I Model in N Scale, and Am Looking at Both the so Called Modu/Twin Trak and FreeMo N Trak Plans as a Bases to Go On. While Its assumed the Main Track Runs Down the Middle of the Table as Such, I Take the Views That the Single Track Should B Able to Go Either North or South of the Centre Line to Accomodate Things Like Various Sidings, Industrial or Mine Sites or Stations and Town Plus What Ever Else There Might Need to B.
While Code 80 is My Prefered Choice to Use, I Do Like the Ideas of Using the 50 MM Sections of Track as Connecters Bwtween Modulars, I Also Like the Ideas That a Line is Strictly a Point to Point Operation, and Yards Can B at Both Ends, in the Middle Plus Engine Facilities Can Also B at a Point Near One End. Plus Turning Motive Poser Van B Done of a Y Set Up Based on the Real Thing Without the Complcated Wireing That Goes With It. No Mindless Run Around Loops are Used.
I Have 5 Different Railroad Plans I Drew Up Base on the Mudu Track and the FreeMo N Ideals. Anyone Else Have Single Mainline/Branch Line Ideals to Compare Ideals With. Make for Sharing Plans With Others.
No, FreeMo does NOT require that the mainline run down the center of your modual. It only requires that the main line follows a template at the ENDS of the modual. What you do between the ends is completely up to you as long as you follow the rules of FreeMo (ie…dont throw in a 9" curve in the middle of your mainline).
The 50mm standard doesnt have to be that exact. It is just there as a rough guide to fitter rails between moduals. In fact, while setting up our freemo layout, we usually cut the rails to order as the owner of the modual is only responsible for one set of fitter rails (4 max) per setup.
I’m not sure whether you are intending to build modules to be part of a modular setup, or use modules as a way to build your home layout. There is a big difference in the approaches to the hobby.
If your modules are going to be a part of a setup, they have to meet the standards - regardless of whether you agree with or like the standards or not. Failure to meet all the standards means problems during setup and during the few days that the setup lasts.
If your module is not going to be used in setups, then you can deviate from the standards as you please. In fact, there is little reason to follow any of the space-consuming modular standards on a strictly home layout.
To me, the more important considerations in choosing a modular standard are:
style of operations promoted by the given standard. Ntrak operations at a setup are very different from Free-moN operations. Which kind of operations do you prefer?
how many other modules of the type you are building are in your local area? How frequently do they have setups? Does that frequency match with your time and money and desire resources?
do you get along with and like the nearby owners of modules of the same standard? It’s really like joining a club; a club where participation of quite a few is needed for success.
can you swallow your objections to features and rules of the chosen modular standard, and happily comply with all the rules? If you can’t, or you are going to continually grouse about the rules you don’t like, then you are going to be a disruptive influence to the group.
Having the track centered at the ends of a Free-mo module is done to allow modules to be flipped end for end in setups and layouts. This also requires operations from both sides of the module, no backdrops, and wiring practices that allow turning end for end. The end for end feature allows for more variety in the setup layout plan, but it has its costs
Modules can be made up of “sub-modules”. For example, I can have a module that is 24’ long. It’s made up of three eight-foot sub-modules. The track can go “anywhere” within that 24’–it’s just got to follow the rules at the end (nominally a 24" wide end with track centered). There is a tragic downside here: when you want to plug your module into a group setup, the designer is going to have to find a space for your 24’ module–sometimes easy and sometimes not. If you had designed it as three eight foot modules, there’d be much more flexibility of usage. So, there’s a sacrifice either way.
Myself, I’m (slowly) putting together two HO FreeMo modules. Each is a 45 degree segment. They can be used singly, as a 90 degree turn, or as a single offset. I made my decision to do this AFTER visiting a local FreeMo group and being roundly impressed with the folks and their work. I looked at their assembly and tried to figure out what I could put together to be as useful as possible. Once I’ve had my modules added into an assembly and found out that they work well (One can hope!), then I might try something more grand. Again, I will consider what would be most useful for the group I’m working with. For example, a nice LONG passing siding is always useful IF YOU’VE GOT THE ROOM (I’m thinking maybe 20’ here).
I’ll note here that the FreeMo people I’ve interacted with are first-rate folks, and I look forward to more interaction.