NTRAK (all upper case letters) is one of several model railroad module standards. It is the most popular standard for use in United States N scale. NTRAK allows modelers to participate in a large layout but only invest a small amount of space at their own home. They can interchange (connect and operate) their module with any club or group that follows NTRAK standards.
The first prototype NTRAK modules were designed and built by Ben Davis, [1] then they were first displayed in 1973 at the Model Railroad Industry Association show in Costa Mesa, California. Following their success at this show, the modules made their debut at the 1974 National Model Railroad Association's national convention in San Diego, California. Ben was a founding member of the Belmont Shores Model Railroad Club; the club, which has helped launch the model manufacturing careers of many of its members, is now considered by many as the organization where NTRAK started.
NTRAK modules are marked by their standard three running tracks (two are "mainline" tracks and the third is the "branchline" track) that are required on all modules. These three tracks are set on 1.5-inch (38 mm) centers near the viewing side of the modules. The tracks are labeled from the viewing aisle by color, starting with Red for the outermost (closest to the viewing aisle) track, Yellow for the center track and Blue for the innermost track. The three tracks are electrically isolated from each other and from any other (optional) tracks on the module. [2]
Basic modules are built with a surface area of 2 by 4 feet (0.61 by 1.22 m). The official standard allows up to an extra 6 inches (152.4 mm) of surface area on either the aisle side, operator's side, or both (which can lead to a module that is 3 feet (0.91 m) wide). Module lengths are typically extended in 2-foot (0.61 m) increments, typically, up to 8 feet (2.4 m) long, but can be almost any length, limited only by the modeler's abilities to build and transport the modules. Modules built to non-standard lengths must also be built with consideration of the standard lengths; where appropriate, the modeler must also build a short bridge module so that their specific module set uses up a section of layout that is evenly divisible by 4-foot (1.22 m)-long modules.
Modules were originally connected electrically with 18 gauge wire utilizing two-conductor Cinch Jones 302 series connectors. The Anderson Powerpole PP30 connector and 12 gauge wire was adopted as a recommend practice in 2005. and as a standard for newly constructed modules in 2011. [3] The use of the older Cinch-Jones connector has been deprecated, but is still permitted on legacy modules.
In addition, new standards have been written to comply with the new National Fire Code. These include the prohibition of module-mounted power strips. These new standards are available for review at the NTRAK website,
In recent years other, often complementary, module standards have cropped up to address perceived deficiencies with NTrak's standard.
One example of these perceived deficiencies is the requirement for NTrak modules to have three mainline tracks. On the prototype, except in a few areas where traffic density dictates the need for three (or more) mainline tracks, most mainlines throughout North America are single or double track.
oNeTrak is designed around the concept of a single track mainline and as such allows for a greater range of railroad scenes to be modeled compared to Ntrak. oNeTrak also allows for more prototypical operations as trains on a single track main often have to meet and/or pass each other during operation of the layout.
T-TRAK is a standard that started in Japan and was published in the NTRAK Newsletter in 2001 and is now the most popular N-Scale module standard in North America.
Bend Track is designed around a double track mainline which traverses each module twice, once on each side, with flexible module shape and no "pit" area.
Railway modelling or model railroading is a hobby in which rail transport systems are modelled at a reduced scale.
A scale model is a physical model which is geometrically similar to an object. Scale models are generally smaller than large prototypes such as vehicles, buildings, or people; but may be larger than small prototypes such as anatomical structures or subatomic particles. Models built to the same scale as the prototype are called mockups.
A railway track or railroad track, also known as a train track or permanent way, is the structure on a railway or railroad consisting of the rails, fasteners, railroad ties and ballast, plus the underlying subgrade. It enables trains to move by providing a dependable surface for their wheels to roll upon. Early tracks were constructed with wooden or cast iron rails, and wooden or stone sleepers; since the 1870s, rails have almost universally been made from steel.
HO or H0 is a rail transport modelling scale using a 1:87 scale. It is the most popular scale of model railway in the world. The rails are spaced 16.5 millimetres (0.650 in) apart for modelling 1,435 mm standard gauge tracks and trains in HO.
N scale is a popular model railway scale. Depending upon the manufacturer, the scale ranges from 1:148 to 1:160. Effectively the scale is 1:159, 9 mm to 1,435 mm, which is the width of standard gauge railway. However the scale may vary to simulate wide or narrow gauge rail. In all cases, the gauge is 9 mm or 0.354 in. The term N gauge refers to the track dimensions, but in the United Kingdom in particular British N gauge refers to a 1:148 scale with 1:160 track gauge modelling. The terms N scale and N gauge are often inaccurately used interchangeably, as scale is defined as ratio or proportion of the model, and gauge only as a distance between rails. The scale 1:148 defines the rail-to-rail gauge equal to 9 mm exactly, so when calculating the rail or track use 1:160 and for engines and car wheel base use 1:148.
EM gauge is a variant of 4 mm to a foot (1:76) scale used in model railways.
Z scale is one of the smallest commercially available model railway scales (1:220), with a track gauge of 6.5 mm / 0.256 in. Introduced by Märklin in 1972, Z scale trains operate on 0–10 volts DC and offer the same operating characteristics as all other two-rail, direct-current, analog model railways. Locomotives can be fitted with digital decoders for independent control. Model trains, track, structures, and human/animal figures are readily available in European, North American, and Japanese styles from a variety of manufacturers.
A garden railway or garden railroad is a model railway system set up outdoors in a garden. While G is the most popular scale for garden railroads, 16 mm scale has a dedicated and growing following especially in the UK. Model locomotives in this scale are often live steam scale models of British narrow gauge prototypes. 16 mm scale track, the same gauge as O gauge is probably now more popular in the UK than G scale.
HOn30 gauge is the modelling of narrow-gauge railways in HO on N gauge track in 1:87 scale ratio.
On30gauge is the modelling of narrow gauge railways in O scale on HO gauge track in 1:48 scale ratio by American and Australian model railroaders, in 1:43.5 scale ratio by British and French model railroaders and 1:45 by Continental European model railroaders.
Kato Precision Railroad Models is a Japanese manufacturer of model railroad equipment in N and HO scales. Founded in 1957, the Tokyo-based company manufactures models based on Japanese prototypes for the Japanese market, North American prototypes for the North American market and European high-speed trains for the European market. The design and distribution of models for the North American market are handled by their U.S. subsidiary, Kato USA, founded in 1986 and located in Schaumburg, Illinois.
The San Diego Model Railroad Museum is a model railroad exhibit in San Diego, California. At 27,000 sq. ft., it is the largest such indoor exhibit in North America, and one of the largest in the world. The museum is located on the lower level of the Casa de Balboa Building on the Prado in Balboa Park.
Wooden toy trains are toy trains that run on a wooden track system with grooves to guide the wheels of the rolling stock. While the trains, tracks and scenery accessories are made mainly of wood, the engines and cars connect to each other using metal hooks or small magnets, and some use plastic wheels mounted on metal axles. Some trains are made to resemble anthropomorphical, fictional, and prototypical railroad equipment.
The Texas Transportation Museum (TTM) is a transportation museum located in San Antonio, Texas.
A well car, also known as a double-stack car, is a type of railroad car specially designed to carry intermodal containers used in intermodal freight transport. The "well" is a depressed section that sits close to the rails between the wheel trucks of the car, allowing a container to be carried lower than on a traditional flatcar. This makes it possible to carry a stack of two containers per unit on railway lines wherever the structure gauge assures sufficient clearance. The top container is secured to the bottom container either by a bulkhead built into the car — possible when bottom and top containers are the same dimensions, or through the use of inter-box connectors (IBC). Four IBCs are needed per well car. In the terminal there are four steps: unlock and lift off the top containers of an inbound train, remove the bottom containers, insert outbound bottom containers, lock assembly after top containers emplaced. Generally this is done car-by-car unless multiple crane apparatus are employed.
Cherry Valley O Scale is a not-for-profit club dedicated to the promotion of 2-rail O-scale (1:48) model railroading, located in Merchantville, New Jersey, United States, in the basement/undercroft of the Grace Episcopal Church.
The Anderson Powerpole is a family of electrical connectors by Anderson Power Products (APP), although plug compatible connectors are now available from alternate sources. Specific variants of this series of connectors have become de facto standards for conveying "higher power" direct current (DC) electrical power, although these standards are inconsistent and sometimes ignored.
Track geometry is concerned with the properties and relations of points, lines, curves, and surfaces in the three-dimensional positioning of railroad track. The term is also applied to measurements used in design, construction and maintenance of track. Track geometry involves standards, speed limits and other regulations in the areas of track gauge, alignment, elevation, curvature and track surface. Standards are usually separately expressed for horizontal and vertical layouts although track geometry is three-dimensional.
T-TRAK is a modular model railroad system based on standards for module size, track placement, track interface, and electrical connections. The standards allow for a wide range of flexibility in design yet still maintain interoperability with all modules built per the standards. The popularity of T-TRAK is worldwide allowing for modules from all over the world to connect together.
The Friendship of European railway modellers is a modular rail transport modelling standard. Individual track and scenery modules are built to a common standard and are joined together to make larger model railway layouts. The FREMO standards were created following a meeting in Europe in 1981.