Mini T-TRAK modules for my B Train Shorties

[Andrew G]

Some more work on the plant nursery. Static grass on most of the tables and then light touches of colours to represent flowers. A few human figures brings a bit more life to the scene. With the glazing back in place you still get a sense of purpose for the green houses. Still have to neaten up the gravel.

 

 

 

 

Interested folks can chase up the Australian T-TRAK minimodule guidelines at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-JwFlgZ0eI3UlfZ25ALuoGHLP3LxtQbp/view

Edited April 25, 2022 by disturbman

[Andrew G]

The next  T-TRAK minimodule being 'roughed out' is to be called Montague Road, a single track, two road lane version of the Montague Street bridge in South Melbourne, the one that plays bitey games with trucks, vans and buses that are over 3 metres high. I'm sure thatJapan and other countries have their own versions: 
https://youtu.be/HR7NivKqfzo

[Andrew G]

[Andrew G]

The 'vicious' road under pass T-TRAK minimodule has progressed ... I'm sure that Japan has its own  bridges with this issue. The truck had its roof raised to actually be high enough to hit the clearance bar. Then I cut back a small section off the roof at the front and glued on a section of aluminium foil from of a yoghurt container that matched the full size of the roof. The foil above the cut back section was then crumpled. Voila! Painting and lettering the truck comes next.

[katoftw]

1960s Aussie can opener

[cteno4]

Very fun scene!

 

Durham NC had a wonderful railway can opener bridge that finally got raised after many roofs being pealed off.

 

 

jeff

[Cat]

UHaul dealerships in Massachusetts include a clause in the contract that if you drive the truck on Storrow Drive in Boston, their insurance will not cover your stupidity for ignoring all the warnings.
https://www.google.com/search?q=storrowed&sxsrf=ALiCzsYiCo8jClaZcfK8ST4ETdr9s2Miaw:1653355925391&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjC4frk_vb3AhVtpokEHUFQBdgQ_AUoAnoECAEQBA&cshid=1653356032744269&biw=826&bih=440&dpr=1.5

[Tony Galiani]

I have driven under Durham's famous bridge, though not in a truck.  It would always amaze me how truck/bridge accidents kept happening there since there were plenty of warning signs.

And many years ago, I was heading towards one of the underpasses on Storrow Drive in a rent-a-truck when I realized the potential for disaster.  I stopped - on Storrow Drive - and debated with myself as to whether or not I could creep just under the bridge.   I decided to play it safe - which mean backing up about 100 yards to get to a point where I could get off the drive onto a side road.  (Not that backing up on Storrow Drive was the safest thing to do.)  At least, last century, I would not have ended up on a youtube video if I had risked it!

Ciao,

Tony

[Cat]

3 hours ago, Tony Galiani said:

I have driven under Durham's famous bridge, though not in a truck.  It would always amaze me how truck/bridge accidents kept happening there since there were plenty of warning signs.

And many years ago, I was heading towards one of the underpasses on Storrow Drive in a rent-a-truck when I realized the potential for disaster.  I stopped - on Storrow Drive - and debated with myself as to whether or not I could creep just under the bridge.   I decided to play it safe - which mean backing up about 100 yards to get to a point where I could get off the drive onto a side road.  (Not that backing up on Storrow Drive was the safest thing to do.)  At least, last century, I would not have ended up on a youtube video if I had risked it!

Ciao,

Tony

And all of the local drivers cheered your wisdom in backing up, rather than facing another day with traffic brought to a stop due to the crash into the bridge!  Freshman students moving into the dorms with parents driving UHauls season is always very exciting.

[cteno4]

5 hours ago, Tony Galiani said:

And many years ago, I was heading towards one of the underpasses on Storrow Drive in a rent-a-truck when I realized the potential for disaster.  I stopped - on Storrow Drive - and debated with myself as to whether or not I could creep just under the bridge.   I decided to play it safe - which mean backing up about 100 yards to get to a point where I could get off the drive onto a side road.  (Not that backing up on Storrow Drive was the safest thing to do.)  At least, last century, I would not have ended up on a youtube video if I had risked it!

Ciao,

Tony

Many years ago I too faced off with a railroad trestle in virgina in a tall uhaul truck. Was helping a friend move to uva to go to law school. She rented a place out in the country and had only been there once, this was very pre gps days when funky gas station maps ruled navigation. It was just starting to get dim and as I got to the bridge (very nondescript one on a farm road with no height signs, probably knocked off by another truck) I stopped. My friend was freaking out we would get lost in the dark and it looked to be quite a detour to try to get around the bridge and little windy country roads so almost impossible to turn around even if I backed out. Climbed up on the roof and it looked like it would make it but any movement might catch. So I let some air out of all the tires and crept thru and no crunches (well there were a bunch of scratches on the roof already so I couldn’t tell if I added any really.) Then at first gas station pumped up the tire. I’m sure it took as long as the detour would have but maybe saved getting lost and getting stuck in a ditch trying to turn the truck around (I think the truck wheelbase was longer than the width of the road) and kept my friend from freaking out more by retreating.

 

but those videos just make me cringe all the more having almost done it myself.

 

a few years back helping a friend move into a loft apartment in a converted warehouse and he went to pull the uhaul truck into the loading bay after I switched the roll up door and I had to stop him at the last second as the door did not roll up all the way, stopped like 3’ short of the full opening and a couple of inches too short of the uhaul roof! I tried holding the button in to get it all the way up, sent it up and down a few times and still would not go all the way up. We finally got ahold the building manager and he said yes that was the normal opening for most smaller trucks. You had to hit the open button 3 times in a row and then it would go up all the way! Ironic thing was this warehouse (like 10 stories talk just behind Union station in dc) had a freight elevator we could have driven the truck into! They use to drive the trucks to the floors and just unload where needed. Felt like an aircraft carrier elevator it was so huge.

 

jeff

[Andrew G]

The Montague Road T-TRAK minimodule saga progresses ....

[Andrew G]

My homage to the Japanese origin of T-TRAK and the minimodule variant is Cherry Tree Park ... still got to put in the catenary poles.

Edited July 7, 2022 by Andrew G

[JR East]

4 hours ago, Andrew G said:

The Montague Road T-TRAK minimodule saga progresses ....

I do love Hurt(z) vs Hertz .... Really a great joke !!!!

 

I do love also the shaver bridge

[Andrew G]

Major station with bay siding and stabling siding is progressing, slowly...

[Andrew G]

Major station module progress. Working on a very low relief representation of the 'rear' wall of a smaller shopping centre/mall for part of the backscene. I'll be making some custom decals to put on the wall to represent some spoof Australian franchise names. Eg 'Red Circle Boutique' in place of "Target" a chain of department stores that was predominantly focused on clothing. There needs to be a bit of ground to added, plus the catenary posts.

[Andrew G]

As I prepare my T-TRAK minimodules for the Stawell (Victoria,  Australia) exhibition next weekend I'm getting into action on completing the double length station module. I've bashed some Kato overhead masts to give the impression of a representation of the mast arrangements for the Platform 2 and storage sidings. Static grass and a couple of small buildings still to go in.

[Andrew G]

Family reunion amongst the cherry blossom...

[Andrew G]

A bit more progress. Industrial fencing, signage for the shopping centre, and a few more human figures to go.

Edited July 3, 2023 by Andrew G

[Andrew G]

I'm declaring this done, except for one extra item, to be revealed...

Edited July 3, 2023 by Andrew G

[Andrew G]

 

My T-TRAK Mini-modules on display at the Stawell Model Railway Exhibition (Stawell, Victoria, Australia). Video is a bit poor in quality due to poor lighting in at the venue.