Technology and Standards

Download MHR Standards & Recommendations

How should we technically imagine Modul-HO-Rail?

However, in order to be as brief as possible in line with what Febelrail describes in its recommendations and its Joker modules, Het Locje has taken these recommendations as a starting point. The Febelrail standards are in turn actually based on what Fremo describes. So we also once looked at the Fremo story and so we come to the “Modul-HO-Rail standard”. Since Febelrail only standardizes and recommends that we actually drive analogue, we only follow the mechanical stuff.

Below you get an overview of the key points:

Each club participates with a modular job in scale HO that may be built entirely according to its own standards. This track is basically neatly finished with lighting, background, scenery and a shield between module and the offers (e.g. a curtain). During Modul-HO-Rail the emphasis is on driving and so also jobs that are less than perfectly finished will also be allowed to participate if they are approved by the organization. Each club/team also provides 2 transition modules that are typically 600mm long one that fit perfectly on one side on the club/team track and on the other hand 100% meet one of the 4 profiles as shown attached. It is expected that a club/team can draw up its modules 100% working at about 2 hours so that we can use the rest of the time to integrate and decently test the set-up.

All lay-outs must comply with the following rules:

Mechanical

  • A lay-out must be able to stand completely independent and stable
  • Height of the track on the transition modules 1300mm, i.e. the height measured from the ground to the top of the rail and not the top of the module
  • Adjusting -15 to +15mm, should be possible
  • Width of the single-track module = 500mm
  • Width of a double-track module = 546mm
  • Distance between the 2 tracks at double track transition = 46mm
  • Traces = profile code 100 and code 83 are allowed
  • Also older rolling material with the somewhat higher flanges should be able to be used
  • At least the last 100mm of tracks must be at odds with the transition to avoid kinks
  • Subject to the organization’s admission, wider (or narrower) modules may be used and the profile must follow the standard shape at the front of the track

Electrical

  • All switches and crossings must be “digitally friendly”. In other words, no short circuits occur when rolling material passes over a switch or crossing
  • On an analog orbit this is not a problem but a digital system switches off to secure itself if short circuits occur
  • The cabling to feed the tracks is 100% electrically separated from the cabling used to transmit steering wheel or alarm signals.
  • This allows each club/team to operate their own modules while drivers run their trains on the track

Drive

  • Drivers drive 100% manually
  • So nothing will be done automatically by PC or anything
  • Only digital driving is made with DCC (recommended) or Motorola protocol (admitted)
    • Other protocols such as FMZ, Selectrix or mfx are not supported
  • Driving trains with tablet, smart phone, iPhone,…
  • Equipment provided by the participating clubs
  • Software free to download
  • Central, WiFi and telephone system are made available by the organisers

Control & Report

  • This is entirely in the hands of the clubs/teams
  • This includes: in operating switches and any signals
  • Only condition is that everything must be able to be done smoothly and quickly to ensure that smooth driving can be carried
  • Modul-HO-Rail does not impose anything except the 100% electrical separation of the systems already mentioned
  • This rule is really only important if the track uses DCC or MM to send e.g. switches
  • Individual networks are used for all other systems such as Loconet or S88

Infrastructure

  • Electric power 230V AC
  • Wi-Fi is provided by the organization
    • Clubs or teams should not run their own WiFi network to avoid disruptions
  • JMRI will be used as a software to allow wireless control of locs, including JMRI Engine Driver (Android), WiThrottle (iOS) and DigiTrains (Android)

Various

  • The full technical standards are drawn up in Dutch, French and English
  • In case of ambiguity between the different languages, the Dutch version will always take precedence
  • In case of dispute over the interpretation, Het Locje will always have the last word
  • Via De Locje, the full details of the profiles can be obtained and if necessary the profiles can be created by Het Locje
  • Production and shipping costs are borne by the club/team

Fremo profiles

  • Modul-HO-Rail recommended single-track profile (E96 hoch)
    • 20003-FREMO-E96-h
  • Modul-HO-Rail recommended dual track profile (2E99 hoch)
    • 20015-FREMO-2E99-h
  • Febelrail standard for single track (B96 hoch)
    • 20002-FREMO-B96-h
  • Febelrail standard for double track (2B00)
    • 20011-FREMO-2B00-h
  • Different models can be obtained as long as the mounting holes and the elevation of the tracks are in the right place