r/TTRAK

It has been awhile. I have started working on two single modules; hoping for something easier than my first one, “The Charleston, SC Coal Tipple”.

My next is based upon the movie, “A Bad Day at Black Rock”. Awesome movie if you haven’t seen it; if you already have, enjoy it again…

Most of the buildings I found were 3D printed or wood kits; Blair Line and Wildwest Models. Three of the buildings need scratch-building and one is almost done and I’m well on my way with the train station buildings.

I have been fussing with fitting PowerPole Paks into two modules all day — or it feels that way!

This is the reward — the PowerPole Paks were on my last two single straight modules.

Now that they are in place, the a layout is 9’6” x 4’8”.

The next two steps are probably to re-wire the corner modules — they work, but I think I have found a better way.

And then I think I build the 15 VAC aux bus and wire in the circuits I built to control the Kato turnouts and the Cobalt Lever switches that that will work with the circuits to control the switches and LEDs that indicate the switch positions.

And then I will learn how to ballast track …

And then … I forget whether is Sam or Frodo who sings, “The road goes ever on,” but it seems appropriate.

I don’t know what kind of bug bit me last January — but a something definitely got ahold of me. :-)

One of my 2 double track modules that I decided to get something set up today. Pensacola and Northern 312 leads empty boxcars north to Cantonment FL to the paper mill

Do I need to trim the ears that hold the PowerPole Pak in place when I install them jn a square hole in a module?

I tried jamming one in and got it stuck and had to cut it up with a Dremel tool to get it out.

The holes in my modules are precisely 1”x1” — and the square body of the PowerPole Pak is just a little over 13/16”, and the plastic ears that hold it in place are a little over 1/16 wide — so it seems like it should fit — but it sure did not.

I wonder if I need to trim the ears in some way to make these fit?

I would love to hear from someone else who has used these.

Thanks.

So this is my latest theory. The two big innovations were attaching the terminal blocks to a scape piece Velcro's to the bottom of the module, and using the PowerPole panel mount.

In the picture, I am holding the panel mount in place -- it took like a pretty tight fit -- a one way operation, so I really want to make sure it's right before I press it into place.

The PowerPole connectors as in the "Module Interface" picture on page 48 (numbered page 42) of the BBMRA "Considerations" in the wiki. I want to double check that before I drive the panel mount into place.

The panel mount looks too big for the whole, but I think it must be correct?

Yes u/HomeyHal, I am definitely supporting the hardware industry! :-)

I can't tell if this overkill or not, but when I fasten my Unitrack to the base, I want a screw -- wiht a washer -- for every screw post in the bottom of the Unitrack base.

I think the Kato's spacing of the holes has changed over the years -- and that may concrete are different from wooden ties -- but if there it seems like the pre-drilled end holes in the CMR modules line up pretty well -- but the intermediate holes do not.

I have really only ever seen this -- I think in the longer pieces of track.

When that happens, I mark the holes on the baseboard and drill them so I can fill every screw post.

In the picture, you can see the the red track holes -- the ones on the right were off by maybe ⅛" so I drilled new holes.

Careful or overkill? :-)