GCRailways' AustNtrak exhibition

[ATShinkansen]

I’ve finally had the chance to join my local Ntrak/Ttrak club (AustNtrak), and attended my first train show from an exibitor’s perspective last weekend.  My all-Japanese fleet was a real hit with both the other members and the general public, especially the Shinkansen.  Though I did run everything I own, I did a terrible job of taking photos, but I wanted to share the ones I did take of my E4 Shinkansen (now converted to DCC!) passing the Houston club’s NASA modules.  (The layout was a combination of the Austin and Houston clubs).

 

 

I’ve chosen Ntrak over T-trak because the larger modules allow for more scenery.  I haven’t built any of my own yet, but time allowing, JR modules will come to the layout soon enough!

 

I have another show next month, so I’ll do better at taking photos next time!

[cteno4]

Gotta love the E4! Glad you got to experience a show from the other side. It’s very fun and really different. You probably had a great time talking about Japanese trains. Really fun as much of the public outside japan knows little and the cool trains always pique curiosity and start great conversations. I also love talking to folks new to model trains about the hobby and encouraging them to jump in and how good having hobbies is. Also how the adults having fun with hobbies is a great thing to expose the kids to all around. When you show interest in the visitors I find they give it back a lot and are super appreciative. It’s rewarding and worth all the hassles of doing the shows.

 

lol it usually comes down to talking to folks or taking pictures. I’m horrible at remembering to do more myself.

 

You can do both! Ttrak is a quick way to just get going and if you haven’t done a lot of scenery a way to learn in smaller bits. Less monetary and time investment to get going. Then do an ntrak module once momentum has started. Ttrak also lets you think thru scenes some befor tackling the big scenery of ntrak modules (about 8 Ttrak modules worth).

 

cheers

 

jeff

[ATShinkansen]

Yeah, it was a great experience being able to share them with others.  Two things that really stood out to me were how many people were stumped trying to identify the D51, defaulting to thinking it was an American locomotive (though interestingly I don’t recall any comments on the C62), and all the kids calling the Shinkansen “hover trains”.

 

I actually didn’t get to see our T-trak layout, as it was in another room, and I never left the one the Ntrak layout was in, so I’ll make a point to go look at it next time.  My biggest concern either way is how to incorporate Japanese railway elements while maintaining North American clearances (I’m pretty sure the catenary poles will have to be left off community tracks).  I already know what kind of scenes I would like to do; I just want to make sure the surrounding non-railroad parts look correctly Japanese.  One major scene that I’ve wanted to include from the start is a Gundam hangar.  I already have several of the commercially available kits for that, and combined they span one complete Ntrak module!

[cteno4]

You might look at using some small lengths of plastic tubing to jack up the catenary at the base pegs for when running with the club. Just glue a bit of rod into the bottom end of the chunk of tubing to make a peg to go into the catenary base and then the catenary peg can go into the top of the tubing. Remove for home Japanese running height. Or just pop them off all togher when running on the club for those double Stacks! 

 

Ha, never heard hover train up here, that’s a new one. Skirts on the E4 and many shinkansens do make it hard to see wheels so does look like a hover train! 

 

Yeah I have to make a point of getting out at shows as it’s easy to let the day pass there at the layout.

 

Jeff

[Densha]

Staff Comment

I changed the topic title from My Latest Activity to GCRailways' AustNtrak exhibition. That latter covers the content better.