Are you tired of paying $15 to $20 each for turnout motors? How about building your own for around $10? If this sounds like something you are interested in, have we got your ticket!

FUNTRAK’s Brian King worked on controlling common RC Servos with a simple circuit so that they could be used for turnout positioning or other applications. Download the PDF.

FUNTRAK’s eighth annual PicNik is now history. Amazingly, the weather cooperated and the rain held off until late afternoon, allowing many of the scheduled activities to be completed as planned. This year, FUNTRAK was finally able to put on the Scavenger Hunt, which had been rained out last year. Participants were not only trekking all around the yard, but solving tricky riddles. The winners, Jason Covey & Jessica Sklarz cleverly identified the author of Leatherstocking Tales. Do you know who it is?

As promised, the complete mountain line N-Trak layout was up and running. Check out the video.

Everyone enjoyed their favorite picnic fare, with many specialty dishes contributed by guests. No FUNTRAK picnic is complete without the annual Cicigline birthday cakes. This year, Anna Frances delighted guests with a Strawberry-Lemonade checkerboard cake. Games, trains, and conversation were the order of the day. FUNTRAK’s next Picnik will be August 5, 2012 and plans are already in the works for bigger and better things. Make your plans early if you want to be a part of this activity next year.

FUNTRAK club members John Fleming and Brian King spent Sunday afternoon constructing a transition module that attaches to one of the mountain corners on the FUNTRAK mountain layout. What started out as a flat module eventually ended up with a line running from the green mountain line down to the red outside main line. This arrangement actually only has a 2.2 percent grade from one level to the other. FUNTRAK will have this operational at the annual Picnik on August 7. It probably won’t be completely scenicked by then, but trains will be running. More pictures in the future as the construction phase progresses.

FUNTRAK had a great setup at Dave’s Diner. Here a couple of videos for you to enjoy.

The FUNTRAK crew has been working on building some new corner modules complete with the mountain line for use at future shows. As seen in the images below the work has been progressing. To find out more about these modules be sure to have a look at the July 2011 issue of the newsletter as a special feature will be revealed.

Check out our latest acquisition! The FUNTRAK van will make getting to shows much easier, as the old club trailer that had been used in the past has seen better days. Looking for train-running, family fun? Keep an eye out for the FUNTRAK van!

If you see this van rockin .... it's 5 men trying to fit in one more module!

FUNTRAK held a meeting a the Family Fun Center in Mohawk, NY where trains were set up and run. Here are five linked videos for you to watch and see the action that took place.

FUNTRAK sponsored the Vallay Rail Sights Show in Ilion, NY at the Masonic Temple during the weekend of April 9-10. This was a very successful show with nice attendance from the public and the addition of a new member. We got some great photos and John Fleming also captured some video. Enjoy!

Built from a single piece of foam, the base cost just $1

FUNTRAK’s most recent T-Trak module is this foam based module constructed from a single sheet of three sixteenths foam board purchased at the dollar store. Details on its construction are available here. This module illustrates the point that realism can be achieved in the confined space allowed with such modules that are currently in vogue in T-Trak and inexpensively at that!