What a great layout, thanks for filming and thanks to those who built it to show it off. 

Yes, I am an NScaler and I do eNjoy it. Using modules in this fashion does (generally) remove some of the operations details that others enjoy. With the advance of more detail and control and line-side capabilities, much of the operations details can still be achieved. I live in Orange County, CA, and I attended the Great Train Expo at the Anaheim Convention Center, CA, on 1/2/2010 and the World's Greatest Hobby show at the Long Beach, CA, Convention Center on 2/14/2010 and saw several modular layouts in N scale that were extremely interesting - one of the amazing things was that one of the locals was a UP Big Boy - I would never have imagined that there would be one available for such a small scale. I've done N scale off and on since 1972 and just recently got back into it.

ALERT! The version on YouTube (I wanted to send a link for this to some of my relatives is why I looked at it) seems to have a corruption about 3:58 that causes it to stop. I tried it a few tiomes and it stops at the same spot even though I had cahed the full file.

Thanks, MRH, for all you do for the hobby. I feel much enriched from all the content.

Keep on trackin'

Moderator note: You can post YouTube videos directly on the MRH forum using the Video button on the edit bar (it looks like a film strip) ... so I went ahead and did that for you.

I saw a Mod-U-Trak "N" scale layout last year at a D.C. Area train show. I talked to one of the guys wearing a Jacket with the Mod-U-Trak name shewn into his jacket just above his name. I asked him a few questions and a few people walked up and asked why they didn't have a long trains running. He would then explain that they were performing operations and not just trying to see how many cars their engines would pull.

I have to admit it was a lot nicer "N" Scale club set up then the normal "N" track set ups and there was 4 of those "N" Track clubs running 100 car coal trains and 100 car freight and a 50 car passenger. That's what turns me off about "N" Track who ever heard of a 50 car passenger train.

What I liked about the Mod-U-Trak "N" Scale layout was everything matched as far as the Mods were all built around the same railroad and section of the country with matching scenery and the members actually had an opp session going.

As I was watching them building a train in one yard and could see the passenger train going from station to station and stopping sitting for 5 to 10 min and then it pull out again.

At the same time another operator was stopping at industries with his freight dropping cars off and picking up others, then put the train back out on the main and head on to another industrial area and do some more switching out of more cars.

I'll have to say it was refreshing to see "N" scale acting like a real Railroad instead what normally looks like  just a bunch of Kids piling as many cars behind a few engines trying for a world record of cars and watching the older men trying to figure out which cars were derailing causing all the drag.

Dan

Thanks moderator - either someone uploaded a new copy to YouTube to fix it or my computer is no longer failing at 3:58. Either way, it is now good.

Keep on trackin'

There is one N scale club in NYC, in Brooklyn AND its N-Trak. So don't go there expecting anything big.  They do have a show once or twice a year in Floyd Bennet Field.

There is an HO club in Queens. Queens Model RR.

  I wish there was an N Scale club here. Why should I have to travel 50 miles to visit or join a club?. We seriously need one in the 5 boros.

Yes the only N-trak club in NYC is Brooklyn N-Trak. I belong but haven't gone to many meetings since we lost our club space at Floyd Bennett a couple of years ago. We now meet at the nature center on Avenue U in Brooklyn not fa from Kings Plaza. Unfortunely we don't have space to keep our modules set ups there so we can't run trains unless we are doing a show and that doesn't happen that often.

However we will be doing a show at the Nature Center over the Labor Day weekened and it is open to the public. So feel free to join us.

THe shows we used t do at Floyd Bennett wil probably not happen anymore primarily because the hangar they were in is in a sorry state of repair. The rood leaks badly among other things and until that get fixed (if ever) it isn't a safe place to do anything. It's not a good thin because that is also the hangar where some old aircraft are kept and shown to the public.

There is also another N-Trak club in Long Island. It's called Long Island N-Trak. These days they are into T-Track because they find it easier to set up and take down these layouts when the d shows in various locations. They have no permanent layout sao don't expect to find one if you go to their shows. But if you find one of their shows, its worth going. BTW, they used to partner with Brooklyn N-Trak when we had the Hangar Show.

The HO Scale club is in Long Island City in the basement of an apartment house. They usuall have their meetings and run nights on Fridays. It's worth looking into if you are into HO and are free on Friday evenings.

Irv

Irv:

  I know about the N-Trak in Brooklyn The problem is where it is. I don't have a car, so traveling to a remote area such as Floyd Bennet Field from Queens isn't worth while for me. I know of the Long Island N-Trak, but I don't think they have a fixed location.

  The closest N Scale Club (with a layout) to NYC, or Queens in my case is Union, NJ. There is an N Scale club At Exit 65 on the LIE called Long Island Engineers.They also are an HO club. But, to drive from Queens to exit 65 on the LIE on a Friday afternoon is as close to being insane that I know.   The amount of miles just goes right by when your'e driving less than 5 mph. And I may add that it is close to 50 miles to exit 65.

  Since I don't drive I may be missing out on some things. Then again you couldn't pay me to sit on the LIE for 50 miles on a Friday afternoon.

m301,

I agree with you about driving on the LIE on Friday afternoon even though I have religious prinsiples which won't le me do it even if the drive was that bad. But then again anyone who thinks you can actually drive on the LIE at or near the speed limit at any time of th da or night either has never been there or is dreaming. And that doesn't include the 18 wheelers who don't recognize speed limits alltogether and consider slow moving vehicles as pseed bumps to run over and squish like roaches.

I think I've been to the N-Scale Club at exit 65 once or twice. I live near the Utopia parkway exit on the LIE and drivin to exit 65 isn't a short trip by any means. That is why I never joined that club. It took an hour and half to get there on the Sunday we visited. Both layouts wre quite nice and featured interesting roling stock and sounds. It was the first time I have ever heard cows mooing on a layout.

I have also been to Union County club and have been invited there on several occasions. When I taught college in New Jersey I actually considered joinng until I ounf out how much the dues were. And at that time they didn't have an N-Scale layout so there was nothing that really attracted me to make the trip on a regular basis. But that was when I was much younger and capable of drivng for hours and hours. I can't do that anymore. I can drive and do drive but anythings over an hour and a hslf and I could use a nap.

I undertand who difficult it might be to visit a layout when you don't drive or have access to a car. But you really dfon't need one if yo can take public transportation. Brooklyn N-Trak meets at the Marine Park Nature Center which is located at 3322 Avenue U which is close to Flatbush Avenue and the B-41 Flatbush Avenue bus. There are other bus lines that run there as well. The next club meeting wil be on 9/19 at 1PM. The show that was originally scheduled for Labor Day weekend has been post-poned to the September 25-26 weekend. I won't be able to make it on the 25th but I'll try to be there on the 26th.

You won't get to see all of our N-Trak modules (mine still in the planning stage) but the last time they did a show there they had a few and they ran trains.

If you are interested in getting more info, contact me via e-mail. I'll also put you in touch with some other members who can tell you more than I can.

Irv