Sunday, February 2, 2025

Restarting Work On My Newest T-TRAK Module

Looking at the data on this photo, I took it in June 2023, more than 18 months ago.
For whatever reason, I got stumped and lost interest in the project -- it may have been because I couldn't see a robust way to fasten the Kato crossover to the surface, as it doesn't have the usual mounting sockets for screws coming up under the deck, and any sort of adhesive could be either dangerous getting into the switch mechanism or too uncertain given the wear and tear of constantly disconnecting and reconnecting the track on this module to other modules via the Unijoiners. Not long ago, I rethought things:
At the right end of the track, about an inch in from the edge of the module, I bracketed the ballast shoulders on each side of the crossover with 2-56 wood screws inserted in #50 holes. They don't penetrate the ballast shoulders at all, they just hold the track tightly in place on the sides. At the other end of the module, I simoply drilled a hole in the middle of the Kato 20-042 double track 2-7/16" straight section and held it in place with a larger sreew drilled in from the top. This holds the track firmly in place without the need for any sort of adhesive.

The screws will be either painted or covered with bits of ground foam to make them less conspicuous. I also started to rethink the scenery, beginning with a new color of Rustoleum Nutmeg to replace the yellow-brown I started with. I also began to notice from wstching train videos that even in fairly flat country, there's often a low berm on one side of the tracks or the other, so I made this up with some Sculptamold. This willl be covered with trees and brush.

I'll put farm buildings and more trees on the other side of the berm.

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