Page 3 Note added 5-12-25 Most
of the below links are old and incorrect. I kept them as a historical reference
of what I was doing back then. 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
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.
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.
Sadly there is no interest in making new S Modules or module meets that were so
wonderful for so many years.
Follow my home layout building progress here
Updated
5-12-25
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