Show Report: Altoona N-Scale Weekend 2025

Altoona N-Scale Weekend 2025 Combined T-TRAK Layout Report

By Dave Ferrari

Mike Phillips Pennsylvania N-Scale Weekend 2025 was run by The Altoona Association of Model Railroaders (AAMRR) again at the Blair County Convention Center. Setup was Friday, September 19,2025 with the show running on Saturday, September 20 and Sunday the 21st. 

There were other T-TRAK layouts, several N-Trak layouts and a FreeMo-N layout. In total there were 14 layouts at the event. Northern New Jersey N-trak, my club, provided the table covers, wire covers and all electronics with a few connectors and pigtails provided by Jim Nolan. The Combined T-TRAK Layout had an area of 40’ by 27’ this year. The layout was again in a large “E” shape with 3 peninsulas. This year the two outer peninsulas ended in a pair of wide corners while the center peninsula had two Standard Corners with a Single between them. The center peninsula formed off the backbone of the layout with a pair of Branch Line Junctions from Jim Nolan. These somewhat unique modules had the Red and Yellow Lines run straight through with the option of turning into the peninsula from Red Line. You would then run around the end of the peninsula and return to the rest of the Red Main Line. The Yellow Line on this peninsula was a completely independent loop with a loop at the top that wasn’t connected to the rest of the layout. This inner loop was accessed via crossovers. The right-hand peninsula had a pair of Jackson Junctions, provided by none other than Steve Jackson, that formed an inner Analog/DC loop on the Yellow Line.

There were 102 separate modules. They amounted to 184 Single Equivalent Units (SEU) plus 12 Corner Equivalent Units. There were 10 actual corners, and I consider a Branch Line Junction as both a straight and a corner, hence Corner Equivalents. There were 198 feet of double-track mainline, that’s 6 scale miles! 

I've listed a full breakdown of module types at the end of this report and included the "As Built" plan. Modules were provided by twenty-seven individuals representing nine different clubs, plus 3 independent modelers, all from eleven different states. There were other attendees running trains and helping with setup and breakdown.

Setup started before 12 Noon on Friday with table arrangement then adding table covers. Steve Jackson’s setup team shimmed some of the tables since they were slightly different heights. We had all the modules placed, connected and wired before we had to leave the convention center at 6 PM Friday. 

Most of the layout was Digitrax DCC with Wi-Fi as well. There was a big outer Red Line loop and two smaller Yellow Line loops, plus previously mentioned Analog/DC loop.

The layout ran well both days with only a few minor track alignment and rail height problems which were quickly fixed. Teardown started at 3:00 PM Sunday and everything was packed up and out the door by 4:30.

Module Count:

Singles: 22
Doubles: 45
Triples: 17
Jackson Junctions: 2
Triple Junctions: 2
Quads: 3
Standard Corners: 1
Wide Corners: 8
Inside Corners: 3
Combo Corners (Single+Corner): 1
Short Spacers: 1

Thanks again to everyone who participated!

The as-built plan: