ngg_shortcode_0_placeholderOn Sunday the 19th July 2015, the club members were invited to the operations based modular “Gauteng Freemo Group”. As with many modular layouts, the club normally sets up during the school holidays at a school that will host them. This time it was the Panorama Primary school in Roodeport.<\/p>\n
Wow, the layout was amazing. The length of the run is in excess of 80 meters and fills both the school hall as well as taking a gander through the foyer entrance to the hall as well.<\/p>\n
Mike Richardson gave a talk to the EMRIG members on the history and overview\u00a0of the layout. The Freemo concept originally started off in Germany and was copied in the United States soon after. Freemo means free “styled” modules and are primarily single track, meaning the module can go in any direction desired. The primary idea behind it all is just to have an operations based layout. No running round and round in circles. Mike said the group started about 4 years ago with about 7 to 8 members, first setting up in Erich Dokupils patio, the one time and then his tennis court the next. There after they started using the likes of St Martins school and Panorama primary to name but a few.<\/p>\n
The membership is being limited at the moment to 20 members who have already created over 120 modules! The time period has been set in the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s in the mid US. Track is Peco code 83 and control is Digitrax.<\/p>\n
Operations is based on the 4 turn Car Cards which follow the rolling stock. They have on occasion operated with a dispatcher, using 2 way radios for communication.<\/p>\n
There was the usual contingent of members from EMRIG and they definitely had a great time. With the number of modules out, one can imagine the number of scenes that were available to look at. The detailing on the modules that were complete was impressive. However, it was simply amazing to be able to look down long railway lines meandering along modules. It certainly gave the impression of a branch-line in the US.<\/p>\n