This is the train layout planning page for the TEXLUG meeting to be held October 12, 2002 in Austin, Texas.
Please review the information on this page. Email me (TJ Avery) with any questions, comments, and/or concerns.
If you have any special requests for your modules, or anything interesting in mind, Email me.
Please let me know if you are planning to build a train layout module(s), how many, and a brief description.
Module Requirements
The train layout will consist of modules that you build. Each module has specific size requirements and road and track connections. The purpose of these requirements is to allow us to easily set up a full train layout at the meeting. Modules will allow flexibility in the layout design, and permit us to set things up given the restrictions of the meeting room and tables.
You can build your modules as you like, incorporating buildings, houses, train depots, bridges, parks, ponds, gas stations, etc.
The basic concept is simple: each module will connect to another, regardless of who built it. The modules will have standard road and track connections on their ends, as shown below.
The table below illustrates the module types needed, and the required clear space around the tracks. Tracks should be placed directly onto the baseplates. If so desired, tracks may be placed on normal LEGO plates, but the plates should sit flat on the table (if you decide to use regular plates instead of LEGO baseplates). Curved track will ride up over the studs and not connect to them. This is okay.
(click on thumbnails for larger images)
| Module Requirements | |||
 • 4 base plates • 8 curved tracks • 2 straight tracks • very simple (not much room available) |
 • 4 baseplates required • 2 baseplates optional • 8 straight tracks • a few without optional plates required |
 • 16 bricks clear overhead |
 • 16 bricks clear overhead • Curved module is okay as is |
| Click HERE to see all images on one page (95 KB). | |||
The following table gives a few example modules. These aren't the finished modules, of course! They are simply the "base" of the module, incoporating the requirements given above. It's up to you to put in buildings, etc.
| Module Layout Examples | |||
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Click HERE to see all images on one page (163 KB). | |
You are allowed to build modules that exceed the module requirements given above. By combining 2 or 3 of the standard modules, you can create one big module.
This will allow you to be more creative in your road and track set up, as well as providing a larger space for larger buildings, etc. As long as the end road and track connections still match standard modules, your big "multi-module" will work.
Please keep these as multiples of the standard modules (i.e. 3x4 baseplates or 3x6 baseplates). Please do not build anything larger than a triple module. This will limit the flexibility of the layout.
| Multi-Modules | |||
• has opt. plates • big space for building(s) |
• has opt. plates • has siding (ignore mis-placed straight road plate :-) |
• has opt. plates • has curved track (ignore mis-matched plates, these are all that I own ;-) |
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The final layout will be determined Saturday morning at the meeting. We'll put all our modules together and arrange them in a large layout on tables.
Below is just a quick example of a layout. It would be good if we set things up in a large square or rectangle, and placed the operators in the middle. Spectators can walk around the tables to view the layout.
If we have enough modules, we can set up multiple layouts (like the one below) in order to run the many, many trains that we have ;-)
Tired of requirements? Okay, this isn't bad, I promise!
Please bring extra track and baseplates. Please bring extra train stuff (engines, cars, controllers, wires, etc.). We can set up a bare layout to run extra trains. It will be just like the above example layout, but without baseplates and buildings, houses, roads, etc. Just track and trains.
As always, this isn't an exclusive train event. Please bring anything LEGO related that you'd like. It's great to see everyone's creations.