Thanks to input on the topic I posted around what to do next, I decided today to build the next section of the benchwork - for the North Conway area.  Below is the trackplan again for the main level but with the benchwork plan shown to put the photos in context.

The benchwork stays away from the wall to allow the clearance and reach-in room under North Conway for the narrow section of under layout track leading to the staging under Bartlett.  

Here is the current state of the Dover yard with the foam painted tan so future scenic work doesn't show any pink showing through.  I am still waiting on more turnouts to finish the Dover track work. The track is not glued down yet, so I have been using skewers on the curves to ensure they stay put until I glue it all down (soon.)  I found that skewers are great to temporarily stake the Peco N scale code 55 track to pink foam because the skewers are exactly the width of the tie spacing.

Here is a photo end view showing the end of the Dover yard on the right side and how it will bend around to Madison and then at the far end bend back towards the camera onto the new benchwork for North Conway. You can see the tracks at the end and on the left that will be hidden heading down to the staging.  At the far end scenery will hide the tracks down.  On the left the elevation difference will be enough to scenic over it in North Conway. 

Here is a different angle on the North Conway staging.

The benchwork design did not show any connection between the North Conway benchwork and the wall except at the far left end where the distance between the under layout tracks and this level is enough that reaching under won't be a problem even with framing members above.  But I found the middle and right ends of the benchwork were wobbly, so I used narrow cleats in two spots against the wall and a member oriented flat to join to the wall.  The one nearer the right end required the cleat to be above the flat 1x3 to avoid being an issue for trains on the hidden track closest to the wall, so I will just plan to have a building or other landscape hide that cleat.

And below, since I don't think I posted any since trains were present, are a couple angles looking at the under layout staging that will be below Bartlett.

And finally for today, a link to my first ever posted video (no sound - I don't think the digital camera records sound).  This is just taking a single set of cars up the 2.6% grade climb from the staging to the other end and back.  For an old untuned engine on DC, it takes the grade like it was nothing. Of course, this was only 7 cars, but I've taken 15 up the grade with the single engine previously.  That will probably drop some when the cars are properly weighted.  Since Dover is not glued down or wired yet I couldn't go any further.  I apologize in advance for the "Blair-Witch"-like jitteriness and some fuzzy spots.  This was taken with a little kodak digital camera and my track power right now is still my old DC pack so I was juggling camera in one hand and reaching down to the knob with the other.  Makes me REALLY look forward to the switch to DCC and wireless handheld control next year.  I also realized after looking at the video that I was a bit speedy ripping out of the yard at around 30 scale MPH.  Whoops.  

-Ed