Notes on Designing, Building and Operating Model Railroads

 

On November 6th, I journeyed to Syracuse, NY, to participate in a Free-Mo meet at the Great New York State Model Train Fair. About twenty participating model railroaders came from central New York and from as far away as Boston, MA, and Akron, OH. Most of the participants brought one or more Free-Mo modules to assemble into a linear model railroad. Click here for a PDF of the overall plan.

Modular display layouts have become common fixtures at large train shows. Many of these layouts are composed of modules that are built to published standards to ease assembly into the large display. The N-Trak standards were one of the earliest accepted design standards I can recall. The National Model Railroad Association (NMRA) modified these for use in other scales and variations of these standards continue to be followed. A typical presentation features a multi-track mainline running through individual scenes in a large circle. The Free-Mo standards enable a single track railroad display using Digital Command Control (DCC) to move trains along the route. At this time, I feel the Free-Mo standards set a level for a display layout that enables use of the most current model train control ideas and technology.

I travelled to Syracuse with Tim and several of his Free-Mo modules. We arrived and moved parts into the large space set aside for the group display. Many people had already arrived and a few modules were already standing. Within an hour or two, all but one unit was set into position.

 

Starting from one end, each module was adjusted to a set height then clamped together. Before plugging the wiring components together each module was checked for polarity to avoid short circuiting the track power. In my previous module experience, the units only connected in one specific configuration. With Free-Mo modules, a unit can connect with a layout then connect the opposite way for the next set up. The wiring standards have dual plugs on each end to ease electrical continuity, but polarity must be checked with the previously linked units before ‘plugging in’. This is an aspect I had not realized, but it makes the individual Free-Mo modules quite versatile.

Once the modules were electrically connected, then fitter rails were installed to connect the tracks between modules. The Free-Mo standards call for rails to end one inch from the ends of the module. Then two modules are placed end-to-end there is a two inch gap to fill. The ties continue to the module edge, so short lengths of rail need to be fit into place to complete the rails between modules. This step can be tedious as the gaps may be a little short or just a little longer than two inches. A few modules needed work to remove excess ballast to accommodate the rail joiners sliding under the ends of the rail. The rails of one module extended almost to the edge and needed to be cut back to the proper spot before the fitter rails were installed. All of this work came together in a few hours and test trains were run to check for other problems.

Railroad work wrapped up about 6:30. One last module would arrive the next morning so the group headed out for dinner and a visit to a local model railroad.

The next morning there were a few minor adjustments and the last module was positioned, checked and connected to the railroad. Regular trains were running by 10:30 to everyone’s delight. Points on the railroad were renamed to reflect a New York Central route that connected Syracuse with Niagara Falls. This gave the layout a local flavor and made operations easier.

We tried operating with track warrants with some success. It seemed few of the participants were familiar with structured rail operations. Communication between the dispatcher and crews was limited to hand held radios that did not always perform. The railroad did settle into running some routine trains with a milk express, passenger, and a few freights cycling from end to end. A few control bugs cropped up, but those were quickly squashed. The Saturday closing hour came quickly and a tired bunch of model railroaders dispersed to find a good meal.

Sunday morning started slowly as Tim and I arrived about 10:00. We discussed implementing switchlists to assist with and encourage more local work. A roving dispatcher was employed to counter the radio situation. A line up of trains was created and local switchlists were made up documenting pulls and spots. Operations came together and rolled well under less than perfect conditions. Over two dozen trains were dispatched through the day with nearly all participants active as an engineer or conductor. Four passing sidings along the mainline enabled flexibility in coordinating meets between opposing train movements. At times the staging tracks got a little tight, but stacking two short trains on one long track made the best use of the available rails.

 

Closing time loomed and people began to pack up details and structures before rolling stock and locos left the rails. Disassembly was swift and we hit the road by 6:00. A stop in Erie for a bite to eat offered a break in the six hour drive home. Tim and I discussed many points of Free-Mo and the Syracuse meet. We arrived home after midnight, tired and happy.

I attended this meet to learn about Free-Mo and was not disappointed with the experience. These standards had piqued my interest a while ago. I appreciated the opportunity to participate in a large meet. Here are a few of the learning points I brought home.

Follow the Standards
Some modules didn’t quite meet the Free-Mo standards and there were problems with these.

Be Ready to Run
Modules brought to a Free-Mo meet need to be ready for trains once the legs are attached. The time to fix scenery or track or redo wiring is not at the meet. Too many people have come too far to wait for someone to finish something that should have been done at home.

Bring Extra Parts and a Box of Tools
I know a few people were happy I had a small volt-ohm meter in my tool box. Needlenose pliers, files, cutting knives and a soldering iron were also handy. Better to have these things far from home than to be looking for Lowe’s or Home Depot.

Don’t Skimp on Construction
There were occasional track kinks that a 2-10-2 steam locomotive did not like. Vertical bumps were also noted. Big steam likes nice, smooth, flat rail. So do long passenger cars. Invest in good lumber and take the time to build solid subroadbed.

All Free-Mo participants need to understand they are important links in a chain. Each link must be strong for the whole chain to be worthy. Free-Mo has standards in order to produce strong links. Bringing one completed module that functions smoothly and is built to the standards is much more important than bringing a dozen modules that may not meet the specs. A Free-Mo layout is only as good as the weakest link.

There are several Free-Mo discussion groups where information is exchanged almost daily. YahooGroups hosts a national Free-Mo group. There are other groups for various regions of the country. I’m on board with Western Reserve Free-Mo for modelers in north east Ohio. There are discussion groups for other regions such as Southern California. These enable meeting local modelers and participation in local or regional events. The tips and suggestions are worth the extra emails received.

And in case you wonder why I devoted such a long post to Free-Mo, well keep checking back. I have another model railroad idea developing that is compatible with the Free-Mo standards. Feel free to leave a comment below. Please follow the directions of the anti-spam program.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 16th, 2009 at 19:39 and is filed under free-mo, modeling, operating, designing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.