Franksville Wisconsin N-scale modutrak module buildout

[sirenwerks]

Did this module ever get finished?  Haven't seen much of the ModUTrak modules at all lately. What's up with that?

[mcjaco]

Life and kids have gotten in the way of a lot of projects.  Jamie has been working on the structures when time permits.  We've all been doing a lot of little touch projects and detailing to the modules which doesn't always necesitate much fanfare. 

We'll be at Trainfest as per usual next weekend. 

[sirenwerks]

As much as I want to see my extended family in West Bend, it's a little too late for me to plan for the 15 hour drive to Trainfest.  I wish I'd known it existed before today.

[Dave Schneider]

Bryan,

I am surprised to here that you weren't aware of Trainfest. We have had various threads about this show over the years. It is usually the second week in November and is a pretty good show. I have made the trip from Alaska several times over the past 5 years, but I have blown a huge hole in my travel budget this year.

On a more tragic note, it seems like all of the links to Jamie's photos have vanished.  I thought that the internet was forever!

Best wishes, Dave

[sirenwerks]

I am surprised to here that you weren't aware of Trainfest. We have had various threads about this show over the years. It is usually the second week in November and is a pretty good show. I have made the trip from Alaska several times over the past 5 years, but I have blown a huge hole in my travel budget this year.

I'm surprised too; I thought I knew everything.    If the holiday were Friday, I'd make a concerted effort to go just for the hell of it, and to stop in on my cousins north of Chicagoland.  But driving that drive by myself after work probably wouldn't be the smartest thing to do.  If there's anyone in the Baltimore area who can drive a manual transmission and wants to tag team the driving, contact me; I could have my mind changed in the name of adventure and seeing the Mod-U-Trak get-up in person.

[Ian MacMillan]

I've always wanted to go to Trainfest, and I may try and get to Trainfest 2013 with the layout. The show I usually go to in November just ended after 30yrs and I need a new November thing to do!

[lashedup]

<test, test... 1... 2... test, test..>

So...   I was just reading Chris' post about his industrial layout and how hard it is to get motivated to work on stuff. And here I am shocked that well over a year has past since I updated this thread. Yikes.

In that time the old MobileMe gallery hosting I used is now defunct. I've sent a PM to Tom asking if there is a way to edit my original threads so I can get the photos re-linked to a new location. In the mean time I've recently been motivated to get a few things done with an upcoming show on the horizon. Life and work have conspired to make my modeling time nearly nil in the last year.

There haven't been any major Modutrak additions in a while, however maintenance is constant and we've been adding signaling to the layout which turned into a huge project to try and do right with a modular layout. I'll try and throw a few updates on that into this mix as well. Lastly, I've decided to add an additional module into the mix. I had an odd number of modules (five) and needed one more to box them up properly for transport. So I decided to build a generic siding extension module to give us a more legitimate siding to dump an occasional train. I'll cover that in here as well since it will be quick and dirty.

I'll get some photos going here shortly...

-jamie

[Dave Schneider]

Alright!!! Jamie's back! This is one of my favorite threads and I look forward to seeing some updates. I too had fallen into a slump, and will also try to get some new work done and posted on the Beer Line. Had Monday off from work and everything I tried doing failed miserably.  These things happen.

Best wishes, Dave

[VonRyan]

Gotta say Jamie, from what I've seen throughout the thread, you've got quite the good looking module going. Certainly makes Modutrak appealing.
Of course, if I were to join a Modutrak or Free-MoN, my track would end up being Peco c55 since I've a heck of a lot of ideas for GWR modules and the standards are just right to capture all the West Country goodness.

-Cody F.

[nsbob]

Jamie:
In reference to your coal bin area on your layout, if you have access to the December, 2012 issue of MR, page 41 illustrates a similar scene in Elkton, VA.  It looks like all you have to do is pave the area around the tracks to duplicate the scene.

[sirenwerks]

...Certainly makes Modutrak appealing....

I'm still hoping for the Mod-U-Trak standards to be posted.

[Sokramiketes]

Anyone else feel like Jamie's a big tease?   

[lashedup]

Ok, some quick updates... (You should be able to right-click on photos to open them in a new window to see the large version)

I placed the new updated Klema Store in its location but haven't permanently attached it yet as I have a few things left to do first (that's why there is gap at the bottom of the building).



I also need to kill the shiny roof!

The weigh-scale is also in place. People kept touching the grout on the parking lot along the edges and it was starting to come up. So I ended up cutting in a lip to corral the grout and refinished it. I'll cover that separately as I need to do it around the H.P. Hansen mill. Here is the scratch built scale. I need to add oil dropping and some weeds and such.



And here is the Klema Mill in its current state. I had to repair the grout/gravel lot here as well so i have some cleanup to do as well as detailing in weeds, vehicles and other junk.



Here is the Franksville Milwaukee Road depot. One of our guys built one of those hand wire trees similar to MC's and I'll cover that separately as well.



The lumber yard is just starting to get some detailing done with lumber and such being added in. Most of the outside stuff hasn't been painted, detailed or glued in place yet, plus we have a ton of other stuff to add in.



H.P. Hansen's is another mill just north of Klema plus an oil and fuel service:





The HP Hansen's mill is a work in progress. Need to tone down the orange, finish the collector on top and myriad other things...



Here is a photo of the Franksville Oil:



and where I'm at so far with the model (plus the fuel behind it):



Lastly is the siding extension to add another five feet to the siding just north of Franksville:





More tomorrow! Thanks for looking!

[Chris333]

Hey is that some sort of VW over there?

[Sokramiketes]

Hey is that some sort of VW over there?

This killed me from laughter.  He's finally back with photos and you notice the Yolkswagon (white on the outside, yellow in the jambs...) in the background!