Day 166

I wanted to spend the day working on the layout, so I did.  I started out by putting the plateau and top mainline sections back on temporarily.  That allowed me to hook up all of the track and position it.  It was gratifying that the two ends fit up really well.  I tacked down the two connection points.

I wanted to start laying track, but I ran into two problems.  First, none of the remaining track has the holes drilled in it.  Second, the plateau has plywood under the homasote, so all of the power lead were too short.  I also noted that the East siding needed some changes.  I started by using the computer to figure a better East siding.  It wasn't easy because I don't have many pieces left.  I did drill the holes and strip the wires as I redid it.

I needed 6 pairs of longer power leads.  So I went inside and made them up.  I'm really sick of making power leads.  Then I went out and used them to lay the plateau track.  Just then I discovered another problem.  The short switches didn't have their control wires installed.  I took apart the storage track to fix that one (it was a pain).  The second is under the top main section and will have to wait until I remove that.

The plateau track covered two of the mounting screw holes, so I changed the holes.  I'll have to do the same thing with the upper main.  I'll probably have to move some posts instead of just drilling new holes.

There's a really good estate sale tomorrow.  It has tools and I talked to Dave about what he needed.  Going to that is going to limit how much I do on the layout tomorrow.  I'd like to at least lay the rest of the track that's not part of the upper mainline.