I have made changes because of disability before and posted them here. Now for what I consider a big one which when all is done I thing it will make overall layout more interesting. If you look at this topic you will see one of the reasons <!-- l --><a class="postlink-local" href="http://www.the-gauge.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=4902">viewtopic.php?f=35&t=4902</a><!-- l -->

This is where most of the changes will be. The Gern building lifts out for an access hole which is very difficult for me now.



This is where it is now

Some closeup pics of the area. If you have been around here very long you have seen pics of this area before



Now it is

This makes it hard




Yeah that's the same place

I think this might be gone for good

I am on a roll now.

I understand, with my arthritis (and the fact I'm not getting any younger) I swore off of duckunders and pop-up's years ago. If I ever build an other layout it will be one that can be operated and worked on from a wheelchair.

Well I am finished with the easy part, tearing out. Now the hard part, rebuilding
First a before



Where it is now.



Hopefully I will be laying some track either this evening or tomorrow.

Interesting construction challenge, and one that we should all keep in mind.

Good luck, Les, and keep us posted.

PS: Please don't tell me what those mini disco lights are for...some things are better off left unsaid.

It ws dark under there and if there ws a derailment I needed light.

Well it has been a while since I have posted here. I have been steady working on this but nothing I can show with photos. Now I can show some progress.
Before


After

The two tracks that appear to be running into Gern is actually about 4 feet closer to the camera than Gern. If you look closely you can see two tracks behind Gern. One is coming down the other is on the lower level. They will meet at the lower level and become one. The they will cross the door just like the two main lines you see in the foreground but about nine inches lower. The Gern tanks will be located generally where they are in this photo with a small yard.
Before

After

Here you can see everything is easily accessible. The track in the previous photo that was going down previously connected with The wood you can see below the hanging lights. It was a 34"+- circle.

Looks a lot better than it was as far as accesability

I am feeling good about this now, I was a little fearful about this at first. Now I am seeing it all come together. First I am going to take you on an east bound trip to my Baltimore / Newport news hidden yard.
I will start at coming off of the main line on the top part of the layout. This photo you can see a switch going off the the right.


After clearing the switch it is a wide sweeping curve to the right.


Now a straight shot of about 14 feet. all of this going down hill. As we go along this grade we come to the town of Noname.




Then another right turn.


I know the track has a wiggle in it. I might fix it and might not. It goes under some control Panels and under the edge of upper / main layout. I mean the edge.


Here you can see what I mean by the edge. You can also see a track to the left. That is going the opposite direction to Russell KY.


Now the two tracks come together to cross the door.


In this photo you can see the door and about 1/2 of the track we have covered so far.


Now after crossing the door. The tracks split again, one continuing up and the other continuing down.


Now I will go to a couple of aerial shots The track we are following is on the outside. It will cross back under the inside as you will see in second photo.



It then makes a straight shot of about 4 feet. starts a turn to the left and the track going to Gern comes in on the right.



Now it splits again the left goes to Balt. / Newport news hidden yard. Th right goes to Crooked Creek, which is a mine run.

Wow what a major project! Looks like you are making great progress.

Tyson Rayles Wrote:Wow what a major project! Looks like you are making great progress.

Boy, Les, I hope there's going to be a "golden spike" ceremony when you're done - this is a major undertaking.

Wayne

I must be honest here. The first five photos are not actually part of this project. I didn't mean to be deceptive here I was just trying to show the entire route. Starting at about photo 6 is the new stuff. The door is the biggest project here is a photo of it.


Notice there is a wire to the magnet. If you look at the metal plate on the door you will see another wire. That is my safety switch, if the door is not latched the track leading up to it from about 3 feet out is dead. When the magnet attaches to the plate the circuit is close and the track is alive. The door is 36" which makes for wide opening to walk through.
Just as a wild guess I think it is about 38 feet to fall about 9.5". I am excited about this.