Rainbows in the Lehigh Valley Gorge

[TMo]

Update on the superelevation project. One out of the 4 track sections has been glued in and working flawlessly (at least with the M420 at all speeds, orientations and directions). However, that is the only one of the 4 pieces that is a continuous superelevation. After I glued down piece number 1 adjacent, the loco derailed in a couple of places, especially in the transition between a 2mm superelevation and back to flat (unsuperelevated track) where the loco comes out of the curve. I determined I needed a more gradual transition and that meant lifting that piece out again. HOWEVER, when I'd glued it down I didn't have my standard silicone sealant handy and I resorted to Marine Goop. BAD IDEA! That stuff dries hard and is super-adherent. The track did not survive and I had to redo some of the roadbed and install a brand new piece of Code 83 flex track. The roadbed fix also created humps and bumps that needed to be sanded smooth and shims added in several areas, but I think I now (after 4 days of trial and ERROR) have that piece ready to be glued back down to the roadbed (not with Marine Goop!) since the loco now runs all the way through the transition and through the aforementioned good section of superelevated track. For those wondering, these are roughly 26"-radius curves - the tightest on my layout, but they are a far cry from the minimum radius that Rapido quotes - 18".

If after gluing this piece down and verifying continued good running of the loco, I'll then deal with the other half of the curve (the other two sections of flex track) which also contains a reverse curve before going into the tunnel, which means that I'll be doing 3 more transitions between flat and 2 mm superelevated track. Do I still love the deal I got on this locomotive? Sure, but there's a lot more buyer's remorse than when it first emerged from the box. Maybe I'm learning something beneficial if I ever build a new layout.