I first posted photos of a modular switching layout I decided to build sometime in the spring of 2012. The layout modules spent quite a bit of time sitting in various stages of assembly, and at least one saw almost a total rebuild. The modules are supposed to be a modern day version of the Port Huron & Detroit Railroad's spur into Port Huron's South Park industrial area. The spur itself is pretty much entirely removed today, although traces do remain of the spur. Using track maps in the PH&D Railroad Historical Society's (www.phdrailroad.com) modeling guide, and the track layout Dan M. used in his PH&D line in the Trainz simulator, I decided to build 2 2'x4' modules to represent the South Park area. The two modules connect to a 1'x4' model of the PH&D "main" line along 32nd Street. The 1'x4' module is being built to oNetrak standards, while the two larger modules, being a stub-ended spur, are not. The two larger modules have all of their track in place with feed wires soldered to the tracks. The west most module (according to the prototype) has also had it's feed wires soldered to its bus wires and aside from a few contact glitches, is operational. I hope to have the second large module operational by the end of the weekend. The first module still needs a lot of scenery work, but here is what it looks like so far:
The modules are something I think of as a long-term project, due to the fact that we're still doing a lot of the research related to what the track structure was a different points in time and what buildings are or are not appropriate for the line.
In the meantime, I've been working on a few other projects. Showcase Miniatures has been releasing quite a few modern N scale vehicle kits this summer, including Ford cabover semi trucks and an International hi-rail utility truck. I was able to purchase a couple of these kits and with the help of a hobby knife and an old Showcase Miniatures kit I had on the work bench, I've started modifying the kits into vehicles I can also use on the layout. The first picture shows one of the Ford COE trucks, an unfinished grain truck using various kit parts, and an International semi tractor.
The second picture shows some modifications I made to the International hi-rail utility truck. The Ford cab came from an old Showcase Miniatures MOW kit. I still have to fit the interior piece into the cab, and decide exactly how I want to configure the remainder of the truck, but as it stands so far, I think it could work as a stand in for some of the old Grand Trunk (ok, not that old)) MOW trucks. I don't know exactly what I'll do with it at this point. However, just getting to this point has been a lot of fun.
I have a few more projects I'll post later, but I wanted to share these while I had the chance to do so.
Charles W.
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