Best Of Modutrak Updates

[Sokramiketes]

Next up we have 30ft of New Lisbon, WI. This set goes back to pre-Modutrak days and Bill Denton’s workshop. The Depot module and the Wye module were originally constructed as 6 foot Ntrak modules, 24” depth, triple track, 1.5” track spacing and all. As we were discussing improvements to the Ntrak concept, Bill extended the legs with PVC pipes to raise them to our 53” rail height. Mike and Marshall then built a 6 foot transition module, East New Lisbon, to transition to 18” wide module width, double track, and 1.25” spacing. As we moved to 5 foot standard module lengths later, we needed New Lisbon to be a multiple of five. So, two more 6 footers extended the yard and brought the scene to 30 feet.

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Bill could do a whole thread on this set. But that’s an overview!

[Sokramiketes]

Kansasville is one of our “transition” modules. I didn’t want the two mainlines to be centered on the module frames, for aesthetics and because each scene generally needs a wider side to fit some structure or scenic element. But sometimes that means east and west get flipped, or we need to swap the mainlines when the layout loops back on itself. So rather than having inside and outside corner modules, we have a couple transition modules to flip the mainlines front to back.

Here’s the first of them in this set-up. Kansasville is a small town in WI, and the business caught the eye of Bill Reid and Bill Pistello. Reid scratch built the structure and they teamed up on the module itself. Wayne Reid, RIP, may have assisted as well.

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And yes, there’s a bit of wiring involved to swap the mainlines to the proper bus wires. That includes gapping both rails, and installing intermediate signals to accommodate the blocks.

[Sokramiketes]

The latest project is downtown Milwaukee and the Everette St depot. This set is laid out from various mapping sources (aerials, Sanborn fire maps, railroad archives) with the depot to Menominee River being full scale to the prototype. There is a touch of massaging on the west end to snap everything into the Modutrak grid. And some engineering to make sure any odd size modules have at least one stacking partner for transport. 10 years of research is finally underway.

45 degree, 39” R curve into the depot area:
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West end depot approach, coach yard area:
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East end approach. 90 degree corner also 39”R frame. This is an important Modutrak grid dimension, but also fit the prototype curves!
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S curve by Pritzlaff, Plankington Ave:
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Bridge and freight houses:
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What will be Florida St freight cutoff area:
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[Sokramiketes]

Here is Bill Denton’s latest work, Grand Crossing in Lacrosse, WI. Milwaukee Road, Burlington, and Northwestern. He’s going to town on the rodding coming from the tower.

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While geographically this should be further west, we had to balance this leg of the layout. Although it just occurred to me we could swap it with Pig Farm.

[Sokramiketes]

After the Grand Crossing detour, we’re back to the area South of Milwaukee. First up is the Oklahoma Ave and South 6th St module by Keith Kohlmann. The C&NW runs below the Milw main. Prefex and Heil plants hint at the greater industrial complex. And the CNS&M bridge is showing off an Electroliner today.

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[Sokramiketes]

This special transition module swaps mainlines but also divides the layout in half by having a full electrical gap between boosters. This is Morgan Ave and highlights some army barracks that are now worker housing. Module by Jim Starbuck and Tom Breed.

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The other great thing this module does is pick up the road running off Keith’s module on the right and transitions into the cemetery curve coming up next.

[Sokramiketes]

And here’s where an outside corner module becomes an inside corner. Morgan transitioned the mainlines rearward or operator side. Now the public side is the inside of a large 5 foot corner.

The scene is St Adalbert’s Cemetery with Howard Ave and Waterford Ave road crossings. The Milwaukee Electric (TMER&T) crosses overhead on its line to the power plant. Spoiler alert for the next module featuring that interchange.

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Mike Skibbe built the module and Keith is working on the cemetery end.

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We do try to model the prototype, here’s this last stretch on a Milwaukee Road track chart:
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[Sokramiketes]

But Mike, that track chart shows Powerton!  Well yes, and Jim Starbuck took care of it. Here we have the interchange yard where the Milwaukee could deliver Illinois coal to the TMER&T to run on the belt line to a power plant.

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It’s fitting Jim is shown, as he’s frequently camped here with a yard full of critters idling away.

Lots of CB&Q, GM&O, IC, etc hoppers through here
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[Sokramiketes]

This corner has some history. Before we had the big corners, we had four 39” corners built by Jamie Vondruska. The was a rock cut with trees, until an unfortunate deforestation event… wind and a module going splat on the pavement.

John McCarthy recently did a complete scenery refresh with sandstone cut and birch trees, appropriately modeled after Birchcliff WI.

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[EJN]

I think it’s time for a tour of the layout!

Modutrak set up at two shows this spring, one in Madison, WI and one in Rockford, IL. Here’s the current layout plan, with most scenes ending up in geographic order.

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Are the modules labelled "Techny" based on Techny (Northbrook) IL? I live 7 miles west of there, used to play golf at Anetsberger.

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[Sokramiketes]

Are the modules labelled "Techny" based on Techny (Northbrook) IL? I live 7 miles west of there, used to play golf at Anetsberger.

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Yes! 

[btrain]

Here is Bill Denton’s latest work, Grand Crossing in Lacrosse, WI. Milwaukee Road, Burlington, and Northwestern. He’s going to town on the rodding coming from the tower.

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Top notch work here! And thank you for the profiles of each module, it really helps tell the story about the design process, techniques, and other items I’ve really admired about the layout. I do hope that maybe this can be all complied into a book someday, either real or a digital version.

Would you happen to have any detail shots of the rods and linkages? I’ve been thinking about adding those details to my doughnut layout.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

On the plan this filler module, a standard 5ft straight module, is lovingly referred to as Pig Farm.

Useful for solving problems with "troublesome" members...

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Also, Mike, this is an awesome overview.

This layout is absolutely the pinnacle of modular stuff. It's cohesive and flexible enough to deal with potential issues. Absolutely brilliant.

My only complaint is the same one I have with all Freemo: the way the world just "ends" feels so jarring. I wo wish the format embraced backdrops.

[MVW]

All of this ... just freakin' wow!

Jim

[Sokramiketes]

Also, Mike, this is an awesome overview.

This layout is absolutely the pinnacle of modular stuff. It's cohesive and flexible enough to deal with potential issues. Absolutely brilliant.

My only complaint is the same one I have with all Freemo: the way the world just "ends" feels so jarring. I wo wish the format embraced backdrops.

Thanks, Ed.  Really appreciate the comments.

And yes, while backdrops might help the individual scenes, remember that this layout is up at 53".  One of the new cool features, with the layout shape and size... and being cohesive in scenery colors... is that you can now look out across 40 feet and five layers of scenery, meaning the distant trees and buildings move at a different rate as you move.  It's really engrossing in person.   What we really need is a gymnasium with sky blue walls!

EDIT: I don't have a true photo of this handy, but this gives a little better sense across:
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