Visit us at Exporail : August 2015

We're excited to announce that members of the S Scale Workshop will be taking part in this year's model railway exhibition at Exporail - the Canadian Railway Museum!

The show is called "A great passion for model trains", and it takes place August 15-16, 2015 at the museum.

What a great chance to visit the museum's impressive collection of Canadian railway locomotives and rolling stock, and then see our interpretation of these in 1:64.

We've just received the application form and we are determining the space available to us, as well as which members can make the trip. But we hope to field a layout as least as extensive as the one we took to Laval PQ last October:

As our plans firm up we will add more information to this site. Stay tuned!

Video from the North Shore Train Show

Okay: This is months after the fact, I know...

But Workshop member Simon Parent captured several videos of our modular layout in action at The North Shore Train Show last October.

This show marked the first time we had return loops in the layout, and it allowed us to run much longer trains than we have at previous shows. A great time was had by all, and we're looking forward to getting together again to run trains and socialize.

If you haven't yet seen Simon's videos, here they are:

(Click on the YouTube logo in the lower right corner of each video to watch it directly on YouTube, where you might be able to enjoy it in larger formats.)

North Shore Train Show : Here we come!

Several of our members will be exhibiting our S scale, Free-mo style modular layout at The North Shore Train Show - October 4-5 in Laval, Québec, Canada.

Here's the link to the exhibit's website, where you'll find hours and directions:

North Shore Train Show

If you're in the greater Montréal area this coming weekend, why not come out and say hello?

Here's the plan for the layout we will be exhibiting - click on the image to view it full-size:

Hope to see you there!

- Trevor

16 feet of scenery...

(Click on each image for a larger view)

Division Street sections

Judge Farm sections

This week I finished wiring my modules, with a lot of help from fellow Workshop member Chris Abbott (thanks Chris!)

With wiring behind me, I've been able to turn to scenery. I've added basic ground cover to the four four-foot sections shown in the photos here. I've also ballasted the track.

The photos were taken while the glue was still wet, so there are some pretty evident glue streaks in the ground cover and a funky shine to some areas. That's going away as the glue dries.

(It's exactly the wrong time of year to be doing scenery, too: cool and dry air that doesn't soak up humidity, yet also warm enough that we're not running the furnace. The glue is taking forever to dry...)

While I'm making great progress, I still have six more feet worth of module sections to do: They're wired and ready to run, but still at the pink foam board stage. I'll tackle those next, to get them to the same state as the pieces shown here. Then I can try to get some more detailing done before the North Shore Train Show - happening in 10 days in Laval, Québec.

I hope to see you there!

- Trevor

The Roadshow - Episode 1

As I've mentioned previously, I'm building two modules for the S Scale Workshop - and I'm documenting them in a series of video segments for TrainMasters TV.

The first episode of what we're calling The Roadshow is now on the air. Here's the link:

• Roadshow Episode 1 at TrainMasters TV

            (Note: there is a modest subscription fee)

In this episode, I take a tour of the places I'm using as inspiration for the modules. That inspiration involves one very colourful shirt... a trip to the country with a high-energy team-mate... a big pair of rubber boots... and a flock of stubborn ruminants.

In the series, I'll share some tricks I've learned about building modules - things that work for me, anyway. I've also been experimenting with ideas I've never tried before. Already, I have a couple of ideas from this experience that I plan to incorporate into my Port Rowan layout.

I hope you'll join me on <em>TrainMasters TV</em> to follow along as I build my modules.

---

Now - the pitch:

Barry Silverthorn at TrainMasters TV is a professional producer and editor with a fine eye for camerawork. This is not your typical YouTube fare. In a word, it's slick. I'm tickled that Barry has welcomed me on board to do this series. His talent and commitment to creating a great show - hosted by hobbyists and focussed on this great hobby of ours - is forcing me to up my game to match.

That said, one gets what one pays for and as I noted above, there is a modest monthly fee for your subscription. But it's equivalent to buying a package of replacement blades for the hobby knife - and less if you subscribe for longer periods. I consider that a small price to pay to add such a tool to my toolbox. Even though I'm hosting this series, I'm also a subscriber.

TrainMasters TV is highly entertaining to watch and a great way to get ideas for one's own hobby endeavours. I look forward to each episode, and I hope you'll become as big a fan as I am.

Thanks again, Barry!

- Trevor

Progress on Division Street

I'm making great progress on Division Street as I prepare this module for the Workshop's upcoming exhibition in Laval.

Rail is mostly spiked now, and while I have not yet started to lay rail on the Judge Farm module, the ties are ready for rail so it should go quickly.

I've written a lot more about these modules on my Port Rowan layout blog. Here's the category link - enjoy if you visit!

- Trevor

Division Street and Judge Farm

Further to yesterday's note about the North Shore Train Show in Laval in October, I'll be building my first modules for the S Scale Workshop.

I have four months, and plans for two modules - each made up of several sections. That sounds like a lot to do in just four months, but my module designs are very simple.

The Workshop already has plenty of modules featuring towns, industries, passing sidings and so on. What's really needed is some open country running - to space out the more operationally-interesting areas.

Each module set will feature a single track mainline through a rural area bordered by pasture and meadow. No turnouts - no significant structures - just 20+ feet of additional room for my fellow Workshop members to show off their fine locomotives and rolling stock.

The first module - "Division Street" - will feature a level crossing with (you guessed it) Division Street. It'll look something like this:

(Click on the image for a larger view)

The second module - "Judge Farm" - will feature a cattle underpass between pastures located to either side of the track, as shown here:

(Click on the image for a larger view)

I chose the chevron shape to add visual interest - the curve on each module will be somewhere around 33-foot radius. But it will also make the modules more stable when they're set up. And unlike straight modules, two gentle curves will give the Workshop flexibility when designing layouts to fit a given exhibition space. They can be arranged to form a very long curve... an S curve... or a reverse S curve. They can be used together, or separated with other Workshop modules between them.

I've written more about my module plans on my personal blog - Port Rowan in 1:64. Enjoy if you visit!

- Trevor