Page 3 A new module adventure Don DeWitt was the S-Mod standards author in the late 80s. He was also the module coordinator for the 1990 NMRA/NASG joint convention in Pittsburgh. That was by far the largest S-Mod layout to ever be assembled. It has never been repeated either. The front line straight run was over 110’ long. Don’s own module layout, the Great Lakes and Atlantic, grew to 40 feet long. Pittsburgh was the last time they were used while he owned them. Here is the track plan from back then. Don decided to switch to O scale in 2001 and sold his modules in 2004. 26’ of his modules were listed on eBay and I won them. This is what they looked like when I picked them up on 10-7-06. I really liked the roadway going under the tracks scene. I plan on restoring it to more of what Don built. I already have the large diesel enginehouse that Don built that was not included in the original sale of the modules.

This is the current track plan. It has been altered since Don owned them.

It may be a while until I get to work on them. There is the mere problem of getting a house with a basement to put them in. My wife will not let me set them up in our apartment. L I could put them up at my Pops house but that requires a major basement rearrangement. I will update this when there is more news on the new sections. They WILL be renamed in some PRR related scheme instead of Don’s Erie Lackawanna scheme.

August 2007

In August 2007 I started to prepare the yard modules for adding scenery. It is great to finally have some ballast and ground cover on them, especially since I started making them in 1989! I should have made at least the center 4’ sections with a sheet of Homosote instead if the separate Homobed roadbed strips. Most yards are expanses of greasy mud where you can sometimes only see the tops of the rails, and almost no ties. I was hoping to achieve some of that look but was advised to not experiment with filling in between the rails with Bondo especially just 3 weeks before the Get Together where they were needed for the layout. I filled in the various yard furrows with beveled wood strips for the straight sections and auto body Bondo in the other areas to simulate a flatter terrain. I even filled in the furrows for the center main lines less to help differentiate the main lines form the yard tracks.

Bulk Ballast

Click on any of the photos below to make them larger

This is an S Helper Service S Scale SW1 on hand laid ties and code 100 track.

I found a bulk ballast source in an unlikely place. It is aggregate used in commercial flooring. The company that makes it is http://www.estesco.com It is a quartz material that is dust free, and is uniform in color and size. The 50 pound bag I got was the medium gray “Trowel Rite” product. I was quoted $17.00 per bag plus shipping. I thought at first that it was just slightly too small for S Scale but it is growing on me now. They make different sizes and colors. Contact Tom Catrambone 1-800-248-2271 or email him.

Donna even helped me out with the ballast. She was REALLY bored that day.

I got it completed with just a day to spare. Painting the rails and ballasting took

an obscene amount of time to do.

Set up at the Central Jersey S Scalers Fall Get Together 9-22-07

New Module Interest

There will be some new S Mod Modules at the 2008 Get Together!

Since working on my yard modules and getting them sceniced I have been thinking about retiring them from going out on the road for a while. As I stated above I am still thinking about setting the yard up on a more permanent basis. I looked at some of the leftover materials I still have from making the yard modules in 1989. I could easily make another 12-20 feet. I would want something simpler and a bit more dependable with ground throws instead of powered turnouts.

The great news is…

Don DeWitt completely surprised me on 9-25-07 by emailing me that he wants to make some new S Mod Modules. This is what he has in mind. It will be great to have some new modules and interest in the modules.

South Grand Arbor
S scale Module
by Don DeWitt
Version 2, 9/25/07

In 1985 I built a 12 ft, 3-section module that eventually led to a total of 32 ft.  (See modules at Grand Arbor.) All of those have been sold, so it is time to start again.  My car can hold three 4-ft x 2.5 sections, so here we go again.


This module will be a simple industrial complex with companies named after two beloved Central Jersey S Scalers, Bill Daiker and Howie Waelder. Krause Avenue is named after a beloved Connecticut S Gaugers founder Bill Krause, and Joel Street is named after my grandfather and father, who were/are both model railroaders. The offline Kerr Industries is named after my wife's family. This complex is part of the imaginary city Grand Arbor which is part of my imaginary Great Lakes and Atlantic Railway. This module will have a dual mainline with crossover using Old Pullman #8 turnouts, and #6 turnouts elsewhere. All track will use code 100 rail. There is also a run-around for the switchers serving these industries. This module can not only be used as part of an oval layout, but can also be used as an interchange with modules attached to the branchline. If used in a oval layout, the branchline modules would extend into the inside of the layout. Another option would be to flip the module and extend the branchline away from the oval layout. If placed in a branchline, the module could then be used to create a second branchline. It will be wired using the S-MOD standards and be able to be used using DCC or DC control. My plan is to bring it to the public at the 2008 Central Jersey S Scalers fall Get-Together. You can see some of the many layouts created by the CJSS module mavens at: Module History. This drawing was created using Railmodeller 3.03. Unfortunately, the program does not include any turnouts, so I faked turnouts with flex track sections.  Once I figure out how to create some S scale turnouts, I will fix this flaw. The track is shown with roadbed, in case you are wondering why it is so wide

Don is in a frenzy of enthusiasm. Rather then try to keep up with his almost daily revisions here is the link to his new module page.

10-20-07 Update

The module frenzy is ON right now! I have started a new Yahoo group here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Mod

After the 2007 CJSS Get Together I had thoughts of making a new simpler module. The yard module is finally done to a point, but the powered switch machines work marginally at best. 3 days later I am making a new 24’ long yard module! I don’t know how THAT happened! So much for simplifying my S Scale modular life! The new yard will not have switch machines at least for now. Perhaps I will add switch machines in the future if it gets retired from the road. I am making the new yard with S Helper Service code 125 for the main lines and code 100 for the yard. There will be yard leads and the main line will bypass the yard. I have tried to document my process as I went along. I guess there is a magazine article in here somewhere that will be available to the highest bidder!

The photos were taken in my Pop’s basement as I went along. They are not as “pretty” as I would like, but it is an active basement shop. I was making modules not making pretty photos of making modules….

Click on the photos to make them larger

Making the frame rails Leg hole drill fixture Assembling the frame

End alignment dowel Leg Spacer Block

Frames with the new deck

Frames with the new deck Aluminum Splicer Bar Completed Module Frame

This is the very rough work in progress track plan so far.

There will be PLENTY more to come…

January 2010 Update

We bought a house with a basement in July 2009. I set up my modular loop in January 2010.

It is SO great to be able to run my trains in MY house, even if it is just on this basic loop!

January 2011 Update

The above loop and new module frames above that have been sold. I am making my “permanent” layout now.

I will call it sectional more so than modules.

It is not being built to be taken out on the road and set up at train related functions and conventions.

It is higher (about 55” track height) and sections larger than I can easily move.

I am calling my series of S-Mod pages retired. There is sadly no interest in S Modules or module meets that were so wonderful for so many years.

Follow my layout building progress here

Updated 7-14-19

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