The East Bend and Northern On30 Railroad

Last Updated: 3/6/2007

--- The East Bend and Northern Photo Journal ---

Expansion Project

Background & Spec's

When I first started rebuilding the EB&N back in 1999, I had always hoped an opportunity to expand it would pop up at some future date. That opportunity materialized as a result of a move in May 2005. I have also been interested in the various modular On30 efforts going on around the country. When space became available for expansion, I decided that a merger of growth and modularity was in order.

I wanted an operational extension to the existing EB&N. I also wanted the module aspect to be usable with groups and as a standalone unit. There are many modular specifications floating around. The FreeMO concept has always intrigued me. One group of guys has given FreeMO an On30 twist - FreeMOn30. I like the free form flavor of this spec. In terms of critical mass, the spec used by the Texas Outlaws is one of the most popular. In March 2005, a small group formed here in Northern California and elected to use the Outlaw style spec for interconnections. The local presence of the California Central Coast group was enough to settle my interface choice though I haven't given up on the FreeMOn30 spec.

I started doodling different track arrangements. I eventually settled on the one below in June. The expansion only made good sense from one point on the existing EB&N. To make the module fit in the available space, I added another "bend" off the helix/wye sections. To allow locos and cars use of the run-around feature, I added a small wing as the last element of the expansion. This wing will also be used with the module if it's used in a stand-alone configuration.

Since the primary expansion section was also a portable module, weight reduction was a consideration in its design. The Texas Outlaws and others have used blue/pink foam insulation board as a core platform for modules. Foam board, while fairly firm, will sag if not properly supported. I wanted a stiff frame but didn't want to resort to dimensional lumber due to the significant weight impact. Prior to the move in May, I had toyed around with a wood girder-like structure. While labor intensive to assemble, it offered significant weight savings without sacrificing strength and stiffness. Drawings can be found here.

This simple one module expansion grew to two with the addition of the pond. Two additional modules have been created since the pond. Modular railroading has been around for a long time. Being part of the local On30 module group has been a very enjoyable experience.

Expansion Module (Two Hills) statistics:

Length: 72 inches (interface to interface)

Width: 24 inches at the interface; 40 inches across the middle

Height: 45 inches (with EB&N); 48 inches (standalone)

Interface: California Bandito

Weight: 38 pounds (finished module):

Frame with travel legs - 15 pounds

Foam & frame with travel legs - 20 pounds

Module with track, masonite & wiring - 30 pounds

Full height legs - 5 pounds

Module area: 18.2 square feet (just under 1 scale acre)

Track: 20 linear feet (964 scale feet)

Pond Module (Hobo Pond) statistics:

Length: 30 inches (interface to interface)

Width: 24 inches at the interface

Height: 48 inches

Interface: California Bandito

Weight: 10 pounds (finished module);

Module area: 5 square feet (0.25 scale acre)

Track: 2.5 linear feet (120 scale feet)

Water: Envirotex resin