Phase Two Operations Planning

Schematic of Phase One and Two

The trackwork is all working, and my plan is to work on my initial operations planning while unpacking and checking rolling stock. As I mentioned in my last post, I want to make sure everything is working smoothly and aligning with a first phase operations approach before moving into track painting, ballasting, or other scenery. 

The advantage of including the Ferndale Jct. yard and the Great Northern interchange with the mainline in Ferndale is in providing both a connection to the rest of the world and for a diversity in roles for a solo operator. Byron Henderson explicitly recommends including a classification yard with switching operation for solo operators in a post on his Layout Vision website to highlight a variety of roles with resultant "fun". When or if I move into having others visit to operate, I may want to work towards the NMRA Dispatcher Achievement Program. Their minimum requirements include "at least two mainline trains plus yard switching in simultaneous operation." Even if I am not working towards the NMRA's operations AP certificate, I find their AP programs provide structure and guidance; why not plan to meet their minimum? 

My approach is to start simple and then build complexity. This approach aligns with the fact that I will be operating by myself. Again, why not align my simple start with the NMRA AP framework minimums of "some system of freight and passenger train and car movements." 

I intend to start my initial solo operations, at least formal solo operations using a "sequence of trains" traffic control system. In an earlier post, I described how I might use Daily Train Line-up forms in such a system. Now, in order to use a sequence of trains system, I will need to start by figuring out what trains I plan to sequence. This will be based on the story I am attempting to tell as well as the industries and rolling stock I plan to use. 

In the engineer/conductor role, I plan to use switch lists to provide the information needed for car forwarding. I provided an overview of switchlists in a post from a number of years ago. At least in solo operations, I plan to just use a switchlist to provide the information needed to accomplish the car pick ups and set outs that are planned for that train's job. As the 4th Subdivision grows beyond phase two or as the operating crew grows the paperwork may expand, but for now a switch list is it for the train crew. While I have a number of these switch lists on hand, I have two changes that I might make on the master before having more printed: a more era appropriate logo and the addition of AAR codes for ore and covered hopper cars.

Yesterday, I started unboxing some rolling stock, focusing on what I call the "Rock Train." Part of this train is made up of the transfer of limestone from a quarry near Sumas, Washington on the NP line to the Olympic Portland Cement Company in Bellingham, Washington. In real life this transfer was done on a Milwaukee Road line, but in my version the GN 4th Subdivision was in Whatcom county, not the Milwaukee Road. Also in the so-called Rock Train would be covered hoppers transporting silica sand from a (fictional) silica sand quarry near the end of the branch. 

I cleaned wheels, checked couplers and weight of the four or five cars ready for this train that I unboxed. I also checked that they had appropriate waybills in their existing car cards. While unboxing them, I also gathered some other cars that are on hand, but need work to be a part of the rock train. I ordered an NP gondola from ebay to also bolster the rolling stock for this major revenue and traffic source for the 4th subdivision. The car cards and waybills will be needed for classification in the yard, even though they will not be used by the switch crew. 

Although I will be a solo operator, I see that as the system develops I will need to (or get to) fill several roles: engineer, yard master, and traffic manager or freight agent.
 

Ferndale Jct. Yard Updates

When we returned from our visit to Maine, I first tackled the second coat of floor paint. Now the basement floor under the current benchwork is painted, although not all of the basement floor is painted. I will need to do quite a bit of organizing to get to that stage. My plan is to continue with one section at a time. The workbench and storage area will be quite a procedure to avoid painting around benches and cabinets.

Once the floor paint was dry, I worked on the runaround track. I have explored prepping Peco Electrofrog turnouts here before, My first step was just that, prepping the turnout. To avoid potential kinking, I soldered an extension to a full length of flex track. I also soldered feeders under the rails before fitting the runaround in place. To finalize the wiring of the runaround I also added a piece of track and powered it leading into the turnout.

At that point the next step was to add track to the so-called drop down section. The flextrack that I ordered had arrived right before our trip, so I was ready to proceed. I did have to dig out some ballast and ties at the end of the existing track to fit in joiners, but other than that fiddly work with a hobby knife it all went smoothly. I still will need to solder those joiners for fool proof electrical connection, but they are working for now.

Today I completed the controls for the two turnouts going into the yard from the mainline. I've had the switch machines wired to power appropriate DCC power to the frogs since I installed the tortoises, but I hadn't had the switch motors themselves powered. These two turnouts are controlled by a toggle switch so they both throw together, either both straight into the yard or both "diverging" with the mainline curving to the left and the drill track set out of the yard. Down the road, my intention is to set up interlocking signals for this pair of turnouts.

Now that all the track is in and wired, as I see it my next steps include running some trains and planning my initial operations scenario. I want to make sure that everything is working well before I move on with steps such as scenery.  

Can't Decide? Start Both

In a recent post, I left off undecided about whether to continue with work at the end of Ferndale Junction Yard or to return to infrastructure work. Instead of deciding, I started both. In this past week I became a little bit sidetracked (literally, as I have been putting together the new edition of my NMRA division's newsletter, the Susquehanna Sidetracks). My wife and I were just invited to her brother's last minute vacation in Maine, so both projects will be on hold. I am posting a status report and a punch list, so I'll be ready to resume on our return.

The main infrastructure project that I wanted to work on was to continue with floor painting. I took down the temporary workbench on folding sawhorses and moved the rolling cart and storage tubs from under the Nooksack/East Branch section of the railroad. I vacuumed and washed the floor before tackling the painting. Sadly, I don't think that I will get to the second coat before we leave, but  it's ready for that second coat and storage organization. 

Here at the drop-down section at the end of the yard, I haven't made much progress on the removable coved backdrop section beyond taking some measurements. I did however work on the roadbed, which is now glued in place. I hit a bit of a snag though with laying track; I didn't have enough to extend all the tracks. I ordered what I hope is enough, but it just arrived. On our return I can get back to completing the track work and wiring. 

In addition to the trackwork on the dropdown section, I still have some work to do to complete the new runaround track:

• Prep the turnout
• Solder an extension to the runaround
• Add feeders and fit the runaround
• Decide on technique for drop down track wiring and gaps
• Mind the gap at the power district junction

Wordless Wednesday #4: Susquehanna Division Visits the EBT

 

Phase Two Mainline Extension

 

Short clip of GN 229 backing out of staging on a trial run of the just completed mainline extension.

Since my last post, I have worked on several of the steps mentioned there. This past week, I narrowed my focus to adding a small extension to connect the mainline to my existing three-track staging module. A track plan sketch from this earlier post , just as I started the Phase Two work, provides an overview. 

With the Ferndale Junction and new modules in place, I needed to work out a finished design for the extension. As I intend the extension to be part of the permanent  railroad and join further TOMA expansion later and work for now as the access to staging, I had to keep both of those parameters in mind. To complicate both issues, a nearby basement support pole needed to be factored in.  

My first step consisted of clamping a cardboard box in place and creating a paper template. The template showed both the shape and size of the extension and allowed me to test out both the placement of my existing staging and whether a full turn-back curve would clear the metal support pole.

I designed and built a grid framework on the template on my workbench in the garage. Using my miter saw and brad nailer made for fast work laying out, cutting, and glueing up the frame. Based on the template, the frame is not quite square allowing the staging track to clear the support pole. It also allows for the curve planned for the end of the aisle here once the future TOMA peninsula expansion takes place.

This photo shows the module completed, primered underneath, and bolted into place. Knowing that different modules will be attached, I used a forstner bit to create a recess for the bolt heads at the end of the module. 

With the temporary staging C-clamped in place, I was able to finetune the curved track location and then mount the cork roadbed. I also double checked for a future 180 degree turn, and it appears that this extension will work with the planned future peninsula, when I ever get to that point.

Today I soldered two pieces of flex track together before bending it into the long curve. With the iron out, I soldered two feeders under the rails before finalizing the track into position. I extended the DCC bus into this new section and attached both the feeders and the wire to the staging. After then cleaning the track I had just installed and on the staging module, I went ahead and ran a locomotive. The short video at the beginning of this post shows the locomotive running smoothly over this new section. 

I have not yet decided whether to shift to the drop down section at the end of Ferndale Junction and the last bit of backboard there or to return to infrastructure and more floor painting next. Either way, I feel pretty good about connecting the staging and being in a place to unpack some rolling stock and run trains.

Phase Two Modules In Place

 

Many of the initial next steps for the new module mentioned in my last post are now in place. I leveled, shimmed, and bolted this module to the Nooksack module. I drove a couple of screws through the L-girder ledger into the grid frame and bolted the one leg into place as well. In this photo, one can see a length of track that I fit onto the end of the module before soldering the track joiners. As the phase two modules make up a second power district, I left a gap between the rails at the module joint and attached this end of the DCC bus to a second circuit breaker.

Again, I mentioned a number of steps to take while the Ferndale Junction module was up on the sawhorse workbench in my last post. In this photo you can see those steps completed: bus wires flagged with correct colors, piano hinge installed, frog juicer attached, and all existing DCC and frog feeders connected. 

While not as firmly in place, the Ferndale Junction module is level and bolted to the adjacent new module. I have started working out the location for the turnouts for the run-around track, so I can install the roadbed. I want to focus on the roadbed and track for the run-around as well as track between these two newly installed modules in order to finalize the wiring enough to run some trial trains. I will need to make sure the two  turnouts on the new module are set up properly as well as the ones on the run-around. 

My intention is to add a bit of an extension to the benchwork here at the connection between the modules. The mainline will be curving away here to the left, and for phase two, I hope to attach my three-track unsceniced staging mini module here. This will require some additional template making and track planning. At the far end, I still need to finalize the drop down segment of the yard. It is hinged to ease future access to the well plumbing and tank.

Here at the far end with the drop down section, I will need to design a removable extension of the backdrop incorporating a curved or coved approach. That should be an "interesting" project! I also need to figure out how to hang the light fixture for this end. This area of the ceiling is a little different, so I don't have convenient furring strips from which to hang the fixture. 

I hope to continue with the level of enthusiasm and focus I have had recently in order to actually get the railroad back on track, the theme for 2026. I don't think a train has run in a year!

Phase Two Modules update

Once I installed the backdrop, some real progress on the modules is possible, and dare I say it, underway. My wife helped me, and we moved the new module into place on the L-girder ledger and up against the Nooksack section. We got it leveled and clamped it and its leg into place. 

Initial Next Steps For New Module

• Shim at ledger corner with Nooksack module
• Bolts at south end
• Holes drilled for DCC bus to attach to circuit breaker
• Double check level and bolt leg
• A couple of screws to attach to L-girder
• Complete mainline track to Nooksack module (gap at joint--new power district)
• Adjust tortoise music wire at turnouts for proper operation
• Double check electrical plan and connect DCC bus

Start Work on Ferndale Junction Module

With the new module up in place, we moved the Ferndale Junction modules to the temporary sawhorse workbench and clamped it up on its side. I hadn't noticed this before, but by turning the module around (the back is now the front) the wire color code is incorrect. My standard is for black to be out towards the aisle and red to be in towards the back of the benchwork. In this section that is reversed. 

I don't want to redo the wiring, but I do need to avoid future confusion with the wire colors. I will mark the wires with the correct colored tape. On inspection, I have several other steps that I can complete more easily while the modules are here on the workbench. 

• Use red and black electrical tape to mark the existing bus and feeder wires
• Install the frog juicer and connect green feeder wires
• Add a piano hinge to the joint between the two modules
• Add a Euro terminal strip to connect existing feeders to DCC bus at removed programming track switches

The plan for Ferndale Junction includes a fair amount of new trackwork. I will finalize that once it is in place. As I am not sure yet whether that will be a permanent or temporary placement, I might as well do what I can now!

Backdrop Underway for Phase Two

First coat of faded sky

While I found the backdrop for this new section to be a bit of a gumption trap, once I started, progress has been moving right along. With this part of the backdrop up and painting started, I can go ahead and install the new module. 

To be honest, the real gumption trap was getting the 1/8" hardboard. A 4 X 8 sheet doesn't fit in our car, so I have to get the big box store to cut it the long way. I finally went to the local Lowes, but they were out of 1/8" hardboard. So, about a week ago, my wife and I went to a Home Depot in a neighboring town and got a piece cut at my standard backdrop height of 30" (I then plan to use the 18" offcut as valance). This photo shows the piece clamped in place against the stud wall. 

The phase two modules expand past the stud wall as does this backdrop section, so I tried to come up with a way of supporting the loose flapping half of the hardboard. Ultimately the bottom will be attached to the Ferndale module, but I wanted to prevent the sheet from getting too wavy. In this photo, one can see the 2 X 2 glued along the edge and the support boards glued along the top and bottom of the half of this backdrop that, at least for now, will be just be loosely hanging, projecting out from the half attached to the stud wall. 

Before mounting the backdrop in place I applied two coats of primer to the back of the backdrop. Hardboard, an engineered panel made with compressed wood fibers, is very susceptible to humidity changes. I really should use one of the shellac based primers rather than a latex one as acrylic latex paint does not provide as much of a barrier to water vapor. I have acrylic primer on hand, and I much prefer water cleanup, so that is what I used. It has got to be better than nothing, right?

I attached the new panel to the stud wall with small panel nails. With the backdrop finally in place, I went ahead and mounted a four foot LED 4000K light over this section. I also applied fiberglass tape and two coats of mud at the seam between the new and existing backboard panels. This photo shows the seam after a final sanding, ready for the painting stage. I used what has become my standard technique of rolling the blue and brushing white primer along the bottom with the first coat results seen in the initial photo above. 

Flatcar Sidequest

 

I think one more layer of weathering might be needed

After presenting at the Susquehanna Division's hands-on session on weathering last month, I felt the urge to experiment. (Yes, a total diversion from either infrastructure or Phase Two advancement.) I found a likely candidate in this InterMountain flatcar in my current roster's stash of rolling stock that needed to be checked for standards including weathering. This post  discusses both the roster and my standards. 

The flatcar came with metal wheels and when I checked with an NMRA standards gauge, they were fine. When I checked the car on my test track and coupler height gauge, the trip pin was very low and the couplers were off as well. I found the InterMountain gear boxes frustrating to work with. To make a long story short, I ended up drilling and tapping to be able to add screw mounting to the cover before installing Kaydee #58 couplers. The car's weight was below the RP 20.1 recommended weight. Even after gluing lead shot and Liquid Gravity to the underbody the car still measured underweight.  It was closer though. 

While dealing with operational standards, I went back and reread an article from the January 2025 NMRA Magazine. Charles Goodrich, MMR wrote about making the plastic deck on a flatcar look like a wooden deck. I decided to follow his techniques. After applying Dark Gray Vallejo Wash to the sides and ends of my flatcar, I tried distressing the wooden deck. I used a triangular file to deepen some of the gaps between the boards, a fine razor saw to scratch in some wood wear, and fine sandpaper to smooth any plastic snags and add variety to the paint coverage. 

The key to his technique to make "plastic flatcar decks look like wood" appears to be using Tamiya Panel Line. As the Panel Line paints were part of the weathering products I shared at the meeting, I found this to be the perfect experiment. Panel Line is typically used to emphasize shadows in molded lines, louvres, grating, and other details by allowing the paint to flow through capillary action by touching the brush to the area. Instead, I followed Mr. Goodrich's suggested approach of painting the entire wood deck, first with brown and then black. 

I took this photo after the Panel Line Accent Colors had dried overnight. It looked pretty good, but I was trying to match the look of a prototype photo. So, I tried some additional techniques as well to get to the point seen in the opening photo: 

• Scuffing the deck with steel wool
• Application of Pan Pastels, Neutral Gray Extra Dark, Neutral Gray Tint, and Raw Umber to the deck
• Brushing on Grimy Black acrylic paint, both a couple of individual boards and dry brushing the stake pockets
• Application of Bragdon Powders to the trucks, a light gray overall and a rust color to the springs

Much like scenery techniques, once a base layer of weathering is down, adding additional layers can add to the appearance of realism. I see a couple of things that I would like to take care of in that initial photo. Yeah, one more layer!

Ingleton and New Module Updates

Ingleton shelf ready for "action"

While it has been awhile since my last post, some work here in the basement has gone on. In addition to helping my wife with gardening and rewilding, I have been getting some things done. I cut, painted, and installed a "baseboard" for the stud wall behind Ingleton, and I installed a hardboard valance above the shelf. While the long term plan for this area is to be the final TOMA section, a harbor scene, for now I want to try out the design concept for a valance here to both hide the LED light fixture and suggest a a more finished presentation of the scene. My feeling is that I'm ready to either bring out some rolling stock for trial operations or renew scenery work here on this independent shelf layout. 

Although I am not that far along with the new module, some progress has been made there as well. I moved through the first phase of trackwork and wiring starting with the two turnouts. They are both in place and soldered to a short spacer between them with frog feeders and feeders in the spacer dropped. In addition to drilling holes for the feeders, I cut slots in the roadbed and plywood below the throw bars so that the spring wires from the switch machines can later be installed.

Once the turnouts were in place, I added a full length of flex track to the main with feeders dropped and temporarily fastened everything in place with a couple of track spikes. Then I turned the module up on its side and installed the DCC bus. I went ahead and attached the power feeders with suitcase connectors. The next step while the frame is still up on its side will be to wire and install the Tortoise switch motors. I found that I do have the two necessary switch motors, but they may not have long enough spring wires. 

My thinking now is that I want to get a lot of the work done under the module, before mounting it in place. Before mounting it, I should extend the backdrop behind it. Once it is in place, it will be time to prep and paint another section of the basement floor. To keep up with our plans outside, I need to put in a fair amount of time teaming with my wife on those projects, but I can still make progress with the railroads. 

TOMA Phase Two: Infrastructure

 

Floor paint, second coat

In trying to avoid making the same mistake over and over, I transitioned to some "infrastructure" work since the last couple of posts. Painting the basement floor has been another in a long line of gumption traps for me. Despite having made some additional progress on the trackwork on the new module, I took it down from the temporary workbench and forced myself to tackle painting the floor. 

Starting with the area under the future location of "Phase Two" and along the Ingleton shelf seemed like a logical location. With the area emptied of stuff, I swept, shop vacced, and washed this segment of the floor. According to online pundits, painted concrete floors don't like hot water or acidic cleaners, so rather than my wife's initial suggestion of vinegar and hot water, I used warm water and a few drops of dishwashing soap. Again, according to the pundits, I used a damp sponge mop instead of really soaking the floor with a wet mop. I don't know if success was from following the experts, but all the paint appears to be maintaining adhesion.

Painting the floor in front of the Ingleton shelf doesn't quite complete the so-called infrastructure work there. (I think I picked up the use of the term infrastructure for work supporting the model railroad from Mike Hauk.) The little stud wall here is sheathed with homasote, and past water damage had warped the bottom. Before painting the floor, I cut out the worst of the deformed bottom on the one side. I cut a piece of clapboard salvaged from the "bar" and will use it as a baseboard. I also need to figure out the valance to hide the LED light and better frame the scene in this mini-layout. 

Behind Ingleton's stud wall, a set of built in shelves will support the railroad with storage. The framing supporting these shelves also has some water damage on one side. I plan to sister in some support, and I cut two 2X4s to do just that. The floor in the same area has a spot that is always wet. It can be seen in this photo. I plan to experiment with a hydraulic concrete patch here. That will need to be patched and allowed to dry before I can continue painting the floor here behind the stud wall. 

I definitely want to continue with the work around the Ingleton shelf before moving back to the track and electrical work on the new module. After painting the floor, with just a couple of steps on the location for the new module, its new home will be ready, and I can transition from a focus on infrastructure back to model rainlorading.

New Module -- Roadbed and Track, Part 1

The roadbed jigsaw pieces fit together

 In my last post, I mentioned next steps as working on the new module as well as completing some infrastructure work. I have, for the most part, focused on the new module in the last couple of weeks. However, before moving the module back to the sawhorses, I gathered up some of the tools and materials from the train room expansion projects and moved them out to the garage. In doing so, I was able to liberate the red work cart for actually working on the railroad. 

The puzzle is underway

I ended up piecing the roadbed together from a variety of materials. I had some cork on hand, but not enough to complete the whole module. I ordered some Walthers closed cell foam roadbed when I first ordered supplies for this project. Also, I found that I had one piece of cork turnout pad. Remembering my experience reclaiming modules, I used Elmer's white glue instead of Weldbond in case I would need to make changes. Again, I used a combination of nailing, clamping, and weighting to affix the roadbed materials. 

Putty in the gaps

With the assortment of types of roadbed and methods of attaching it, I had a bit of a learning curve. As I moved forward, I continued to double check with the track markings and the track itself. Facing turnouts and the full width foam were both new to me, so finding the one turnout pad in my bin of track parts helped. Clicking to enlarge the photos, one can see the pice of cork that I cut to fill a void. I traced the odd shape on a piece of paper and used it as a template. While it took a few days to fit the jigsaw pieces of roadbed together, it all came together. In this photo, I had just finished filling gaps in the roadbed and the screw divots with putty. 

The trackwork starts with the turnouts

With the roadbed in place and the cork painted an initial gray color, it was time to move on to starting the track and wiring. I started with the Peco turnouts. I have discussed prepping Peco turnouts before such as here or here. At this point I have isolated the frog and have a feeder soldered that will later run to the Tortoise switch machines. As I am using the switch machines on these two turnouts, I also removed the tiny spring in the turnouts. Back in my modular railroading days in Seattle, we discovered the possibility of creating shorts with the spring in place when using switch motors to change polarity. 

Now it is time to move on with fitting the track together and dropping feeders. As I solder the feeders under the rail as I lay the track, these two steps are taken together, rather than the typical lay track and then add feeders. I may take a brief break in working on this new module, as I will be prepping for a group clinic on weathering without an airbrush at my NMRA division's next in-person meeting.

TOMA Phase Two: New Module & Next Steps

Underside of the new module

The new module's benchwork is complete. Since my last post I completed the process of glueing and screwing the plywood top to the framework. After the glue dried, I drilled some holes through the framework to later run wiring. I also cut and glued on some wood spacers to support the fascia once it is time for that step. After those dried I went ahead and primed the underside with a latex primer. 

Now that the benchwork construction of this new module is complete, I revisited the penciled in track plan on its plywood top and started test fitting the track and roadbed. When I ordered track, turnouts, and roadbed a few months ago, cork roadbed was not available, so I went ahead and purchased some of the new Walthers closed foam roadbed. I also purchased Peco flex track, which I hadn't used before. Since I am using Peco turnouts, it makes sense to use their Code 83 flex track as well. 

By temporarily clamping the new module in place, I not only identified a slight angled gap between the modules, but I was also able to accurately position the end of the roadbed. In working with the Walthers roadbed, I found it to be less forgiving, perhaps because it is full width, with curving easily. I cut a small straight piece to glue in place here at the junction with the existing benchwork, ensuring that the subtle s-curve going through the fill would be from one length of the roadbed. Walthers says it can be glued, but does not specify what type of glue. I tried Weldbond. 

After the Weldbond dries, I will unclamp and move the new module back to the sawhorses to more easily work on finishing installation of roadbed along with the track and electrical work. I will need to review prepping the Peco turnouts before pre assembling the turnout section. Along with installing the trackwork, I will want to at least start some of the electrical work such as the track feeders and DCC bus with the underside easily accessible. Unlike the track and roadbed components which I ordered ahead of time, I'd better check my supply of switch machines and wire. I also have some infrastructure work to complete: hardboard for the backdrop and a new LED fixture for lighting will need to be purchased and installed as well as prepping and painting the floor before permanently bolting the module into place.  

TOMA Phase Two Underway

Revised Phase Two Sketch

I left off my last post with a desire to revise my plan for Phase Two and start with the new benchwork. As seen above, I shortened the plan for the new module and came up with this working plan. 

After sketching the plan, my next step involved unburying the sheet of half inch plywood from the back of a pile of lumber in the garage and purchasing a new blade for my Skilsaw. Still out in the garage, I cut a two foot by six foot section to bring into the basement to work from in order to fashion the top of the benchwork for the now six foot long cut and fill module. My plan was not to just create a flat rectangular benchtop, but to incorporate a curved front as well as some lower sections for the "fill" to rise up from. Later I will create the hill with the cut on top of the plywood base.

Using measurements of where the track on the modules to either side will be, my layout plan sketch, and some track I drew out the track plan on the plywood. If you click on the photo to enlarge it, you can see where I drew in the curved front of this new module. I started sketching in the track plan in pencil at this point as well, but I went over the curved front with a marker to make it easy to see. That will be the first cut with my saber saw. 

After cutting out the curved front of the plywood panel, I continued with drawing the track plan on the plywood. I first sketched in some initial ideas for the lowered section or ravine that will be cut out. I also did some basic calculations to get an idea of how low these dropped sections need to go. I have a trestle that I built from a Campbell kit years ago that I plan to use on the drill track. I also have a concrete culvert kit for the fill section. I wanted to make sure I had room for these. Then I cut out those sections that will be dropped below the rest of the plywood top. 

After cutting the plywood to its final shape, I started designing and construction of the grid framework. In this photo, it is completed and resting on sawhorses, ready for the installation of the top. To actually build the grid, I had the plywood on the sawhorses and laid out the "one by" pine panels on top of it. I used basic glue and screw techniques to put the grid together.  Having two drill motors made fast work of drilling and then screwing the parts together. 

In this photo from earlier today, the top and recessed areas are positioned in place, as is the trestle. After I took this photo I went ahead and glued and screwed the plywood top in place. One trick that I tried before final assembly was to reposition the plywood under the grid on the sawhorses in order to pencil in exactly where the grid frame pieces would be before reconfiguring the panel back on top. I also avoided positioning screws under future track locations as well as countersinking the screw heads, so they would be hidden under future scenery. 

I plan to continue working on this new section as a module as I find that it is much easier to complete some of the next steps by tipping it upside down or on edge rather than crawling under the installed benchwork. I need to complete some more prep work before installing this section as well; floor painting and extending the backdrop come to mind.