Layout finished

Finished up laying out the track, turnouts, and structures today. Not totally sure the village in the foreground will stay they same but good enough for now. This method seems like a lot of work but it helps me to visualize how things will be when done, and I can accurately layout the curves etc. Sort of like a stage set where the actors are the trains and the layout is the stage set.

Next up I start the fun part of laying road bed (cork) and track and turnouts. I will be building the turnouts on my work desk, wiring them up, fine-tuning the switch (filing down the points for better running), installing under layout switch machines that will move the switch points, and attaching the track feed wires I need. Way easier to do this on the desk instead of laying on the floor working over my head with a soldering iron. Been there, done that, and have the burns to prove it. Once the switches are ready to go and tested, I cut a square hole in the top 1" styrofoam to match the small square holding the switch and a hole in the layers underneath to accept the switch machine and drop it in. Then all that is left is to run two wires to my DCC panel what will control the switch from my hand held controller. Sweet! Only bummer is that I have 57 switches to do........