Layout Construction, page 3

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	Jan 1, 2004. Here is the start of construction with the center peninsula of the layout. Note that the room was finished prior to construction commencing. Windows have yet to be trimmed as well as baseboards, but they are not as important as a layout at this stage. The peninsula is made of L-girders, 8"x8' OSB for the web and 1x2 for the cleats. Two eight-footers were bolted together with 2x4 legs only on the ends. The center peninsula is about twenty feet long. There is about a half inch sag in the middle of this span, so maybe another set of legs are needed after all....
	Jan 2, 2004. Assembly of the SilentFloor I-beams was accomplished in another room. The beams had to be spliced back together as they were shorter sections of about seven to eight feet in length. OSB was ripped to the width of the web in between and were four feet in length. These splices were bolted to the two halves of I-beam. Two splices were used; one on each side of the web.
	Jan 25, 2004. The layout along the back wall is progressing in this photo. Olympia is along the back wall. Yakima is on the front right side of the peninsula and Naches is on the front left side of the peninsula. The two portions of the layout are not connected together in this photo. This came later and consisted of one I-beam cut to length to mate the two portions together.
	Feb 16, 2004. This shows the false wall detail. The 2x2s are attached onto the back of the L-girder joists. Felt furniture pads are placed onto the backs of the 2x2s - about 2 or 3 per stud and then the entire structure is butted up to the wall. The L-girders are secured and the foundation is ready for the cross-members. Note, the entire layout has been built inside of an already finished room and there are no screws or bolts securing the false walls to the room's walls.
	Dec 24, 2004. Drywall is screwed to the studs around the layout walls. The studs sticking up above the drywall is to secure the second deck of the layout. The horizontal support for the second deck consists of a triangular gusset and 2x2 (shown). Olympia will be located along the left and back walls with the waterfront on the left.
	Jan 21, 2005. What a mess! Much of the second deck is place. On the right, you can see masonite spline roadbed being installed for the loop at the summit crossing the Cascades.
	Feb 6, 2005. Here is a look at Yakima. The "roof" over the layout is in place. It is 1/8 masonite with 1x3 and 1x4 crossmembers. A center divider is located down the peninsula to make the layout look larger. The center wall are 2x2s screwed to the cross-members. The mainline and siding are splined and some Homabed is resting on top.
	Feb 6, 2005. Masonite spline, up close #1. I cut the splines 7/8 inch thick with a 3/32 blade. With this, I can get 48 strips from one sheet - enough to do about 64 feet. This photo shows a mainline which is already splined with a siding being installed. The first spline is in place and happens to be the outer spline - five additional are needed to complete it. I simply use brads to hold the first few splines in place along with a spring clamp. Another "happy accident" about using 7/8 inch thick splines in HO: the wire to the throwbar on Tortoise switches are barely long enough to go through the spline, Homabed and throwbar.
	Mar 12, 2005. Masonite spline, up close #2. This picture shows a planned diversion where a switch will go. This is by far the strongest method to create diverging routes. The other way I've done them is simply adding more strips onto the side of an existing spline roadbed. This isn't quite as sturdy a method, but is necessary if your track arrangement isn't finalized before starting the roadbed construction.
	Mar 12, 2005. Track(less)-level view of Olympia. The second deck is eighteen inches above and has a three-inch setback from the front of the layout. The 1/8 masonite "ceiling" hasn't been placed over this portion yet. Hidden track coming from staging enroute to Yakima is seen to the right under the coffee (actually tea) cup.
	Aug 14, 2005. Here I am taking a BN U-boat for a spin. The main is complete down to the east yard limits in Olympia (on my left). The siding in front of me at the summit, is under construction. The Homabed has been painted and the track is free-floating on most of the layout with only a few track nails to prevent it from excessive lateral movement. The slope in the background leads up to the second deck where Morton will be located and the Headquarters log reload area (empties in-loads out). Olympia is directly behind me as is the plugin for the EasyDCC tethered throttle in my hand. EasyDCC has been installed for about two weeks now. I'm still powering the entire track length with only a couple of gator clips on one end! Feeders and a main power trunk are currently underway.