Timonium, October 2011

I traveled down to Timonium, Maryland again for the October Great Scale Model Train Show, setting up with the fine folks of Capitol Free-mo again. An early season snow storm luckily did not slow things down too much, but the crowds were a little light on Saturday.

For this show, I mainly focused on getting my bridge section painted and weathered with some basic scenery in place. Here is a look at it (my home layout is in the background):

For more photos, check out the Capitol Free-mo website, capitolfreemo.org.

Module Storage

I thought I would share a couple of photos about how I store my modules when I am not using or working on them. My layout was pretty much designed and all benchwork was built before I learned about and started down the Free-mo path. The layout is not changing, and I am not able to incorporate my modules into the layout. Which is OK because part of doing the modules was to allow me to model a time period after my layout which is set in 1980. So things you would see circa 1996 to 2005 are on the modules and would not be easily integrated into my layout.

So I needed a place to store them safely within the confines of the layout room. I built a set of brackets under the layout and use plastic sheeting to keep dust and debris from above the layout.

The smaller module sits to the side and the legs go underneath. They are safe here and still allow me to work on the layout above with no problems.

These have been in storage since the last Timonium show, but they should be up in the garage in September to get ready for the NJ Division Meet in Delanco, as they will be on site at the Meet location. And then they will also be on the road to travel to the Timonium Maryland show October 29-30, 2011.

Setup with Capitol Free-mo at Timonium

On April 9-10, 2011, I set up my modules with the Capitol Free-mo group at the Timonium Great Scale Model Train Show in Maryland. The Free-mo modules were then connected to a much larger (250' x 75') Sipping & Switching Society layout using their MOSS interface 1" module. Here are some pictures I took at the show. More photos are on the Capitol Free-mo Yahoo discussion page and videos are up on YouTube (search for "Timonium Sipping & Switching").

Free-mo events, NJ Web Site

Just wanted to post something to keep the blog active.

On Sat. 1/15/11 at the NJ Division NMRA Meet in Haddon Twp. NJ, a Free-mo set up will occur. It is open to anyone, even visitors who are not NMRA. Check out njdivnmra.org for more info.

In April at the Great Scale Model Train Show in Timonium, Free-mo modules will be set up and attached to other switching layouts to form a large layout for operations. Check out GSMTS.com for info on the show. Free-mo module builders can coordinate through me (I will pass along contact info) or go directly to the Capitol Free-mo group, www.capitolfreemo.org.

There is the potential for a Free-mo set up at the NER NMRA convention in Warwick, RI in October. More info to come, check out nernmra.org for the latest.

And a reminder that the NJ Free-mo group has a web site established that will have updates on these events as well as module building info and pictures. Check out njfreemo.org.

Change in name/geography

It has been a while since we have made any updates to this site. Geographically, we have focused just on central and southern New Jersey, so the blogspot name is now njfreemo.blogspot.com. We'll leave PA and DE along with the Delaware Valley designation out of it as there seems to be others in those areas interested in getting Free-mo groups together.

This doesn't mean you have to be strictly from this area of NJ to be a NJ Free-mo participant. We have no club or dues, no bylaws of course. So anyone is welcome to participate online, at setups and in construction sessions.

We also established our own web site, njfreemo.org, and that will continue to be the place with the most up-to-date info on the group.

~ Mike McNamara

Belle Mead Photos

I took a drive over to Belle Meade to look at the section of track Claude is looking to model. Here are my photos of the stations and overpass.



Track is in good condition and looks well used. The station has seen better days...




Building across from station...old freight house?



Mike Mc.

sky blue yellow

Gentlemen,

Never used any kind of blog before, so please help me out :-)

I do not like rules, but can live with guidelines, such as....

Module paint color. I do NOT like 'southwest desert sand' for our lush green northeast. I happen to use a dark green, but can change to any reasonable color.
Ballast color
Tie color - I use 'roof brown' and paint the rails a rust color

questions:

any interest in PRSL? I'm a confirmed Reading fan (20+ yr member RCT&HS)
any interest in marine railroading? waterfront module?
how do I post pics of my modules, legs, leg pockets, etc?

jim