2'x4' Table and Layouts by Chaz

Hi Y'all,

I'm new to the group and very new to Z scale. I've been designing and building n scale table-top modules since 2009.

I spent many summers of my youth in a house, just west of mile post 525, on the Prosser Division (now known as the Hastings Division) of the North Kansas District of the MOPAC. I want to build 2'x4' tables that I can take to shows.

All the modules have some round and round action for kids to learn different kinds of etiquette. Atchison and Superior are staging modules. Atchison can turn the entire train. Superior can turn just the locomotive. Concordia has a few industries. Other towns, like Marysville, KS. will be added if I still have some money left.

Chaz

Chaz welcome to the wonderful world of Z scale!

Rob

Chaz,
Glad to see you here! wellcome aboard non stop to Z at Z Central Station! are you still working on that model! I got as far as I could with the one I was working on. It looks ok just couldn't find much information and they seen to be different in each photo I found. the layouts look good

Thanks for the nice welcome. I was chatting last night and felt right at home.

I am still working on the MOPAC 671 ACF Motorcar. Here is my latest image.



I still think the best looking ACF Passenger train is the 4 car, ACF Rebel on the Gulf, Mobile & Northern.

Welcome Chaz,

Are you designing this to fit AZL's RDC?

What's underneath is up for grabs. The least expensive would be an N scsale version riding on a KATO RDC. I can find new KATO RDCs for $29 at TrainWorld.

For a while, I was looking at buying Marklin parts at

www.maerklin.com/en/service/search/spare_parts/spare_parts/gauge_z.html

This list contains 331 Z scale locomotives. Click on >>show to see an exploded view of the innards with part numbers. Surely, something from here could be made to work. How good is your German?

Chaz

All 3 of my layouts were designed for 3 DC cabs. Rotary switches are perfectly acceptable, but I opted for 3 position toggle switches.

I added a paper in the MEDIA/FILES/How To Articles that describes how I will wire the layout. By the way, there are 3 electrically isolated blocks on each module, for a total of 9 switches.

Chaz,
Welcome to Z and the forum. Your module layouts are most impressive. I really can't make a suggestion on how to improve it.
The electrical design is good. I have a couple of thoughts. I assume you are using power routing turnouts for the links between modules. You might want to include the turnout control into the throttle selection to prevent shorting throttles together through the track. Another thought would be to use the turnout control to force the modules to the same throttle.

On the Concordia module it appears to be a double slip or a 13 degree crossing. In either case you might want to electrically isolate the off module track from the crossing, since it would always have power on it.

Hope this helps,

Mark

Thanks Mark. I appreciate that you took the time.

All three tables will be electrically isolated. As the evil dispatcher...all shorts will be my fault.

I'm hoping to have very precise and repeatable alignment between the tables. The holes in the sides are 0.305" diameter and are a tight fit to the 1/4-20 T-nuts. The plywood is 1/4" thick and the T-nuts are 7/16" long, so when two tables are pulled together with 1/4-20 bolts. the track should align. That's the plan, anyway.

I spent the day at the New Braunfels, TX train show. A great show if you model in G, LEGO, O, HO and N. I found a dozen Z scale box cars for sale. I was disappointed and my wife was bored. The AustNtrak club exhibited T-Trak and N-Trak layouts. Santrak exhibited their T-Trak layout.

On the way home, we stopped at our favorite TX winery and I got an offer to work Saturdays as a tour guide. I'd rather set up one of my tables and entertain the kids while the adults (and I) are tasting wine.

Chaz

Chaz,
I'm sure you're a great dispatcher. My comments come from the "what does this button do?..." world I live in.

It sounds like you'll be assembling and disassembling quite a bit. You might ant to check out the Zbendtrack site:
www.zbendtrack.com
They've got A LOT of experience connecting modules. The technique they use is to build the module track up to 55mm from the edge and use the 100-120mm adjustable track to span the gap.

Mark

Hi Mark,

I've got all kinds of connection options that I want to try. I'm sure some will be better than others. If the tables connect as precisely as I expect them to...I won't need connectors or loose pieces. There will just be a 0.025" gap in the rails, cut with my Dremel disc. My goal is to allow track to cross from one table to another at an angle, other than 90 degrees...but that's for later. Here are pictures of KATO N scale track with 0.025" gaps created by the discs.





Weight is an important issue for me because I have to carry them. My 2'x4' tables weigh less than 10 pounds without the legs and less than 15 pounds with the legs.

Strength is where most people have concerns. These tables are not heavy duty tables, but time will tell is they are strong enough.

The table flexes a little, which means it will follow the floor contour. If the floor is reasonably flat, I'm hoping I don't have the level the tables first.

Ask about another button.

Chaz

Mark,

Here are a couple of drawings showing how the T-nuts align the tables. The 1/4-20 bolts hold the tables together. I expect a very repeatable connection.

Chaz,
I use T nuts all the time they work great and I like your idea of using them for alignment pins.

I have concerns on how well the track will mate over time. I have no doubt in your mechanical interface, but I've seen 1/16th of an inch variation in dimensional lumber over temperature and humidity. I'm not sure you'll be able to keep the close gap you want.

Mark

Thanks Mark,

I don't have everything solved yet, but I'm getting there. I appreciate the questions.

I have the same doubts about moisture, making the plywood swell and shrink. 1/4" Russian Baltic Birch is a 5-ply product and won't shrink or swell as much as dimensional lumber. I don't think sealing the table will help.

I'm also worried about track expanding and shrinking.

No matter what the final track connection scheme is, I think I have solved the alignment...at a cost of 2 T-nuts, 2 bolts and 2 washers per connection.

If the track alignment holds for 1 year I'll be happy. I'll just make it easy to replace the track that crosses from one table to the next...and I'll cut a then cut a new gap...every year.

Chaz

Chaz,
I seal all my bench work with spray shellac. It seems to help.

I what I was think about would be to use a plastic, something like 3/8" ABS at the joining surfaces. Maybe a trip to the local plastics store is in order?

The track expansion is a topic that comes up frequently, but the effect is 10 times smaller than the changes in the wood its mounted on.

Mark

Mark,

I looked at alternate materials a few years ago, and I decided Russian Baltic Birch was the best all around choice. I wish I could remember why. I even considered adding a Formica laminate to the top of the table.

Chaz

I added a second 2x4 table to my repertoire. This one is made from 1/2" thick plywood. It will be more suitable to coffee table layouts. Like the table made from 1/4", they accept screw in table legs, like these from Waddell Mfg.

TAPERED ROUND WOODEN LEGS

And scenery boards

The local economy has suddenly turned very hot...consequently, my cabinet maker is booked up...and can't deliver my tables until June 1. AGH!

However, he did offer me part time work as a cabinet designer.