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This page is going to be where I can showcase my Bend-Track module, work being done on the module, and all the things that go on behind the scenes that most times go undocumented. Background information, pictures, diagrams and that sort of thing will be here as well. Enjoy
my module is a 4-foot straight module, 2-feet wide at the connection faces, flaring to 3-feet wide after 6 inches. The module is sea-level and above, there are no indentations or cuts into the plywood base of the module. And while the module is not meant to depict any specific area, I feel it captures the look and feel of a small town, on the outskirts of a slightly larger downtown core.
Looking at the module from what is considered the font, the more public-side, one sees most of the public-related action. On the left side of the module, behind the front mainlines, is a flat area with "Petro-Canada Coming Soon" on a sign. That sign has been there for two years, so I wouldn't hold your breath for a Petro-Can in the near future! Moving to the right, we see the station...while not huge, it's big enough to justify having an arrival and departure building, both on the same platform, but separate from each other...the masses of people coming through the station on a daily basis dictated that separate rooms were needed, in order to control the people, and keep security lower. Further to the right, and slightly close to the hill that runs down the center of the module is a static steam locomotive display. A sign in front of the locomotive is soon going to read "Train Museum 1/2 Mile" with an arrow pointing in the appropriate direction. Beside the static steamer display is the Denny's, a fast-food place. A road runs from trackside on the right side of the module, in front of the Denny's and the static steamer display, curves to run around the back of the stations, curves back towards the tracks, past the future home of the Petro-Can, across the tracks, and off the 45-degree edge of the module width extension. There are 3 lights around the station and 4 or 5 streetlights spread along the main road, amongst the low-cut trees and shrubs...all of which light. I got my lights from a good friend of mine, Dan Nowicki. He sells these lights for a very fair price, and his website, Dan Nowicki's Lights can be found in the links section, as well as by clicking on that link. He just went through some problems, and was debating shutting down production, but has decided that he's going to stick with it. His products are well worth what little they cost, and I can personally state that Dan has some of the best customer service I've ever seen...willing to help and make adjustments where needed. Great guy to deal with!
In front of the dual mainline tracks, in front of the station and main road, we find the local MOW shack. There's a small, underused spur off one of the mainlines that terminates near the shack. A small section of track houses wheel sets for replacement, and a rack of rail keeps some 110lb/Yd in stock, in case something needs to be replaced. It's not uncommon to see a high-rail or two in the yard, as well as tractor-trailers delivering anything from dozens of cases of water to the MOW shack for the crews, to Ties and rail, to wheels, and anything else one can think of. To the left of the MOW shack, on top of a hill, we can see a small pond and fishing hole. A small wood wharf extends into the rather deep pond, and a trail with stairs is in the process of being built, to make it easier for people to access this favorite location of the town. On the right of the MOW facility, I'm planning on adding a small Cemetery with private access road...sort of like a small family plot that has been built up around as the need came up.
On the back of the module, behind the hill, there are 2 small yards. A 2-track yard for the inside main and a triple-track yard for the outside main. Both are trailing-point, so they're drive out and back-in yards. Double-ended was not an option. These are used for breaking up and building up trains during a show, and have received a great deal of use. It's slated for a rewire job, and there are a couple other jobs on the module that need doing soon. The module attends a dozen shows a year, so it's not uncommon to have some damage or problems that need fixing from one show to another...can be a pain, but when something is moved that much, by that many different people, things have a nasty habit of getting damaged or broken.
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Those pictures are some I took with my S7000 at the recent New Minas Hobby Show on March 4th, 2006, at the County Fair Mall in New Minas. Most recent work on the module includes switch replacement on the lead into the MOW facility, as well as wooden grade crossings, a modified flower bed on the left side of the station as a result of the widened corner of the road, and some other small scenery and detail touch up. More pictures will be added when future work gets completed.
All images present are copyright of Siderod Design in their respective years. If you would like to contact me if you have any questions, please use the "contact me" section at the bottom of the page.
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