My Seidelmann Run T-TRAK Module

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Ok, so it's mostly done now, but I've been only teasing it along the three weeks I spent making it and figured it's time for a full rundown of my recent project.

https://conrail1285.com/seidelmann-run-t-trak-module/

I built a 4' long shadow box T-TRAK module as a proof of concept for a layout design technique and named it after our friend Erik Seidelmann.





I'm thrilled with how its turned out. I honestly think it's my best work yet.

[turbowhiz]

I got to see this in person at Altoona this past weekend, and quite frankly the pictures don’t really do it justice. Despite the fact it’s very much in the box, it’s an impressive “out of the box thinking” example of what you can do with T-Trak. Great work Ed!

[dem34]

Between this and some of the stuff by James Hilton I really think this might be an interesting micro genre of T Trak. Also look up there, so much room for activities.
Sad I didn't have the means to get there.

[Scottl]

It is a stellar result.  I will say I think it is your best work, everything just looks right.  You are running into limitations with the foreground, but give the dimensions of the scene, the effect is superb.

I assume from the article that you are thinking about a big, tall scene format for the layout helix?

[skytop35]

I got to see this in person at Altoona this past weekend, and quite frankly the pictures don’t really do it justice. Despite the fact it’s very much in the box, it’s an impressive “out of the box thinking” example of what you can do with T-Trak. Great work Ed!

What he said!   

[EL3632]

...and named it after our friend Erik Seidelmann.

Ed, thank you for naming your module after Erik. Erik was a major force in N Scale modular railroading and I feel it is fitting to have a module named in his honor. As another of Erik's friends, sincerely, thank you for naming it after him. He has a legacy that is deserving of this, and more.
I hope those of us with Erik's trains will be able to get to run on this module, bringing things full circle, if you will.

[chessie system fan]

Looks great!  I've thought about doing something similar.  What is the total height?   Do you think the top will bow downwards over time?   And how did you handle the inside ends scenically?

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I got to see this in person at Altoona this past weekend, and quite frankly the pictures don’t really do it justice. Despite the fact it’s very much in the box, it’s an impressive “out of the box thinking” example of what you can do with T-Trak. Great work Ed!

Lol, thank you!

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Between this and some of the stuff by James Hilton I really think this might be an interesting micro genre of T Trak. Also look up there, so much room for activities.
Sad I didn't have the means to get there.

Hahahaha. That is an interesting thing. What's funny about it is that I didn't set out as "I want to build a shadow box T-TRAK module", it was "I want to build a section of shadow box layout, I better see how this works first."

I'm bummed you couldn't make it this time. Oh well, next year!

I'm also really glad the cat poles got to me in time to get them ready. They really DO help establish the location.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

It is a stellar result.  I will say I think it is your best work, everything just looks right.  You are running into limitations with the foreground, but give the dimensions of the scene, the effect is superb.

I assume from the article that you are thinking about a big, tall scene format for the layout helix?

I am flattered.

There are indeed limitations but there always are I suppose.

The idea is to turn an entire peninsula into one giant helix but with this amount of distance between the decks so I can do this very thing but for, well, a number of scale miles.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

What he said!   

High praise indeed! Thank you sir.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Ed, thank you for naming your module after Erik. Erik was a major force in N Scale modular railroading and I feel it is fitting to have a module named in his honor. As another of Erik's friends, sincerely, thank you for naming it after him. He has a legacy that is deserving of this, and more.
I hope those of us with Erik's trains will be able to get to run on this module, bringing things full circle, if you will.

I agree. Erik was such an incredible guy that I wanted to make sure to reset the counter on "the last time someone mentions your name". I hope this does the job.

I can tell you I already have! Here's his former GP15-1 hustling some hoppers along. Ignore the fact that the loads are headed the wrong way

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Looks great!  I've thought about doing something similar.  What is the total height?   Do you think the top will bow downwards over time?   And how did you handle the inside ends scenically?

The "box" part is about 8"x8". The track sits on 1" foam inside that and there's 2.75" below it.

The top was definitely bowing even as I constructed it. I fixed that with the end reinforcements though. The ends are plywood and the top attaches to them via screws. You can see some of the construction method in my build gallery: https://photos.app.goo.gl/KBEgTR59m6p7epP96

[robert3985]

@Ed Kapuscinski - Ed, very nicely done!

Reminds me of a local group of HO modular builders here in Ogden UT in the 1990's who built their modular display from 6' boxed dioramas, also with black paint on their exteriors and with interior lighting.  Their scenes weren't contiguous, but very detailed and realistically done.  Unfortunately, I don't have any photos. 

Theirs were single-track and the return trackage was on the backs of the dioramas where they had sidings which facilitated setting up trains and pulling them off seamlessly while keeping trains running out front.  Theirs also sat on 6' folding tables.   

When they'd bring them in to the show during set up day, it took two members to carry each one, soooo...naturally the club members in our NTRAK club started calling them "The Coffin Boys"!  Hahaha...

The only drawback I can see to setting this up on a Ttrak show layout is the low eve level viewing.  I would assume that using the same or similar "boxed diorama" techniques on a home layout, would best be realized by getting them quite a bit higher.

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[Ed Kapuscinski]

@Ed Kapuscinski - Ed, very nicely done!

Reminds me of a local group of HO modular builders here in Ogden UT in the 1990's who built their modular display from 6' boxed dioramas, also with black paint on their exteriors and with interior lighting.  Their scenes weren't contiguous, but very detailed and realistically done.  Unfortunately, I don't have any photos. 

Theirs were single-track and the return trackage was on the backs of the dioramas where they had sidings which facilitated setting up trains and pulling them off seamlessly while keeping trains running out front.  Theirs also sat on 6' folding tables.   

When they'd bring them in to the show during set up day, it took two members to carry each one, soooo...naturally the club members in our NTRAK club started calling them "The Coffin Boys"!  Hahaha...

The only drawback I can see to setting this up on a Ttrak show layout is the low eve level viewing.  I would assume that using the same or similar "boxed diorama" techniques on a home layout, would best be realized by getting them quite a bit higher.

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

Thank you!

And yeah, viewing angle definitely sucked for most folks. I put a chair there for people to sit on during some of the show and that helped.

This guy really lucked out though: