As part of rejuvenating our garden railroad club ( www.sdgrs.com ) I have wanted to make a modular oval, preferably double track, that could be EASILY transported to our monthly open houses.

Requirements:

1. light
2. sections small enough to fit in small trunks or back seats
3. 10 foot diameter on outer track

Clearly the modules need to be about 4’ or less long, which means breaking the “ends” into 3 or 4 modules.

Probably use Split Jaw connectors

I’ve been thinking of using 2" thick foam with luan plywood on at least 3 sides, and end plates of maybe 1/2" ply with locating pins.

Legs could be done like our Z scale, with adjustable screw feet in 2 x 2 inch wood legs and only one pair of legs at each module “joint” - saves the number of legs and overall weight.

All advice (that meets items 1, 2, 3) appreciated.

Greg

Clem’s track (Warrior Run Loco Works) is foam with 1x4 (?) sides and ends. Plywood will work as well, as long as the joints are strong. There must be photos around here somewhere . . except I can’t find them. Attached are a couple of mine - a pair of modules I made to slot into his layout. And here’s Landrel’s thread:

https://www.largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/23959/modular-layout?page=1

here is a video of Clems

Here is a direct link to the build thread for Landrel’s G Scale Modular thread from another forum. It has a pile of information that I’ve used for inspiration on my indoor layout.

That a great help, the pentagons should save some weight/space and I see I should put a leg on the outer “point”.

I’m thinking I can go much less than 1" wood though, was thinking the foam core with very thing luan plywood on top to glue/screw the track to, and perhaps 1/2 plywood on the sides.

weight is key…

Greg

Greg,

Our club started with carpet, then 2" foam, now we have our layout on hollow core doors. Works very will. We have pins in the ends to keep them lined up.

Double track main line crossovers to get back and forth. Yards in the center, that hold about six trains.

Don

Pins only work if the placement of the modules stays the same show to show. Due to variations in members’ skills, and the amount of rubber in their rulers, once we line up the track, the module ends may be offset by nearly 1/8th of an inch. But then we do mix up the placements of the modules from show to show, depending on who can show up and who can’t.

Yes, its very important to support the outside of the curved modules. otherwise you risk under-elevation on the curves.

Many of our modules use plastic electrical conduit pipe for legs, they are light and easy to screw into place.

http://shmrrc.org/Free-Mo/Plastic_pipe_module_legs/index.html

Greg, you’ll want to keep them as light as possible, especially if you are setting them up every month, otherwise, you will come to despise the things. Voice of experience, here.

The downside is, if they are light, they are fragile.

Eventually, there will be you, and two other guys setting them up each month.

You sure you want to do this? (https://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-tongue-out.gif)

Steve Featherkile said:

Greg, you’ll want to keep them as light as possible, especially if you are setting them up every month, otherwise, you will come to despise the things. Voice of experience, here.

The downside is, if they are light, they are fragile.

Eventually, there will be you, and two other guys setting them up each month.

You sure you want to do this? (https://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-tongue-out.gif)

2 other guys? Really! Its usually me and one other guy. But then we are in HO, so maybe that’s why the smaller crew.

Yep, light #1 requirement.

Great tip on the legs, lighter is better

Yes, I realize that the foam could get banged up that is why it will be skinned in luan, and the luan glued to the surfaces, very strong.

Greg

Greg Elmassian said:

As part of rejuvenating our garden railroad club ( www.sdgrs.com ) I have wanted to make a modular oval, preferably double track, that could be EASILY transported to our monthly open houses.

Requirements:

1. light
2. sections small enough to fit in small trunks or back seats
3. 10 foot diameter on outer track

Clearly the modules need to be about 4’ or less long, which means breaking the “ends” into 3 or 4 modules.

Probably use Split Jaw connectors

I’ve been thinking of using 2" thick foam with luan plywood on at least 3 sides, and end plates of maybe 1/2" ply with locating pins.

Legs could be done like our Z scale, with adjustable screw feet in 2 x 2 inch wood legs and only one pair of legs at each module “joint” - saves the number of legs and overall weight.

All advice (that meets items 1, 2, 3) appreciated.

Greg

Light weight is #1, ya well don’t let that bite ya in the butt. Some one leans on the tables while your not looking and the whole dam thing goes on the ground, all of a sudden light is not all that wonderful.

Just a thought from been there done that

Rick

We all have our stories about why you shouldn’t do this, yet we all continue to do it.

It a sickness, for which no cure, nor treatment will ever be found.

Greg,

I would echo Rick’s comments and add that the foam acts like a sound board and can be annoying at the least. I would stick with the 1 by material for strength, it is a good tradeoff on weight.

Bob C

1. Your reach is not going to be more than 30 inches. If you want it wider, ensure that you have access from the inside. Max width, for a variety of reasons should be 48 inches. Max length you said would be 48 inches. I agree with that.

2. Max module size would therefore be 48 x 48 inches.

3. I know that you prefer DCC, but this is an area where battery power/RC is king. As one that has hooked up electrics, and traced shorts on 20 modules in a display, I can assure you that it doesn’t get any easier to crawl under them with advancing years. At 45, i could do it without problem, at 55, it was a problem. At 65, fugedaboudit!

4. I like the idea of PVC pipe for legs. Have some sort of screw device for fine adjustment. I’ve never seen a floor, especially a concrete floor, as level as we need it.

5. You’ll want something to keep little hands off the goodies. We use stanchions and rope.

6. If you are showing to the public, have at least one member outside to talk to the folks. Have brochures and cards so folks can contact the club. We get at least one or two calls from each display.

7. Don’t be afraid to put a throttle in a kid’s hand. They love it. Ask Ric.

8. Regarding locating pins. I probably wouldn’t. I haven’t found them necessary. The 75 unit (so far) H0 module club here in the Spokane area doesn’t use them either, they rely on accurate placement of track and accurate build.

9. Have a committed group of folks to help set up and take down, each time, at least 6.

10. We found it best to have a dedicated trailer to leave the modules in, with tools, and joiners, and curtains, and, and, and. That way, stuff doesn’t get lost, or forgotten. There is less handling of the modules, too, therefore, less damage.

Hope this helps.

Steve Featherkile said:

1. Your reach is not going to be more than 30 inches. If you want it wider, ensure that you have access from the inside. Max width, for a variety of reasons should be 48 inches. Max length you said would be 48 inches. I agree with that.

2 tracks, and portable and modules fit in a car… so no where near 30 inches… the modules will be as narrow as possible, may make provisions for some “guard rails”, like small rods stuck in tubing with bungee cord…

2. Max module size would therefore be 48 x 48 inches.

no way that large, again goal is small as possible and fit in back seat… most likely not much over a foot wide…

3. I know that you prefer DCC, but this is an area where battery power/RC is king. As one that has hooked up electrics, and traced shorts on 20 modules in a display, I can assure you that it doesn’t get any easier to crawl under them with advancing years. At 45, i could do it without problem, at 55, it was a problem. At 65, fugedaboudit!

mostly for people who want to bring a loco… no switches… if we cannot debug electricity on a simple loop, we need to take up knitting… no wiring underneath… 2 simple loops connected with rail clamps. Also, will have analog and DCC available…

4. I like the idea of PVC pipe for legs. Have some sort of screw device for fine adjustment. I’ve never seen a floor, especially a concrete floor, as level as we need it.

that post shows threaded bolts for adjustments… in our Z scale modules, we have adjustable feet that go a step beyond what they use in the pvc pipes… a nice idea, lighter than wood…

5. You’ll want something to keep little hands off the goodies. We use stanchions and rope.

don’t need it, everyone is very respectful, and kids are managed by their parents or grandparents…

6. If you are showing to the public, have at least one member outside to talk to the folks. Have brochures and cards so folks can contact the club. We get at least one or two calls from each display.

not for the public, not intended to be sturdy to withstand THOSE people and THOSE kids, who don’t give a darn…

7. Don’t be afraid to put a throttle in a kid’s hand. They love it. Ask Ric.

I have had 5 year olds run DCC on my layout… 3 minutes of instruction and they are running trains and ringing bell and whistle… left alone the 7 year olds figure out the remotes for the turnouts

8. Regarding locating pins. I probably wouldn’t. I haven’t found them necessary. The 75 unit (so far) H0 module club here in the Spokane area doesn’t use them either, they rely on accurate placement of track and accurate build.

I will probably use locating pins, since the lightweight construction will probably allow track to be ripped from the surface… we built a jig to make the end plates of our Z scale for good alignment… just permanently mounted cone shaped pins so they cannot get lost and self-align as you clamp the modules together.

9. Have a committed group of folks to help set up and take down, each time, at least 6.

nope, one person can set up… no scenery, no extra weight… I’ve done it numerous times… remember small modules, light weight

10. We found it best to have a dedicated trailer to leave the modules in, with tools, and joiners, and curtains, and, and, and. That way, stuff doesn’t get lost, or forgotten. There is less handling of the modules, too, therefore, less damage.

nope have to be small, light and thrown in the back of a car… I may have to repair modules every so often… again the portability is paramount so it does not become a big deal if one of use cannot attend the open house… only want a small oval, nothing huge…

Hope this helps.

it does and thank you for responding… going over all the options… and if I was making it for public consumption, it would indeed be bulletproof, larger, and we do have a dedicated trailer for our Z scale modules…

Bob Cope said:

Greg,

I would echo Rick’s comments and add that the foam acts like a sound board and can be annoying at the least. I would stick with the 1 by material for strength, it is a good tradeoff on weight.

Bob C

The FReMo standards recommend NOT using 1 by lumber because it can warp, twist and expand and contract with changes in humidity. They recommend using hardwood plywood. And properly supported, 2 inches of foam (again per the FreMo standards) doesn’t resonate as much as people think it will. 1 inch foam with few supports will resonate like a drum-head.

Steve Featherkile said:

We all have our stories about why you shouldn’t do this, yet we all continue to do it.

It a sickness, for which no cure, nor treatment will ever be found.

Gee Steve. This “sickness” is one of my escapes from reality, and as such is good therapy. So I hope I am never cured.

The units that my club, Houston Area G Gaugers, uses for train shows could be down sized to meet your goals. Our units do not use any rail jointer and we are able to set up a 33 foot by 38 foot in about a hour. Hear is a link to some pictures. http://www.houstonagg.com/build-repair

10. We found it best to have a dedicated trailer to leave the modules in, with tools, and joiners, and curtains, and, and, and. That way, stuff doesn’t get lost, or forgotten. There is less handling of the modules, too, therefore, less damage.<<<

So that’s what’s in that trailer in my back forty! Now I know where I can get some more track. Thanks, Steve! (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)

Thanks Jim,

I see some good information, and it seems confirmed that the “curved modules” should indeed be pentagons.

Of course your club has a public display in mind, where my goal is a small, ultra portable double track loop to let people test or show off a loco.

A very nice modular setup, although 30 pounds is way over my target goal, under 10 pounds is what I want, I want to use the foam as a structural element, in the Houston design it’s just a mounting surface, the plywood is the strength.

A nice set of modules, and nice how they stack.

Greg