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    <h3>Module Construction Standards</h3>

    <div class='featurebox_center'>

<P><H3>Construction and Assembly</H3></P>
<OL TYPE=A>
<P><LI>Modules shall consist of a butted grid of 1x4 wood with a 1/2" 
plywood top.  All construction shall be screwed and glued 
together.</P>

<P><LI>Size: Width 24" to 30", length 2', 4' or 6', height when 
erected: 40" to the top of the mainline roadbed.</P>

<P><LI>Modules shall be constructed so that the front edges of all 
modules are in line.</P>

<P><LI>Legs shall be made from 2x2 lumber 38 1/2" long. (See figure 
3.)  Legs are bolted to the sides of the module with 1/4-20 x 2 
1/2" carriage bolts, 1/4-20 wing nuts and 1/4" fender washers.  
For height adjustments, 1/4-20 x 2 1/2" hex head bolts in 1/4-20 
'Tee-nuts' shall be installed in the bottom of each leg. (See 
figure 3.) The Tee nuts shall be cemented into the legs to 
prevent their loss.</P>

<P><LI>Modules are clamped together with adjoining modules by the 
use of two 2" size 'C' clamps at each interface.</P>
</OL>

<H3>Standard Rectangular Module Materials</H3>

<P><B>Wood</B></P>
<OL TYPE=1>
<P><LI>Plywood for tops.  1/2" A-C grade exterior plywood, smooth 
side on top.</P>

<P><LI>Side rail for 4' module frame.  Standard 1x4 by 4', wood to be 
straight, free of loose knots, and containing no knots greater 
than 3/4" in diameter.</P>

<P><LI>Cross rail for module frames.  Standard 1x4 with length as 
needed to fit flush between side rails.</P>

<P><LI>Glue blocks for rectangular frames.  Standard 2x2, 3 1/2" long.</P>

<P><LI>Glue blocks for corner module frames.  Standard 2x4 cut at 
45ø along the length into equal pieces. These pieces are to be
3 1/2" long.</P>

<P><LI>Legs for modules.  Standard 2x2 38 1/2" long, ends to be 
prepared as per Figure 3 of the Module Construction Standard.</P>
</OL>

<P><B>Hardware</B></P>
<OL TYPE=1 START=8>
<P><LI>#6 x 1 1/2" flathead phillips wood screw for screwing 
together top and framework.</P>

<P><LI>1/4-20 x 2 1/2" carriage bolts. 8 needed.</P>

<P><LI>1/4" fender washers. 8 needed.</P>

<P><LI>1/4-20 wing nuts. 8 needed.</P>

<P><LI>1/4-20 Tee nuts. 4 needed.</P>

<P><LI>1/4-20 x 2 1/2" hex head machine bolts. 4 needed.</P>

<P><LI>White glue or carpenter's glue for joining wood.</P>

<P><LI>Paint--dark brown waterbase latex to protect wood and improve 
appearance.  Paint module top, sides and legs.</P>

</OL>
<br />
<CENTER><H4>Figure 1 - Standard 4' Module</H4></CENTER>
<CENTER><IMG SRC="figure1.gif"></CENTER>


<P>This what a standard module looks like in its most basic form.  It has a
1/2" plywood and a standard 1x4 framework, glued and screwed together as
shown.  The legs are attached with wing nuts, so no tools are needed for
setup.  The module can be either 2' or 2'-6" wide and is 40" from floor to
the top of the roadbed.</P>

<P>The module has proven to have good stability once assembled with other
modules in a layout.  No further bracing is desired.  (You may want to add
cross bracing when using it by itself at home.)  It is light, strong, durable,
simple to assemble and level, and it forms a stable foundation for your
trackwork and scenery.</P>


<hr><br /><br />
<CENTER><H4>Figure 2 - Framework</H4></CENTER><br />
<CENTER><B>All numbers refer to the above materials list.</B></CENTER><br />
<CENTER><IMG SRC="figure2a.gif"></CENTER>
<CENTER><b>Standard 4' Module</b></CENTER><BR>


<CENTER><IMG SRC="figure2b.gif"></CENTER>
<CENTER><b>Standard 6' Module</b></CENTER><br />

<hr><br /><br />
<CENTER><H4>Figure 3a - Fasteners and Legs</H4></CENTER><br />
<CENTER<B>All numbers refer to the above materials list.</B></CENTER>
<CENTER><IMG SRC="figure3a.gif"></CENTER>

<OL TYPE=a>
<P><LI>These 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" corner reinforcing blocks are screwed and glued
in place.</P>

<P><LI>These are the minumum and maximum standard widths.  Narrower modules
don't allow for enough scenery.  Wider modules are difficult to handle and are
hard to lean across to fix derailments.</P>

<P><LI>Modules wider than 24" shall have extra crosspieces, shown by dotted
lines.  Rule of thumb - 1/2" plywood should not span more than 24" in more
than one direction.</P>
</OL>


<OL TYPE=a>
<P><LI>Screw heads must be flush or slightly countersunk so that they do not
prevent modules from being clamped together tightly.</P>
<hr><br />
    
</OL>

<CENTER><H4>Figure 3b - Fasteners and legs</H4></CENTER><br />
<CENTER><B>All numbers refer to the above materials list.</B></CENTER>
<br />
<CENTER><IMG SRC="figure3b.gif"></CENTER>
<CENTER><b>Side and front views</CENTER></b><BR>
<CENTER><IMG SRC="figure3c.gif"></CENTER>
<CENTER><b>Front view of module with leg</b></CENTER><BR>


<OL TYPE=a>
<P><LI>The leg top is <B>not</B> long enough to touch the module top.  The
weight of the module is supported by the side rails, which rest on the step
cut into the legs.</P>

<P><LI>The Tee nut goes into a 5/16" hole which is of 2 1/2" minumum depth.
All chips and dust must be removed from the hole before installing the Tee
nut.  Glue the Tee nut in place to prevent its loss.</P>

<P><LI>The wood screws are offset 1/4" vertically, so that they do not hit
each other in the glue block.</P>

<P><LI>The mating face shall be <B>square</B> with the plywood top to prevent
gaps, dips, and bowing when modules are clamped together.</P>
</OL>


<a name="corner"></a><h3>Corner Modules</h3>

<OL TYPE=A>
<P><LI>Corner modules shall be constructed as shown in figure 6.  
Curves on corner modules shall be constructed as shown in figure 
7.</P>

<P><LI>Corner modules with curves of greater radius are permissible. 
These modules or module groups must be the equivalent of a square 
with sides that are a multiple of two feet, at the point where 
the module or module group mates to the adjacent modules. For 
example, the standard corner module is the equivalent of a four 
foot square.</P>
</OL>

<BR>

<CENTER><H4>Figure 6 - Corner Module Frame Specifications</H4></CENTER><BR>
<CENTER><IMG SRC="figure6.gif"></CENTER>


<P>The basic corner module is 1/2" plywood attached to 1x4" framework, as with
regular modules.  Widths and lengths of mating faces can very between the
limits shown.  Legs are attached as with standard modules, at the noted
locations. (<B>e</B>)</P>

<OL TYPE=a>
<P><LI>The front edge is 33" long, 32 1/2" with an outside passing track.</P>

<P><LI>The rear edge is 32" long, 25 1/2" if the 30" width is used.</P>

<P><LI>Corner braces are 2x2" blocks, 3 1/2" long.</P>

<P><LI>All frame members are standard 1x4", lengths as required.</P>

<P><LI>Locations of leg attachments.</P>

</OL>
<BR>

<CENTER><H4>Figure 7 - Corner module track specifications</H4></CENTER><br />
<CENTER><B>Sample 4' square corner module</B></CENTER><BR>
<CENTER><IMG SRC="figure7.gif"></CENTER>


<OL TYPE=a>
<P><LI>The light line shows a greater width module (25" instead of 24") which
is to be used whenever the outside passing track is to be applied.</P>

<P><LI>These small section os straight track just after the spanner tracks
produce needed spacing between curves and help prevent kinks between the
spanners and the module's trackage.</P>

<P><LI>The inside and outside passing tracks are optional.</P>

<P><LI>These are the standard spanner track gaps.</P>
</OL>
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