The Grand Valley's Northern Extension...

[doctorwayne]

Thanks for the kind words, guys. :oops:

The lift-out for the doorway is the same simple "technology" used on the lower level.

Solidly-mounted brackets:






...with a slab of 3/4" plywood forming the bridge:



Somehow, the north end staging yard ended-up about 3/8" higher than the rest of the upper level, so the lift-out was installed level, with a slight grade leading up to it on the layout-side of the aisle. I simply stacked some cork roadbed in place and when the glue had set, sanded it to a suitable grade:




With the bridge in place, the track is layed from one side, across the bridge, and onto the opposite side in one continuous piece (two lengths of flex track soldered together). First, the position of the cuts is determined (the track will cut back slightly from the edge of the layout, with any overhang on the ends of the lift-out section - when the lift-out is removed, there's no protruding rail hanging out into the aisleway to catch on clothing), then the ends of the rail on either side of the planned cuts are secured with track spikes. This is to fix the rails in position so that there'll be little variance when the bridge is installed or removed. Removal requires only a straight-up lift, while installation calls for one end to be aligned and partially engaged while the opposite end is lowered carefully into place. The lower lift-out has been used without incident or adjustment for years, dependent only on careful handling during removal or installation and, when not in use, storage out of harms way.

The rails were then cut using a razor saw, and all surfaces of the cut ends rounded slightly using a file - this minimises any sharp ends and resultant impacts as a train rolls across the gaps:





The lift-out section gets its power via a microphone plug and jack:



It has four conductors, and could, theoretically, be wired to provide a section of dead track on either side of the aisle if the lift-out is not in place. In reality, though, all of the staging tracks will have individual on/off switches (remember, this is DC operation), and if I wish to operate the staging yard as a switching layout, the lift-out will have to be in place to provide room for a switcher to move from one track to another.



And with both upper and lower lift-outs in place:




The next job will be installation of the staging yard tracks.


Wayne