Modular Group News, Update 8/27/24

Really great pics, Tom.......and, as Jerry said........we accomplished a lot at the business part of the meeting.

Peter

When we formed our club, I owned a 5x7 trailer that was immediately too small. I sold it and donated the proceeds to the club to help pay for a larger trailer. We took delivery of our 7x14 trailer just two years ago. Well, being a growing club it is now too small.

Today we took delivery of a 8.5x24' trailer! The next step up will involve a Peterbilt and a CDL!

This is the "old-new" 7x14

The new 8.5x24. Before any jinxes us yes, yes we will outgrow this one too. Just a matter of time. For now, we're all set.

Wonderful! It looks beautiful! I can't wait to fill it up with new modules!

Peter

Work day next Saturday (6/11) to get everything swapped over and the 7x14 delivered to its new owner. Otherwise you'll be seeing the 8.5x24 on the next episode of Tiny House Nation. I'll be living in it....

Based on the pictures I've seen posted here, it's no surprise that you guys are gaining in popularity and size. Good luck with the new trailer.

That is one HUGE trailer!! You guys sure know how to put on a show. Maybe you can sublet the trailer to a NASCAR team to generate a little extra income on non show weekends!!  

Do you use the trailer as is or do you build storage features into the unit?

Good stuff 

You fellows in the capitol of the Old Dominion really know how to do it right!!

bigtruckpete posted:

Do you use the trailer as is or do you build storage features into the unit?

First thing is to get a good coat of gray epoxy paint on the floor. We have 1x2 chocks screwed to the floor to provide positive location for the various type of modules. These will get transferred from to the new trailer. On the walls, there are attachment points for the hold-down straps.

You are going to need a beefy truck to haul that miniature Semi trailer around Richmond VA. with, may I suggest this.

John Pignatelli JR. posted:

You are going to need a beefy truck to haul that miniature Semi trailer around Richmond VA. with, may I suggest this.

Tom has a big one!.

Peter

Mark Boyce posted:

You fellows in the capitol of the Old Dominion really know how to do it right!!

Mark......I'm getting excited about the "Fall/Winter" exhibition season......and the Summer is only just starting!   I made the flyers/posters yesterday for our December/January run at the Great Big GreenHouse!

Peter

Peter,

Yes I can see planning well in advance has to be done to make successful events!

Gentlemen,

We have gray. A floor is only new once. That's the best opportunity to give it a good paint job.

As 3 Railers, we always strive for utmost prototypical inaccuracy. In honor of Putnam Division's affinity for NYC, we spared every effort in selecting genuine simulated Dreyfus Gray for the floor.

This redefines "road trip"

Looks great Tom

j

Glad to see you are making the effort to honor Putmam's favorite!  That man trivets should keep the hi rails safe

We formed in 2009......in the fall of 2009 we started building modules......this past weekend ( 1st weekend in June 2010) was the 6th anniversary of our 1st modular set up.....in group member Ben's garage. What a great ride it's been.......reading CSam's thread makes me appreciative of the great group we have!

Here are some pics of the 1st set up.

Peter

Happy Anniversary!  You guys have certainly come a long way. 

I love the concept of modual layouts. Pity I can never find the time or $$$ to make one for holiday displays at the mall, know a place there that would be interested having something on display (provided they didn't have to pay for it, of course...)

Saturday AM we had productive session cleaning out our 7x14 trailer and loading up our 8.5x24 trailer.....we were done before it got too hot.

Now we can concentrate on module building and updating for the rest of the summer.

Special kudos to Tom (Gilly@N&W). He drives the trailer around like a champ!

We have got room to grow. This is our 3rd trailer since we started in 2009.

Peter

Peter, Tom, and all,

It looks like you gents have this modular thing down to a well oiled machine!  Tom's got a handle on backing the longer trailer with that dandy looking truck of his!!  Where do you park the trailer when not in use?

If rooms get full at York, I guess we have a place to sleep

JPC,

Better take along an air mattress.

Sweet!!! That is one professional looking operation. With all of that extra trailer space you sure have room to expand the layout size. No pressure though . 

You guys must be doing something right to outgrow 2 trailers in 7 years. Best of luck. I hope you outgrow this one soon. 

Four things to add.

• Not shown is "Bridge over Geezer Gorge". There was just no room for it on the 7x14 trailer!  
• Yard modules (6' long) now will stand on-end. Massive space savings.
• The 7x14 goes to its new home this afternoon. WOO-HOO
• This morning the driveway is sans-trailer(s). My chance of getting lead poisoning has just gone down significantly.

BTW, this is what the next  trailer is going to look like (8.5x32). This is the absolute limit for my truck. My best estimate is we're about 5 years out before we need this one. We're already making BIG plans after the next retirement wave hits. Stay tuned. Ya ain't seen nuthin yet !!!

How big your club's layout?

What is your minimum and maximum curves?

Full setup is 20'x30' give or take. Our next "Full" setup will be at the Science Museum of Richmond the weekend following Thanksgiving. By then two additional straights will be complete. Minimum curves are 072, maximum 081.

Gilly@N&W posted:

Four things to add.

• Not shown is "Bridge over Geezer Gorge". There was just no room for it on the 7x14 trailer!  
• Yard modules (6' long) now will stand on-end. Massive space savings.
• The 7x14 goes to its new home this afternoon. WOO-HOO
• This morning the driveway is sans-trailer(s). My chance of getting lead poisoning has just gone down significantly.

 

BTW, this is what the next  trailer is going to look like (8.5x32). This is the absolute limit for my truck. My best estimate is we're about 5 years out before we need this one. We're already making BIG plans after the next retirement wave hits. Stay tuned. Ya ain't seen nuthin yet !!!

 

 Limit for your truck!?   Naaaaa. You just need a BIGGER truck!! 

Good one, Chris! 

Peter

Our club just recently purchased a second 7x12 trailer to augment and redistribute the weight of the layout we have in our 7x14 trailer. We can set up a 50 x 60 ft. Layout.

Below is our largest layout to date since starting our club in 1992. This is roughly 40 x 60. We set this up back in February at the World's Greatest Hobby show in San Antonio.

Currently on our 90 degree corners our minimum curve is 60 and the max is 96. On our 45 degree corners our minimum curve is 96 and the max is an extended 120.

Ricky, that is spectacular. Thank you for sharing the plan view of the layout. Am I counting a 5 track mainline??? We also started w/ 32x48 modules. If I had it to do over again, I'd push hard for 48x72.

Tom,

We have 4 mainlines. When we first started we only had 2 ( Track 1 & 3) but it was hard to give everybody a chance to run so we added the 2 extra mains ( Track 2 & 4). I personally wish we had just added track 2 to allow for more scenery. On some modules track 4 will meander over to 5 and in one area track 3 and 4 meander over to 4 and 5. All corners have 5 mains because to make the layout configuration more flexible. 

Our standard modules are 24 x 48. There are a few that are 28 x 48. We have also granted permission to make 24 x 24 inch modules. Scenery modules are customized to fit some places while others are made from blank standard modules.

Our big "fund-raiser" every year is a complete ready-to-run train set. About 2 years ago, we decided to include it mounted on a board.....this year number 3 doing it that way.

A group of us got together in my garage yesterday to build it. Here are the pics...

Peter

Nice pictures Peter. Good luck on the fundraiser.

Ya know Peter;  Add a tool belt,work boots and a little facial hair and you could pass for a trade guy all day long!  

Chris.......Tom is a great carpenter......I am used to "end-on screws". Tom has a Krieg's tool and we can do angled screws like furniture. One of the great things about being in a group is the collective knowledge and experience that is available to learn and draw on(not that I add anything...).

Petewr

July 10th Update.....

We had a busy weekend. This week a small group of members are bring the layout to the Goddard School for a demonstration to the children on Tuesday.

Today with had a "yard ballast" party.

Here are some pics:

Peter

This week a section crew of the group brought our small portable layout to the Goddard School. Here they are with a Goddard School official at the controls.

Peter

....and,  I finished 8 days of ballast re-working/drying with a 6+ hour bake in 95 degree heat...

I like the way it looks....it shows slight different color ballast in different areas like a yard would normally be......and, it comes up close to the height of the rails.

Peter