All Club modules are built to N-Trak standards with the following exceptions and additional considerations

1. No mountain line.
2. All turnouts on the red, yellow and blue lines should be PECO long radius, with the through line going down the straight leg rather than down the diverging leg.
3. All tracks must be in gauge and should be code 80 where the joiner tracks connect.   All rail joiners should be soldered to the tracks.
4. Since we like to run long trains, tight and/or, ogee curves are to be avoided.  Where there are curves, the longer the radius, the better.
5. Power bus lines should be as per revised N-Trak recommended practices, i.e. red, yellow and blue busses should each be a continuous piece of 12 gauge stranded zip cord with a 16 gauge or larger pigtail soldered to the bus to provide power to the module.  Each bus line should extend at least 1’ beyond each end of the module.  Bus line end plugs must have Anderson PP30 30 amp Powerpole connectors solder to each end.  All wiring should conform to normal practices of attaching the red/ribbed wire to the front rail and the black or white/non-ribbed wire to back rail.  Feeder wires should be attached to the rails every two feet.
6. A 15-amp, 3-conductor, UL approved power strip with integral cord and plug should be attached to the belly of the module.  The cord should extend two feet beyond the end of the module.
7. All modules must have scenery completed, i.e. no bare plywood or foam showing prior to exhibition.
8. Main line track height must be adjustable from 39'' to 41".
9. Sky boards should rise 12" from datum (the top of the module surface before roadbed and track) and be painted flat Main Line Blue (Wal-Mart #3155.)  The club has cloud stencils available.
10. The module front fascia board should be painted semi-gloss Industrial Brown (Wal-Mart #96144.)
11. A 3/16” thick Plexiglas shield should be attached along the front fascia board, extending 4¼” above datum.  This serves two purposes, to discourage little fingers from reaching in and touching things and to protect rolling stock from a potentially fatal fall if a derailment occurs.
12. Homosote plugs (½” x ½” x 2”) should be inserted into the fascia board at least every 2’ so skirting can be pinned on easily.  The horizontal centerline for the plugs is 3¼” below datum.
13. Red and Yellow Main lines and their associated passing tracks and sidings should be ballasted with NEONS main line blend.  (Pre-mixed NEONS ballast is sold at CNS Hobbies.)
14. Blue Branch line and all other tracks should be ballasted with NEONS branch line blend.
15. It is recommended, but not required, that two 3¼” x 3¼” x 1/8” Masonite clamp pads be glued to each end of the module to minimize damage to the fascia boards by the C-clamps.

 

 

NEONS MAIN LINE BALLAST

 

1 part Woodland Scenics B-73 (Buff)

1 part Woodland Scenics B-74 (Lt. Gray)

1 part Woodland Scenics B-75 (Gray)

 

NEONS BRANCH LINE BALLAST

 

3 parts Woodland Scenics B-71 (Dk Brown)

2 parts Woodland Scenics B-75 (Gray)

1 part Woodland Scenics B-76 (Cinders)

 

All club modules that are transported to shows are either stored in specially designed cabinets or fitted with bolt-on, interlocking end panels. The 4-bay cabinets are all 80” high and 27” wide so that they will easily pass through a standard door.  They are of varying lengths, some holding 4’ modules, some for 6’ modules and some for 8’ modules.  Modules are placed in the cabinets so the skyboards act as drawer fronts, thereby semi-sealing the modules in the cabinets to minimize dust and to protect them from damage.  Modules with end panels attached can be stacked up to five high on 4-wheeled dollies.

 

Nearly all of the club's modules have hinged legs with a permanently attached 2’ steel brace for each leg pair.  They fold and latch securely into the module base so that when stored, nothing hangs below the frame to interfere or damage the module below.  To further insure against low hanging wires, etc, Velcro straps are secured to the underside of the module to tie up all wiring and plugs.