N Layout

N-Scale Modular Layout at Central Railway Museum

A Condensed History

In 2022, we identified a space about 10’ long and 42" wide for a N-scale layout. The goal was to design and build a layout that could be displayed in that space at the museum, and yet could also be taken to various train shows and displayed as “part” of a modular layout. While on display at the museum, a continuous run was desired, but an operational potential was also a goal.

Given the width constraint, adopting an existing modular standard would be difficult. Ntrak modules would be too wide, Ttrak and Bendtrak were considered, but rejected due to the tight radii, and N-Fremo modules have a minimum radius that is too large for our space. Onetrak is the closest working standard, however, the standard module interface proved to be too constraining for the available space. At the same time, Model Railroader was working on the “State Line” route project railroad, and our plan drew significant inspiration from this plan.



The resulting plan is a simple loop comprised of 4 sections, featuring a small yard and short branch line. When located at the museum, the layout is slightly rotated to achieve a layout that is 42.5” wide and slightly more than 10’ long. While the main loop has a minimum radius of 18” in accordance with the oNetrak standard, the interfaces are nonstandard. However, when displayed at a show, the layout is reconfigured to allow for us to interface with oNetrak and in the future with other module types. At a show, the museum loop is configured as two endloop segments, as shown below.



Between these endloops, we introduce additional modules, lengthening the layout to a length of 15’. These modules lengthen the yard, introduce a turning wye, and lengthen the scenic run through a long bridge scene. Taken together, the modules become a reverse loop which does provide a oNetrak interface at the end of the wye.



The resulting display layout adds two additional modules to provide a second return loop on the layout, resulting in a display layout which is T-shaped, and has a footprint of 15’ by 16’ and a mainline run of close to 2 scale miles. Additional modules are planned to enable an interface to Ntrak, Bendtrack, and even Ttrak modules in the future. Several members are also designing additional oNetrak compatible modules to further expand the layout. Construction began in June of 2022. The layout was first displayed at the 2023 CRRM Train Show in Easley in February 2023 with limited scenery. Substantial scenery progress was made over the next year, and the layout was first put on display in the museum in April of 2024.