T-Trak T-Trak Module Build * Lake Erie Huletts

[Laughlin Jones]

All,

Time to build something!

Its been a decade since I put some track down and I still have some time before I am ready to fill the basement. So after Dave V got back into the PRR via T-Trak I figured it would be a good way to do something other that fill totes.

Lake Erie Hulett Dock.

A few reasons to take this on. 1 follower of the steel industry and its history, 2 long time fan of the Bessemer & Lake Erie, 3 always interested in lake boats (not ship) in the mineral trade.  And also a fan of EL which had an interesting hulett dock in Cleveland as well as CR.

So the next post should dive more directly into the actual module plan along with some questions for the group.

Laughlin

[Laughlin Jones]

The plan.


I plan to use or make a triple module for this build. (36.5 * 14)

The sylvan lake freighter kit I have had stuffed away from some time can be configured to 29.75 L thus allowing a little of 3" of module on each end.

Another reason I want to build this module is in respect to the late P. Nolan of N scale ships. I interacted with him quite a bit to acquire the 4 hulett kits,  he was very helpful in the process. I feel this is a good way to respect a lost member of the modeling community.

As for type of construction I am reaching out to the masses. The ore boat will need to be lower that the main body of the module. The "water" level will need to be approximately 2" lower than track level. Although attending events is not a main concern for this module I would like to have the ability to take it to an event so I need to keep this in mind.

Would it make the most sense to build a standard dimension triple module at 14" in depth and come up with some sort of add on for the boat to attach to the front?

[delamaize]

Oh man, this is gonna be cool!! Always been a fan of the Huletts!!

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Oh HELL YES.

This is gonna be cool.

[pdx1955]

I am working on a wharf scene on one of my T-Trak modules using the same Sylvan ship. I plan to mount the "water" along with the ship to a framed board notched to accept the module side to hold it in place.

The plan.


I plan to use or make a triple module for this build. (36.5 * 14)

The sylvan lake freighter kit I have had stuffed away from some time can be configured to 29.75 L thus allowing a little of 3" of module on each end.

Another reason I want to build this module is in respect to the late P. Nolan of N scale ships. I interacted with him quite a bit to acquire the 4 hulett kits,  he was very helpful in the process. I feel this is a good way to respect a lost member of the modeling community.

As for type of construction I am reaching out to the masses. The ore boat will need to be lower that the main body of the module. The "water" level will need to be approximately 2" lower than track level. Although attending events is not a main concern for this module I would like to have the ability to take it to an event so I need to keep this in mind.

Would it make the most sense to build a standard dimension triple module at 14" in depth and come up with some sort of add on for the boat to attach to the front?

[pmpexpress]

I plan to mount the "water" along with the ship to a framed board notched to accept the module side to hold it in place.

Planning a similar approach for my break bulk carrier and container ship modules.

[OldEastRR]

Where you gonna get the Huletts?  And shouldn't this be in the Layout Engineering Reports forum?

[Laughlin Jones]

Planning a similar approach for my break bulk carrier and container ship modules.

This is definitely an approach I am considering.

Depending on how "event" ready I am going to go with this might influence the final design.

Where you gonna get the Huletts?  And shouldn't this be in the Layout Engineering Reports forum?

I purchased the kits years back from a company called N scale ships. Unfortunately the owner has since passed away.

As for the thread location, Ill defer to admin. My thoughts were since this isn't my actual layout etc this was the right place. I suppose if it gets incorporated into a large layout I will start a new thread for that in the engineering forum..



HAPPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA

[peteski]

Layout Engineering section is not exclusively dedicated to stationary home-size layouts.  If you think about what a home layout has - benchwork, wiring, track, structures, scenery. A module (NTRAK, T-Trak, Freemo, etc.) has all those things which make it a very small model train layout.  It is all in your interpretation of the definition.

[randgust]

Cleveland, Buffalo, etc. was not the only port that had them.    Erie had Huletts on a much smaller scale (two of them), and PRR held the exclusive rights to the waterfront, which is why it never developed into a true open access port, either.   Other than the single one in Sandy Hook NJ for trash, that may be the smallest Hulett site.

I think all of them were out on a pier situation where the railroad turned 90-degrees off a shore and went out to the lake.   Makes T-trak a compromise unless you are willing to get really creative and 'divert' off the main and do a perpendicular dock attachment.

I've done that approach with the West Hickory module in Ttrak as the Allegheny river bridge is a 90-degree angle to the PRR main crossing to a diamond and then curving back in to meet the main.   I don't get to do that setup at shows, but you might want to think about that depending on your concept.

And don't be afraid to put the unloading scene to the BACK of the module instead of detaching off the front.   I've seen an excellent container terminal module at Altoona show that has done that port idea very, very well.    Go to 7:25 on this video:

/>

[pmpexpress]

And don't be afraid to put the unloading scene to the BACK of the module instead of detaching off the front.   I've seen an excellent container terminal module at Altoona show that has done that port idea very, very well.    Go to 7:25 on this video:

/>

With the port terminal modules that I've been designing, in order to avoid any potential damage to the container crane outreach booms, been leaning toward your suggested approach.

[packers#1]

Cleveland, Buffalo, etc. was not the only port that had them.    Erie had Huletts on a much smaller scale (two of them), and PRR held the exclusive rights to the waterfront, which is why it never developed into a true open access port, either.   Other than the single one in Sandy Hook NJ for trash, that may be the smallest Hulett site.

I think all of them were out on a pier situation where the railroad turned 90-degrees off a shore and went out to the lake.   Makes T-trak a compromise unless you are willing to get really creative and 'divert' off the main and do a perpendicular dock attachment.

I've done that approach with the West Hickory module in Ttrak as the Allegheny river bridge is a 90-degree angle to the PRR main crossing to a diamond and then curving back in to meet the main.   I don't get to do that setup at shows, but you might want to think about that depending on your concept.

And don't be afraid to put the unloading scene to the BACK of the module instead of detaching off the front.   I've seen an excellent container terminal module at Altoona show that has done that port idea very, very well.    Go to 7:25 on this video:

/>

The ones in Cleveland were parallel to the shore and were in the middle of loading loops. You can see the old outline on Google Maps Satellite view here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/5d2CYg665EWErGLp9

You can make it out in this video a bit as well:

[nickelplate759]

NKP had two Huletts in Huron, OH.

https://archive.nkphts.org/index.php/browse/locations/ohio/huron-oh
(Scroll down for Huletts)

[Chris333]

You can see the old outline on Google Maps Satellite view here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/5d2CYg665EWErGLp9

The Huletts are still there too... In that pile of brush.

[samusi01]

Sadly, more current imagery (Streetview: I wanted to see what was visible) shows that brush pile has been converted to an open space.