an under-platform wiring harness is conveniently color-coded.  Perfect!

Mike
(ritrainguy)

My modular units are similar to the LCCA sizes.  I use all Fastrack, and have O-36 and O-48 curves on my corners.  I designed mine just about the time LCCA was talking about their design and except for the corners, their design is a lot like mine.

The perfect dimensions for my modules turned out to be 30" x30" squares (2 make up a corner) or 30" x 60" straights.  Before my van, I fit all the pieces for a 5' x 15' (or 5' x 25') layout in my small Dodge Journey SUV.

For legs, I bought 5' plastic folding tables.  My modules have no legs - they sit on 2 or 3 folding tables.  Many of the places we set up have folding tables there, so it's less to pack!

Before the skirts go on....  (the skirts cover up those skinny legs!)

On site tables at a Scout Jamboree ... they had plenty of Scouts... and tables!

Strangely, Don Masso show up in many of my pictures!

Ed

Great photos keep em coming. The good thing about modules is you can work on them on a bench or table here is a wharf module. Roo.

Here is a bridge module fitted into the flat modules note the legs just have a bolt for height adjustment there are better ways to do this this is one way. Roo.

I'm a great fan of having every second module a stand alone module and bridge them with a flat module sure more heavier but quick to set up here is one of many ways four legs and drop the module straight on top I have this set up in my shed at the moment stored waiting for it's day in the sun, some guys build models and display them I like to build layouts we are all different enjoy the hobby how you see it. Roo.

My layout is modular, in the style of all of my layouts.

You can see a detailed description of the build process of Port Elderley by clicking on the blue title under my signature.

Cheers