About a month ago we decided to get the trees around the yard trimmed. There were large branches in the walnut tree that were both over the train layout and scraping the side of the house. We called the tree service in because the branches were too big and too high up for me (Bob) to safely remove with my electric chainsaw (more like a big brother to a turkey carving knife).
Worried that a $150 brass track switching point was no match for a falling 1000lbs branch, I decided to pull up all the train track that we successfully left out all winter. Upon completion of the branch removal I soon reallized that I never clearly documented how I had the track hooked together. So I decided to take the opportunity improve on the previous design.
But the more I moved track from one side of the layout to the other the more I realized I was missing two wide radius pieces. At first, I thought I brought them inside over the winter to design my curved train tresle. I then remembered one curve of the layout that previously had four sharp radiuses that now only contained one. I shuffled the track and solved the radius problem only to discover I was now short three 6" pieces. Another shuffle solved that problem but made me short two "one foot" pieces. After searching the layout I finally was able to freed up the pieces I needed and got my improved design completed.
I now needed to secure all the track and to not touch it for the rest of the season. The advantages to the new layout is an improved north and south yard with my fluent curves and transistions. I still need to rebuild the retaining walls and complete the rail bedding to open the upper loop.
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