I started G&M Junction

De kop is er af, that is what we say in Dutch if we have started something, literally the head is off. No pictures yet but the first Fremo america-N module is now on a diet and has had the bottom half taken off. The ony reason the other module hasn't been done to that state yet is the fact that I ran out of battery power so couldn't drill more holes so the jigsaw could be used.

The lower half weighs ~700 grams and the top hald still weighs ~2100 grams.

Still to do:

- cutting at a diagonal

- remove more material to save even more on weight, including on top as the modules had a plate on top.

- New ends

- extra support for when I'm cutting through the top plate.

- glue polystyrene to the sides to hide the holes and less than perfect sawcuts.

And of course to lay track, wire everything and build the landscape. But those are other stages. 

Oh well, tomorrow is another day for doing a little bit.

Caught - update on planning G&M Junction

Caught the flu before the holidays and can't quite get rid of it. The design for the G&M modules is nearly finished but I haven't gotten around to start cutting them up. I keep finding little things I've overseen and I can only cut them up once...

This is the situation right now. 

I will probably turn the module with the Interstate bridge around if I want it to be prototypical but keep it this way as this gives more of a curve for Fremo America-N layout planners. The scenery will most likely also be made as puzzle scenery. This means that most of the scenery but not the track will be separate pieces. In this way I can model the Interstate bridge in more modern times but with fields in a 1950's session.

All module ends will be conform the Fremo America-N standard though likely some centimeters 'higher' (actually below the usual 10 cm to cater for the new much thinner sections being stored below them during transport to save on volume) than the usual 10 cm.

From any module end there will first be 5 cm of straight track to mitigate potential problems when coming from an adjoining module before any curves start. It's been my experience that if an adjoining module has the curve right up to the end of the module this gives problems if the next module starts with a turnout. Even if the turnout and the curve are curving in the same direction.

A curve, a switch and two modules connecting is one thing too many. I would make it at least 10 cm but that gave too much problems.

My father helped me build the first few modules

Sometime ago my father helped me making the first few modules. The modules are made of birch plywood, 9 mm thick. The height of the frame is 10 cm, length is 100 cm and width is 40 cm. This width is conform the America-N standards. Off course I could make them wider between the end plates but you always have to take into consideration that the thing has to be transported. Which is why I will build shorter modules in the future. 100 cm is a bit long when you have to transport a few of them by train to a show....

Here are some pictures of the construction of the frames.