The Club’s current HO layout comprises 12 modules and can be set up and running trains reliably, or taken down, in about 10 minutes, by 3 people. Several key decisions and features in their construction make this possible.
The 12 modules can be stored, 4 to a cart, on 3 wheeled carts making it easy to retrieve the modules from storage. Each module has a rear background wooden board that is as tall as the front fascia, allowing the modules to be neatly stacked. Here we see 4 of the 8 “straight” modules.
The legs and modules are stored together on the cart, each module having one leg (except for the first module which gets two). The 8 straight modules are stacked on 2 carts and the 4 corner modules are stacked together on the same cart.
The end detail of each module is key to success. Solid hinges and pins ensure that everything stays aligned and that the pull/push/twist forces stay separate. A serial-like connector passes along power and DCC encoding between modules. Some modules pass light along fibre optic cables (the two black circular connectors in the photo).
Scenery is constructed on foam board. In addition to being easily sculpted this also helps to keep down the weight of each module.
We are applying all of these design ideas, and more, to the planning and construction of the Club’s new N scale layout (beginning, middle, end).
If you are interested in seeing this in action, visit the Club on any operating night and stay until the end. It will be worth the 10 minutes to witness the choreography of the layout being dismantled for storage.