{"id":590,"date":"2013-08-01T20:21:26","date_gmt":"2013-08-02T01:21:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/smallmodelrailroads.wordpress.com\/?p=590"},"modified":"2014-06-13T18:29:33","modified_gmt":"2014-06-13T22:29:33","slug":"free-mo-module-concepts-rail-marine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/smallmr.com\/wordpress\/free-mo-module-concepts-rail-marine\/","title":{"rendered":"Free-mo Module Concepts – Rail-Marine"},"content":{"rendered":"

In 2011\/12 I built my first Free-mo<\/a> modules and joined the SE Michigan Free-mo group<\/a>\u00a0at the 2012 National Train Show (NTS)<\/a> in Grand Rapids Michigan. We had modules from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Massachusetts. With the large number of Free-mo modelers who came together to at NTS, we were able to field a very large layout. Very high quality modules were brought by all the participants.<\/p>\n

\"Free-mo
Free-mo at NTS 2012<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The conversation has just started for the 2014 NTS and many are already planning to join again in Cleveland Ohio. Although I have two modules presently, I am looking at the possibility of building another just for the 2014 NTS. The prior modules were very simple and were just to get my feet wet in Free-mo. My next modules will need to bring more to the table. These ideas are for something that will have more interest and provide operations and traffic to the layout. One idea is for a Rail-Marine Operation.<\/p>\n

\"N&W<\/a><\/p>\n

As a youth I remember watching the Norfolk and Western running a ferry (carfloat) service across the Detroit River to Windsor Ontario. These ferries were in use for excess dimension loads and hazardous materials that could not pass through the tunnels at Port Huron\/Sarnia and Detroit\/Windsor. A new tunnel was built under the St. Clair River by CN, while the CP tunnel at Windsor was enlarged, thereby eliminating the need for the ferries. The CSX ferry was a holdover from Pere Marquette days, and the NS operation was inherited from the Wabash. CN and Grand Trunk also had a ferry at Port Huron\/Sarnia. At Detroit the NS served both CP and CN at different slips in Windsor. \u00a0All this is now gone, but you can view a video sample of the operations at Detroit\/Windsor and Port Huron\/Sarnia.<\/p>\n