N Scale Free-mo

The official website for N scale free-mo modular railroading.

Free-mo is a modular scale railroading standard designed for individual modellers that specifies bench work, track work, scenery and digital control intended to raise-the-bar for scale modular railroading in general and, in this case, for N scale modular railroading.


The Free-moN layout at the National Train Show in Salt Lake City,UT, July,2019 (Mark Watson photo)

A Brief History of Free-moN

The standard promotes, and even forces, prototypical appearance and operations by using a single or double tracked mainline running roughly through the middle of the scenery resulting in prototypical point-to-point or loop-to-loop configurations and operation.

The Spirit of Free-moN

The following list summarizes the spirit and benefits of free-moN over existing modular N scale standards:

  • Designed to satisfy the needs of the advanced modeler over the needs of the beginner and general public.
  • Incorporates a comfortable working and viewing height for adults of 50" from the floor.
  • Specifies Code 55 rail for the main with a minimum 22" radius and #6 turnouts.
  • Encourages layouts that are optimized for prototypical look and operations.
  • Maximizes flexibility for module design and shape by specifying only the end-plate interface and mainline track standards.
  • Simple end-plate specification allows for easy integration into home layouts.
  • Encourages a loose association among individuals free of club or group requirements, membership, dues, etc.
  • Standardized scenery at the end-plates (to merge visually with adjacent modules).
  • DCC control throughout for maximum flexibility.
  • Rolling stock that meets or exceeds NMRA standards for reliability.

These standards allow for module construction that is free form between the end-plates resulting in flexible and adaptable layout configurations to fit any available space.

The Standard

The Free-moN standard was created by Wesley Steiner in 2002 and published in early 2004. It is actively maintained by the Free-moN Steering Commitee and the Free-moN Google group (formerly a Yahoo! Group). Come join the discussions and see what is developing. Many participants across the country and around the world are building modules and operating free-moN layouts.

We also maintain a list of Frequently Asked Questions about the Free-moN standard.

For a list of issues the Free-moN Steering Commitee is currently discussing, please see the Free-moN Issues List on GitHub.

Free-moN Slide Show

A link to Dave Falkenburg's very impressive free-moN slide show that adds some flair to the relatively dry standards document.

The Endplate

Drawings of module endplate requirements

Drawings of example module construction techniques

Show FAQ

Attending your first show? Have a question about how shows are run. The link above has some frequently asked questions about shows.