Single and Corner flat-pack kits now available from OzRail Model Shop - https://www.ozrailmodeltrains.com.au/ Single, Double, Single Corner, Double Corner assembled modules available from Scale Workshop - hami747@... Regards, Graham

Hello Folks, a bit of delay in getting this bit of news out but still time enough. The National N Scale Convention is in Goulburn from Friday October 7th to Sunday Oct 9th. Website: https://sites.google.com/view/n-scale-conventions-australia?fbclid=IwAR1Oq_K5Yy8Fnw8ke7W-hfts8uvXJSg6Woog9d8jNkvrC7FHwQ1XXhwLL2o The Canberra Monaro N Scale Group ​(CMNSG) will be coordinating the T-TRAK layout there and providing controls, electrics, and fiddle yards. Modellers who are attending and would like to contribute a module or three, please directly email me to confirm this. We will work on creating an EMAIL group to discuss further plans. Thanks again to the T-TRAK group within the CMNSG for taking on this responsibility. We cannot guarantee every module will be a part of the layout for both days, but hopefully everyone will have their module included for a day. Cheers, Andrew George of St Arnaud. -- Andrew George of St Arnaud, Victoria.

There has been a lot of activity recently on the TTRAK Global forum re using a (12" x 12" x 1.5") Wooden Art Board for modules. I wonder if such Boards would be of interest to T-TRAKers in Australia. I understand that a common size of 305mm x 305mm x 23mm is available from art supplies retailers in Australia. Graham

There has been some discussion regarding updating the Australian T-TRAK guidelines. We see two main audiences for these guidelines. Firstly, of primary importance, we seek to help people new to the hobby or new to T-TRAK, looking for guidance on building their first modules and seeking inspiration for what they might do. Secondly, this is a reference for everyone seeking to check the nitty gritty - the specifications, measurements, wiring requirements and other details. We would like to have the emphasis on flexibilty and creativity, though still complying with the essentials that allow a train to move from one module to the next. We have discussed making this T-TRAK for all scales and some emerging variants such as single track. The obvious differences would be addressed. Whilst part of the overall picture, track buses are considered a secondary concern, mainly for large set ups and exhibitions. However, power connection to modules is a primary issue and now may be an opportune time to consider a second option to RCA connections on modules. No, that does not mean you have to remove and replace any RCA connections nor does it mean you should not continue using RCA connections on future modules. Some other factors we have considered include how to make best use of guidelines, standards and other material developed in other parts of the world and whether we need to focus on an online format with web pages for each element with "print this page" capability, a consolidated, printable PDF document or perhaps some form of hybrid. So, we are looking to the future and what we can do to meet changing needs. We may or may not address all these ideas but everything starts with ideas. What we achieve will depend on what targets we decide are appropriate and the resources we have available to make it happen. We anticipate some baby steps in the evolution. We welcome suggestions and contributions. Dave Mc.

Hi Folks! I am a member of FUNTRAK Model Railroad Club here in upstate New York. Our club is one of the few who have adopted the idea of a mountain line on some of our T-trak N modules. As such, we have adopted Peter Akers "standards" to use for our modules. I would like to discuss some of the ideas that we, collectively you and us, have incorporated into our modules and see how things are progressing. Currently we are developing an incline set of modules to go from the inner (yellow) line to the mountain (green) line and also working on a reverse loop to support this concept. Anyone else looking into this? Looking forward to hearing from you. Thanks. Brian F. King

From 1st January 2021, T-TRAK is a member of NRail Inc. The NTRAK Board of Directors considered a new name and approved NRail as a more appropriate name to match its goals. NRail Inc. formerly NTRAK Inc. maintains the standards function of T-TRAK. What is NRail? refer - https://ntrak.org/ Graham

Gday Chris. This is probably a better forum for these discussions and we can separate items into different threads for better clarity. Whilst you have opened many worthy points, the big one is the power bus. Just a bit more on recent history... The group of which I am part in Melbourne has been displaying T-TRAK at the annual Sandown exhibition almost every year since the late noughties. This exhibition has always been oriented towards encouraging new people into hobbies, not just model railways though that was the main content the first couple of years. They now have RC cars, drones, planes, ships and more and looking at including craft hobbies that tend to be of more interest to women. I think T-TRAK is a perfect match for this exhibition's primary objectives. It suits beginners and being lower, is suits kids and the parents who don't have to lift their kids up. A few years ago (not sure how many but well before the people in America started discussing their bus standard), we started tossing around ideas for a better power bus. The Aus FreemoN guidelines that use PowerPole joiners were the initial focus, though we had to grasp the issues of single track and double track and reversible modules and take into account widely accepted "best practices". We built and tried a couple, including my home set up and from those learnt better options. By this time, the American discussion had started, I contributed a few comments. The biggest flaw on both sides of the Pacific at that time was that the bus cables have an A and a B end. I was looking pretty deeply into what connects to what and the A-B ends made things complicated so I was never really happy with it. We eventually came to a consensus on a solution and opted to build it for our exhibitions without putting into National/Global discussion/review/agreement that would take who knows how long. Right or wrong, that's what we chose to do. We have used it for our last two exhibitions and we are happy with it. So this was all happening in parallel with the American developments. The major differences between what we came up with and what the Americans came up with are: * White and Red buses to match White and Red tracks and RCA connectors used here instead of red and yellow, an obvious difference but not incompatible; and * Side by side mounted PowerPoles instead of one above the other. No more A and B ends, all ends are the same, anything can be plugged into anything else the right colour, no more fiddling to work out which way to lay the cable We have RCA connectors on the module end of feeder cables, America has Kato/Tamiya connectors. I consider that a minor difference, the individual can provide the connectors they need to fit a large group setup. I had been documenting our various ideas as we progressed. This has recently been put forward as a suggestion for discussion for a National standard, if indeed we need one at all, so that's where we are at now. Let the discussion continue! - Regards, David McMorran Melbourne, Australia

A draft Guidelines for Bus Wiring (especially for DCC) may be viewed at the new (re-located) T-TRAK website at: https://sites.google.com/view/australian-t-trak Graham

Nice work Andrew getting this up and running. Also a thank you to Graham Cocks. Regards, Martin Watts Neerim South

hello Folks, this group is now open!! T-TRAK in Australia - N & HO Scales T-TRAKinAustralia@groups.io Group Description For railway modellers in both N & HO Scale who are active with or interested in using the T-TRAK modular table top systems. The focus is upon activities and issues related to T-TRAK in Australia. References to T-TRAK related activities and issues outside Australia are to be occasional and not frequent. The exception is discussion of the T-TRAK standards themselves. The T-TRAK in Australia web site is: http://t-trak.nscale.org.au/ The Facebook group is: https://www.facebook.com/groups/266636844290154/