Modular Railroads at the 2019 National Narrow Gauge Convention

This week we are looking at the modular railroads that traveled to the 2019 Narrow gauge Convention in Sacramento California. Several great HO and O scale layouts!

Modular railroads travel to train shows all over the world. Members build modules that can be connected into one large layout for a show and then taken apart and travel to another show.

There were several logging railroads here in On30 scale - gauge as well as Nn3. Teeny tiny small railroading! Also, there were Japanese trains and Europian railways in HO scale. HOe gauge and HOm gauge. Rare to see in America!

Als a visit to an HOn3 southwest version of the Denver and Rio Grande railroad.

From the NMRA:

WHAT IS A MODULE?
A module is a portable section of table type structure which is but one part of a large group of like tables which when all assembled together form a large and fully operating model railroad. They are built by individuals as part of a home layout or specifically for use interfacing with others in a large setup. All are built to a set of standards that allow each unit to interface exactly with other units anywhere in the overall system. A module may be a single table or a group of tables which must be capable of interface at each end but may deviate between these ends so long as the type of operation is not compromised or restricted. By being portable, they may be disassembled for transporting to conventions or public displays. Many clubs are formed for the specific purpose of building module layouts as space for a permanent layout is hard to find and is very expensive when available.

WHAT IS A SECTIONAL LAYOUT AND HOW DOES IT DIFFER FROM THE MODULE TYPE?
A sectional layout is built in a similar manner but each unit is constructed to fit in a specific spot in the overall layout and will not fit in any other place. As new units are built, they must be designed to fit in a particular place and will not interface anywhere else. Some sectional layouts may be built to NMRA Standards but most are to a set of figures agreed upon by the group as interface is not a factor to be required.

https://www.nmra.org/introduction-lay...