I belong to an NTrak club, the NTrak Express out of Orange County, California. We are the typical group- always trying to find a venue to set up and show, and play with our trains. As a club, we have a wide variety of trains: long freights, passenger sets from the early days to Amtrak, bullet trains, and intermodals. However, one of the pleasures we have always enjoyed was putting Thomas or one of his friends out on the layout. Regardless of where we had set up, he was like a magnet to the youngsters, and teens alike, not to mention many of the parents that had enjoyed watching the show with their children.

So when we came into 4 modules that already had the front three lines installed and ballasted, we knew exactly what to do with them: Build Sodor!

The planning and building took nearly three years to complete, and, like all layouts, it will never be “complete,” but we’re happy with it now.

Sixteen feet long and thirty inches deep gave us plenty to work with. We decided to separate Sodor from the three mainline tracks by putting a base of 3’ foam where Sodor would be. We would build a retaining wall to separate the two.

The modules as we received them: 30” deep x 16’. We ended up having to re-ballast the mainlines.

The front of the two main loops on the James (red) track is covered by a mountain with ten tunnel portals. It’s fun, because when a train enters a tunnel, it rarely comes out where you expect it! The mountain does have a lift out, in case a train gets stuck or derailed.

The darker green is the NTrak green line; the lighter green is for Henry. Thomas is blue, and James is red.

The Control Panel hangs on the back of the third module, and controls everything: train speed and directions, switches, and whether the NTrak green line will be utilized or not (that’s the switch on the bottom left- when that switch is thrown, it disconnects the power to the Henry line, and only operates the dark green track). The artwork on the Control Panel is horizontally flipped, so it matches the layout view we see from the back.

We came across some perfect fabric to use for front curtains, got them sewn, and fire-retardant treated. We need to cover the ends for stand-alone shows, We also purchased some folding foot stools for those kids too small to see without a lift.

Construction suffered more than a few hiccups, some minor, some major. Of course Covid reared its ugly head, which caused supply chain shortages (hence the lack of ballast on most of the pictures! Happy to say that the layout is now all completely ballasted.) Lighting the layout also added more wiring from each of the modules to the control panel.

We have shown at the Great Train Shows in Costa Mesa, Ventura, and Victorville, the Nixon Museum in Yorba Linda, and the Los Angeles Main Library, also at a large show in Hemet, California, in addition to the National NSE Convention in Reno this past year. As a stand-alone, we have done Thomas Days for the past two years at the San Diego Model Railroad Museum. Every place we have shown, we have attracted huge crowds and have ignited an interest in model railroading with a number of people!

We are primarily using Tomix trains, as these were what were available before Bachmann entered the market. We have added a few of the Bachmann locomotives and cars, and repainted a bunch of European rolling stock into suitable Thomas freight and passenger cars. The entire set of modules is DC, although the front NTrak tracks are often run in DCC.

There have been, as long as I have been in the hobby (about 30 years), discussions and questions about how to get more people involved in the hobby. There are no right or wrong answers, but our club has found that this Thomas the Tank Engine setup has generated a huge response. Whether that manifests in to people actually purchasing trains and setting up layouts, modules, or dioramas… I just don’t know. But this has to help!!

Over the last few years Sodor has undergone a few changes.

In 2023 the front three N Track/club tracks were modified by George Barrier and Bob Osterhoudt so that when the 4 modules stand alone and are not a part of a larger layout the front 3 tracks will operate as back and forth tracks. The front three tracks are fully automated and require no throttles.

During 2024 the rear green line track and roadbed were removed and new Kato track, turnouts and crossovers were installed. While those tracks were being replaced, Kato expanding tracks were installed to make set simpler. All of the Kato track, turnouts, crossovers and expansion tracks were painted mauve to match the existing ballast of the atlas track.

In 2024 there was a tip over of the wheeled storage rack that had the Sodor modules resulting with module #1 ending upside-down on the asphalt. the other 3 modules only had minor damage. A couple of the buildings were repaired or replaced. This was an opportunity to upgrade the LED building lights and to add a few features. Nessie the Loch Ness Monster was replaced with a much nicer figure and the Ghost Busters LED lights and vehicle were added.

There are other upgrades and features planned!