A wild idea

Leave it to Jack to provide a different point of view.

We were staring at the progress last weekend while having a drink, and suddenly he says "you should just make it a lift bridge that gets pulled up by cables and stored against the ceiling."

I had to pause, and consider it.  It is a valid point that it is long, longer than originally thought about, so as to not have permanent piers in the way of the group when we operate.  It is light enough to lift out by hand, but would require twisting and storing away by the wall around to the left of this image.  That is cumbersome now, before we have people standing by.  

Jack also made the point that by having a vertical lift, we could much more easily open and close during a session, so perhaps we could use one of the tracks in the new yard to the left to store Amtrak or a short regular freight train as needed, freeing up an Island track for more consists.  The bridge itself will not have trains on it for storage.  

And after a night spent painting the sides to match the fascia and the underside to match the ceiling, I had to concede this was a better plan.  More work now, but less chance of damage later.  Thankfully, the side girders are sturdy and plumb, which will allow vertical cable attachment without an issue.  And the apparatus should fit above the drop-in ceiling, with simple holes cut to allow the cables to extend below and be affixed to the bridge.

I checked online for lift systems and found a good one normally used in garages.  I think this one is going to work out.  

Stay tuned!  Tracklaying is next, and will be its own adventure with PC ties at the joints and a new ladder track assembly with Walthers switches.  I am hoping in a few weeks to be ready to test run this thing.   

A Comfortable Space

There is a lot to be said about a space being 'visually comfortable.'  We have touched on this on the Onondaga Cutoff before, but it bears repeating now and again because it's an ongoing effort. If we want people to be part of what we do, it is our responsibility to do what we can to make what we do enjoyable and comfortable.  

As we proceed with the new storage, while the bridge is finalized we continued with operations.  I wanted the area to be seamless and so I decided to finish the existing project first.  The cap on the support girders proved a perfect spot for something we can all use more of: drink holders on the layout!

The switch ladder and storage tracks have yet to be finalized, but adding this little plywood cap is a great way to get use out of the new construction at every session.  The cap is removeable and into its place the removable bridge will sit.  

This was also a chance to re-hang the skirting along the bottom of the layout, and to do it in a way that looked seamless.  Tom's suggestion to use staples and a strip of cardboard was a good one and created a nice straight edge.  

The overview shows it all: a visually pleasing finishing job for new construction.  

We can see the bridge to the left, which is waiting for girders, an official keeper stand, and track.  The girders are next, this week; track and wiring will follow.  Our hobby is based on trains but trains are built, moved, and maintained by people.  Making our layout spaces a bit more comfortable for them and for us will benefit each of our experiences along the way!