Modular vs Sectional Design

Modeling Information

There are two types of layouts, movable and immovable. Having been in the military for 14 years and moved some 8 times in those 14 years, I opted for a movable type of layout. I've moved it three times in the next 20 years as a civilian. 

There are two types of movable layouts: modular and sectional.

Modular Type A. By definition,  a module is a section of benchwork and roadbed that is built to  common standard determined by the organization establishing the standard. Modules fit together with standard track connections at the ends, but builders can construct any kind of scene on a given module. - as long as one module fits against another module railwise. Modelers are generally confined to fixed-length modules of 4, 6, or 8 feet long.

Ntrak is one of the modeling organizations that has created a commond standard and other modeling groups have developed standards of their own. Those layouts you see at train shows and flea markets are modular type A layouts.

Modular Type B. Another group that does modular but differently is Fre-mo. Free-mo was developed with the idea that allows the modeler’s creativity to shine through their modules.  The Free-mo standard focuses mainly on the module endplates. The Free-mo mainline is centered on a two foot end so modules can be inverted 180 degrees and still mate up to the adjacent module without modification to wiring or track. This allows modeling of prototype trackplans and operations in a modular environment. The length and track configuration of a Free-mo module or module set is up to the modeler as long as the module endplate standard is followed. .

Sectional. Sectional design assumes that the layout is going to be moved at some point. Unlike modules, the sectional layout does not follow any standard track pattern because the pieces need to fit together only one way. The scenery can maintain continuity from section to section following the theme of your railroad.

Benchwork is the same, the only difference is the connection points are designed with a move in mind. Assuming you don’t have to take your show on the road very often, you don’t even have to leave breaks in the track and scenery at section joints. When it’s time to move, simply cut the rails and slice through the terrain. As long as you have some extra track and scenery materials on hand, you’ll be able to “heal” the scars at the section joints

Dominos. David Barrow devised a sectional construction system using standardized rectangular layout segments (think table layout that disassembles). He likes to lay out track plans by fitting these sections together end to end and forming 90-degree corners, so the comparison to the game of dominoes was obvious. He’s  described his domino method in both Model Railroader and Model Railroad Planning articles. The illustration shows the basic form of domino layout sections.

The WWSL

WWSL ver. 2.0 was several concepts wrapped up in one. I wanted modular construction that would be easy to move . I was taken with the idea presented by David Barrows about 'domino's. His choices for his layout was:

• Segmental benchwork construction.
• Minimalist design aesthetics rather than a realistic scenicked railroad.
• Wide aisles.
• Finished open room with carpeted floor.
• Off-the-shelf unpainted code 100 flextrack and no. 6 turnouts oeperatied by manual ground throws to minimize wiring and complexity.
  

This made alot of sense to me - after all all my layouts to date had essentially been minimalist designs rather than realistic scenicked railroads. Heck, I hadn't even painted the plywood green!

This minimalist idea was followed by Tony Koesters Layout Design Elements That allowed me the opportunity to develop a model railroad focused on operations with an ability to change the layout based on my change of operational preferences. I always enjoyed switching, and car movement, mainline operations as shown in the model railroading magazines of the time less so. I did enjoy the freedom to build a multi-track coal mine with empty and load yards, and then months later change those LDEs to reflect a grain elevator and its similar but also unique requirements. Wetting down the white glue'd down flex track and reconfiguring the industial spurs was a way of continuing the hobby as I enjoyed it. 

The WWSL vers. 2.0 domino. While David Barrow's dominos used plywood as its subroadbed/roadbed, I knew at some point I would decide to do a WWSL vers 2.0 which would entail scenery, etc.  Mounting a plywood base directly on the bench work gives you ZERO opportunity to work in any downward verticle scenery. I saw styrofoam and the 2" x 2s as a way of allowing the vers 2.0 the option of having some features such as roadbed slopes, small streams, culverts, bridges, etc. 

The requirements of the military move didn't support the idea of L-girder benchwork, so my modules were constructed so that when it came time to move all i needed to do was disassemble them into the core 2 foot x 8 foot sections and then surround them with 1/4 inch plywood to avoid the enevitable move damage.

The section was essentially a two inch piece of styrofoam glued to a 1/8th inch of masonite with wood  glue. A twenty four inch 2" x 2" piece of lumber was screwed and glued into the masonite panel and was then screwed onto an L-girder made up of a 1"x 2" and 1" x 4" lumber. 2" x 2" legs were bolted to the L-girder ala Lynn Wescott.

In this case, the styrofoam, the masonite, the 2" x 2"s and the 1"x3" gives approximately 4 inches of downward dropping scenery potential. 

The WWSL vers.3.0

The WWSL vers. 2.0 was single decked for a number of years. I found that the second level was difficult if not impossible to install with the L-girder in place. When I started the benchwork for WWSL vers 3.0 I removed the Lgirders and installed a horizontal 1"x3" in its place - to add vertical stiffening to the section. This is what the vers 3 module looks like. 

I'm recycling 16 WWSL 2.0 sections to the new version. I've found those sections much easier to built, carry and install on the layout.  

See 3.9 Module / Section Construction for construction details.