Combining the best of Freemo and T-TRAK yields a fun way to enjoy table top prototype modeling while escaping the clutches of the rigid (but brilliant) Unitrack geometry.
T-MO is a way to combine the portability of T-TRAK with the scenic and operational possibilities of Freemo. It is not a standard as much as it is a mindset: leverage the elemental components of T-TRAK, the Kato Unijoiner and 2.75″ (+/- .5″) and the creative ethos of Freemo.
Why T-MO?
For years I had watched the growth of FreemoN and thought “damn that looks cool, I wish we did it here”. Then BANTRAK started and I’m having a hard time getting into it. I think it’s 40 years of modular railroading but I’ve gotten to a point in life where I have come to thoroughly appreciate the flexibility and convenience of T-TRAK. It’s eliminated so many of the hassles I had seen over the years: the need to store and transport big pieces of “furniture” and the amount of work that goes into setting the things up. Similarly, for over a decade now I’ve been into T-TRAK but have felt creatively hamstrung by the need to use Kato Unitrack and to always have two tracks.
One of the things I love about T-TRAK is how easily it allows me to build model railroad “snacks”: to chase interests that I don’t want to devote an entire basement to. These range from recreating the railroading and scenes of my youth to a scene on the line I model that I won’t be able to fit into my basement layout. One of the things that I’ve found challenging is that many of these interests that I want to chase don’t fit into the T-TRAK format. They either didn’t have two tracks or they required track layouts that Unitrack couldn’t produce.
How Did T-MO Develop?
My development of “Hacked Unitrack” was the first step in the direction of solving those problems. By creating my own 3D printed Unitrack compatible ends I could put whatever I wanted between them.
The next step was figuring out how to still make T-MO “work” with regular T-TRAK layouts. It’d be no fun to build a few modules but only be able to enjoy them by myself. This was accomplished by using a set of my Hacked Unitrack ends to unlock some track geometry that factory Unitrack couldn’t provide: being able to embed a Unitrack switch track into a standard size T-TRAK corner.
With those in hand, it’s possible to go on and do all sorts of wild things. I built a handful of modules as “demos” for a recent show to demonstrate the ideas and possibilities (and these are all just using Unitrack from by stash).
How To Be T-MO?
There are only two things that are really required and a third that serves as a guiding principle. The two requirements are:
- Use Unitrack compatible ends. This can mean actually using Kato Unitrack or using 3D printed ends from my collection of Hacked Unitrack.
- Have track level be at the T-TRAK standard 2.75″ height (with adjustment bolts) off of a table.
The third guiding principle is to keep whatever you make as “backwards compatible” with traditional T-TRAK as possible. You’ll find the likelihood of your modules being part of a larger setup increases the fewer headaches they create for a layout coordinator. That means doing things like making your modules in standard T-TRAK lengths (multiples of 310mm), making sure your creations can easily join back into a layout (hence the reason my junctions are based on standard corners), following T-TRAK wiring conventions (Remember BWWB), and (painfully) not using Atlas Code 55 (that may cause issues with older equipment).
I’ve developed a set of Unitrack alignment jigs to help keep even non-Unitrack track “honest” when it comes to lining up with Unitrack pieces. They’re available on TinkerCAD here. They can be printed and snapped into the ends of upside down Unitrack pieces to ensure that your non-Unitrack track laying matches up.
T-MO Possibilities
With those ideas in hand, there are all sorts of things that can be done and the amount of creativity this format can unlock is almost limitless. Here are a few things I’ve got in the works to take advantage of what I’ve built this far.
A set of simple “negative space” modules built on top of scrap 2x3s that will take up very little space in the car:
Some similarly minimal curves that can be used to create easy to transport corners.
A set of modules representing the long-abandoned MA&PA line up the street from my house.
