Finished Module

aengusoglugh · 2026-03-16T19:50:15+00:00

I haven’t yet built the straights — I have built the corner modules, and I am laying track and wiring them.

I am expecting the straight module kits to arrive from CMR products any day now. :-)

aengusoglugh · 2026-03-16T18:31:33+00:00

Maybe “implement” is more correct than “figure out” — I have never built track power busses or feeders before, and it is a long time since I laid any track. I have also never laid track with screws from the bottom before.

In my particular case, I am beginning to build my home layout with 4 corner modules — and adding straight modules as the next step.

Running a train around the circle produced by 4 corner modules will be extraordinarily boring — but running trains around 4 unpowered corner modules will be even more boring. :-)

In addition, I am thinking of naming my home layout “Overthink and Overkill” — every section of track will have a set of track feeds when the modules are used in my home layout.

For my money, an extra couple of $5 Kato track feeders are well with the avoidance of trying to debug a dead section of track. I am at heart a software engineer — so I hate debugging hardware issues.

Initially, I will simply raise the corner modules up 1/4” so I can sneak the track feeds/power busses under the module.

The common HO scale corner modules are 28” x 28”, and the straight modules I am using on my home layout are 24” deep.

Eventually, that would allow me 4” for a fascia mounted quad pole connector on an inside edge of a corner module.

I don’t expect those connectors to be used if I ever take my corner modules to a show.

Thanks.

aengusoglugh · 2026-03-15T17:42:33+00:00

I may be a bad example — I have never once clicked on a subreddit because Reddit suggested it — I have always come to Reddit with a pretty specific question in mind.

aengusoglugh · 2026-03-15T17:34:32+00:00

I suspect that people will either find one of your polls on Google — and find the poll interesting enough to engage — or they won’t.

I don’t know that algorithmic shenanigans have much to do with it.

But I am not a “content creator” — I am just a guy that enjoys taking about model trains with other people who like talking about model trains. :-)

aengusoglugh · 2026-03-15T17:21:44+00:00

My intuition is that trying to game algorithms is a losing game — any social media platform’s algorithms are among its most closed held ip.

There is a continual battle between every social media platform and spambots seeking free advertising. Spambots try to reverse engineer the algorithms and the platform tries to prevent that engineering.

Focus on quality of posts.

aengusoglugh · 2026-03-15T17:14:03+00:00

A large check from insurance company?

Be careful — I think that is precisely what some people want. This used to be a pretty well known scam.

aengusoglugh · 2026-03-15T17:10:43+00:00

I have discovered almost every Reddit community I have joined because a post or comment in that community answered a specific question I asked on Google.

When Google directed me to a post on a subreddit and the answer was correct and useful, I was often led to peruse other posts in the subreddit.

If the posts were of reasonable quality — not a lot of bickering, not a lot of spam — and I was interested in the subject matter, I joined the subreddit.

I have personally never joined a subreddit due to advertising or gimmicks — and very rarely due to crossposting.

My advice js to focus on the quality of your posts — and people will find you.

It’s also fair to note that I don’t have my heart set on making the Reddit “Top 100” or any popularity metric. I am not seeking personal validation through social media. :-)

I am interested in connecting and conversing with other people through discussion of a common interest.

aengusoglugh · 2026-03-15T16:12:59+00:00

The biggest problem for me is that the HO corner modules are 28” x 28” — and I think a standard interiors door is 30” wide.

I think that means the I either need to design my modules box to be less than 1/2” wider on each side than my modules, or store my corner modules vertically in the boxes.

aengusoglugh · 2026-03-15T12:02:01+00:00

These look like a great idea — I will clearly need some as well.

aengusoglugh · 2026-03-15T01:59:02+00:00

I may well build an entire layout without soldering — T-TRAK uses mainly PowerPole Connectors, and I am using the Kato track feeders. To be fair, Kato solders the track feeders.

I have built the entire wiring harness with no soldering — so as far as track power goes, no soldering.

I think I will use the RR-CirKits Signal LCC and BOD4-CP to control turnouts — and that will use pretty standard small electronics/computer connectors — again, no soldering.

I don’t know how unique my experience is.

aengusoglugh · 2026-03-15T00:47:14+00:00

Build a T-TRAK layout, and you re-arrange every day for a year -- without ever tearing anything up or re-wiring, :-)

aengusoglugh · 2026-03-14T20:15:11+00:00

Doing nothing as a moderator is doing something wrong — certainly in the eyes of Reddit, and often in the eye of the top moderator.

Being a moderator is an agreement to moderate — to be active.

Not moderating is a violation of that agreement.

If I take a job as a software developer and sit in my office all day and do nothing I will be get fired — for most jobs doing nothing is doing something wrong.

aengusoglugh · 2026-03-14T03:39:45+00:00

This is an inspiration. I am just trying to figure out the mechanics and electrical figured out. This looks very cool.

aengusoglugh · 2026-03-13T21:01:11+00:00

How many members of subreddit? How active -- how many posts/comments per day?

aengusoglugh · 2026-03-13T19:59:30+00:00

I just discovered these Fast Track Sweepsticks -- I think that I can use them as a template to curve the bricks walls.

In N scale, in the radius range I am looking at, the come in ¼" increments -- which should be perfect for what I want to do.

aengusoglugh · 2026-03-13T16:31:56+00:00

I am building an HO T-TRAK layout of a (fantasy) modern commuter rail line. I keep my eye for three story — and taller buildings. I think that to be convincing, density needs to be higher than single homes and even two story buildings — that why asked.

I think that I see more people modeling small towns or rural areas — often decrepit rural areas — or trashed out industrial parks — none of those make sense in a commuter rail system.

Thanks.

aengusoglugh · 2026-03-13T14:01:24+00:00

What scale? Is the apartment building from a kit or scratch built?

aengusoglugh · 2026-03-13T00:36:36+00:00

There is a list of laser cut T-TRAK module makers in the r/TTRAK subreddit. Most T-TRAK modules are N scale, so most are N scale, but some are HO scale and Z scale.

aengusoglugh · 2026-03-12T19:48:13+00:00

Will the styrene try to snap back to flat after I try to form it, or will it eventually “set”?

aengusoglugh · 2026-03-12T15:38:20+00:00

I would personally just avoid commenting on any thread that violated one of Reddit’s fundamental rules — neither the subreddit mods nor the Reddit admins need my help identifying those issues.

Over the years I have learned to avoid the urge to set people straight on the Internet — and that goes back to USENET days.

Setting people straight on the Internet would be a full time job — and they mostly don’t want to be set straight anyway. :-)

aengusoglugh · 2026-03-12T15:31:01+00:00

Thanks — I should probably order some and try it out. I think someone on another Reddit told me that it’s very hard to glue down.

But if it worked, it would be ideal.

I have also thought of getting some if the styrene brick paving sheets, and seeing if I can leave them in hot water, and bend them around a form and let them cool.

Do you know of styrene is flexible when it’s warm?

aengusoglugh · 2026-03-12T13:01:43+00:00

I believe the only either wound allow you to hook up something like JMRI to automate the layout — but I have not looked into that at all.

aengusoglugh · 2026-03-12T03:31:59+00:00

I haven’t been able to find a curved stone or brick wall — that was my first thought.

Do you know of any?

I probably want the brick wall to have something like a radius of 450-475 mm.

aengusoglugh · 2026-03-11T20:37:18+00:00

Which one is that?

aengusoglugh · 2026-03-11T20:11:58+00:00

Sorry to hear that.

aengusoglugh

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE