The Big Move!!
Please change your links! Migrated the web site to http://T-TrakHandbook.com . Notice there is NO DOT between T-Trak and Handbook!
My ISP, InsightBB, has been bought out by Time-Warner Cable. Because they're switching Insight email addresses to TWC email addresses, I'm assuming they'll do the same for Personal Web Site addresses as well. If I have to change the URL to my web site, it might as well be to an address that's mine!
Email about this web site should be sent to T-TrakHandbook@ix.netcom.com . Once again, NO DOT between T-Trak and Handbook!
Added Wheel Cleaning Station to "At The Show" / "Before You Go" section.
Added Non-T-Trak section, and described my "All Scales" display.
Added "Electrical/Power Box" section, describing how I tote my power-packs and assorted control equipment to shows.
Revised the "Mainline Modules / Bigger Corners" - "Corners for Alternate Track Spacing" section to show even more possible corners-- from 18.5" Square Corners down to 11.8" Square Corners. I mention the new Kato 183- and 150-mm radii (7 and 6 inch) corners.
Added "Non-T-Trak" section, and "Train Scale Display" section
Added pictures of "Short Bridge" module under construction (basic box upside down). See "CONSTRUCTION / UPSIDE DOWN MODULES."
Added "Figure 8 Varieties" to the "Specialty Modules" section. Variations on Brian Heil's Double-Cross Module!
Added "E" layouts to the "Layouts and Modules" section
- Testing... testing... does this thing still work?
- Restructured underlying web page to use Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) for some stuff...
- Restructured single massive page into sub-pages by major topic. Of course, some things belong in 2 places... *sigh*
- Started adding 4 years of 'stuff' that's been accumulating!
= Expanded the "At The Show" section to include a suggested "Order of Assembly" for a show layout, plus other show-type things.
= Added dimensions for Lee Monaco-FitzGerald's Star Hub module, photos of Lee's first hub layout, and the hubs of the North Texas T-Trak club.
= Pictures of inside of Kato Turnout Controller-- and The Thingy
= Joe Price's "Colt 45" 45-degree half-corners
= Curved Corner Skyboard concept
= Revised the Power Routing diagram-- eliminated 3 toggle switches!
= Added T-1-Trak single-mainline alternative
- A section describing Gator Foam as a construction medium
- "Playing Footsie--" putting feet on a module
- Added 2 additional Alternate 33mm Track Spacing Corner diagrams. The 14-3/8" square Alternate corner isn't the only alternate corner possible!
- Index-- Re-arranged semaphore flags to make the index more 'logical.' If it isn't, please let me know! You can still start at the top and scroll all the way to the bottom!
- 'Enlargements' use same alternate window & shift focus to that window-- at least if the window isn't open yet.
- Fixed some irregularities here and there.
- Changed phrasing for Standard and Alternate track spacing to, "the Basic 25mm track spacing," and "the Alternate 33mm track spacing" to try and make things more self-explanatory.
- Links-- Fixed, re-arranged, and added links to various things.
- Added links to Syllabi for T-Trak Classes; Alternate T-Trak module building standards; DCC Wikipedia (among others).
- Star Junction Modules - Added section showing some track plans using Lee Monaco-FitzGerald's hub modules.
- Added dimensions and diagrams for T-Trak alternate 33mm track spacing Single and Corner modules.
- Moved photo galleries to Yahoo web site - theoretically, they'll be easier to access. Added many new galleries, including NMRA 2005 and 2006 T-Trak layouts; assorted Cincinnati-area train shows.
- Fixed Skyblockers section. Added info on low-profile skyboard legs; tall skyboards with built-in signs; described painting with Kilz/Binz as primer coat; included sky/mountain cutting plans.
- Junction Module - added track lengths for straight leg using standard pieces.
- Included Contact Cement information
- Added 2-arm "Pinwheel" track plan
- Concept modules - non-conforming bridge (similar to DL&W's Hainesburg Viaduct); crossing module and bi-level layouts.
- Discussion of Track Power Connections, "Blue-to-the-Outside," and center-of-table power buses.
- "Colorized" the yard diagrams to show red/yellow tracks.
- Internal upgrade to the Image-On-Demand logic. The site no longer requires parallel All-At-Once and On-Demand pages; it's all combined in one. And a -whole- lot easier to maintain!
- Added credit lines for photos that weren't taken by me: Steve Jackson's junction module; Aaron Poscovsky's 'Farmhouse' module; Steve O'Toole's photos of skyboards in action. Added credit line to diagram of Brian Heil's 'double-cross' module.
- Added 3- and 5-legged Junction Modules. These will reduce the need for plywood to support junction module corners.
- As a favor for those who have mentioned that my web page takes a long time to load over a dial-up link, I have added an "On-Demand Graphics" version and a new "make-a-choice" front page. If you select the "On-Demand Graphics" version, a place holder appears in place of most graphics. Clicking on the place holder will load the image. If the graphic is a link (ie the image has a colored border; the arrow turns into a pointing hand), click -down- on the image, but move the mouse off of the graphic before releasing the mouse. Otherwise, it counts as a -click- and you will load the large version of the graphic. For the geeks amongst us, this works because I discovered the onMouseDown function.
- Added "All the World's a Staging Yard."
- Rewrote "What Is T-Trak?" section.
- Added 2nd group of Links for mostly T-Trak-related links. Original "Steamy Places" is not changed, but is mostly full-scale museums &c.
- Links and Photos page now accessable at http://TTrak2.Cincy.Home.Insightbb.com
- Changed eMail logo to Lackawanna RPO.
- Partial rewrite of "Module on a Plank" section- some redundancies removed, added diagram of ideal foot/bolt placement.
- Rewrote SkyBlocker section: promoted slotted 2x4, demoted original with fixed feet.
- Added "figure 8" double crossover module.
- Removed 'old' junction layout possibilities and replaced with a 'generic' layout. This includes the "figure 8" module.
- Removed duplicated section(s).
- Changed Inside/Outside Corners diagrams to show "answers" instead of "equations." Clicking on the diagrams still shows the "equations" detail.
- Added section on wiring Kato Turnouts
- Added this "What's New?" section
- Added section on View Blockers
- Added photo of Steve Jackson's Junction Module
- Added diagram of 12" deep Offset Module
- Rearranged sections and performed minor editing
- Added section on Transition Modules
- Added section on Slicing and Dicing Unitrack
- Added section on Improving Reliability
- Added diagram of Z-layout for Alternate standard modules
- Added section on estimating train speed
- Updated and added to Lynx and Photos section
Getting Started
Construction
Mainline Modules
Luke's Skyblockers
Specialty Modules
Layouts & Modules
Electrical
Beep! Beep!
At The Show
T-1-Trak
Photos
Links
Press Kit
Non-T-Trak