The first order of business was to find out what grade the locomotives on hand could actually climb, and do so with a useful load (2 cars). I had wanted 2" of elevation gain with the switchback, but only had 36" total track length to work with, not including the tail track. That's a big ask, unless your name is Shay. Several commenters had noted that there was no way that would work, and I did not doubt them. But you have to try.
At the intended grade, the locomotive just *would* get to the top, wheels slipping madly. Didn't even bother with cars. At 0.5" elevation gain for each leg, the engine motored on up. The two heaviest cars I have are, ironically, flatcars. I think the train-set house cars weigh less than my properly-weighted N scale equipment. The locomotive got them up the grade well enough, although you probably wouldn't want to try it on wet track. So enough elevation change to be operationally and visually interesting, and anything that helps with those on a layout this size is a good thing.
Bought some 2' x 2' x 1" foam squares, and replaced the cardboard mockup with them. The mockup was useful in that I knew what parts had to be cut, and about where the track had to go.
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Weighting with appropriate books. The books combined likely outweigh everything that will be above the benchwork.
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I'll let the track sit for a little while I adjust siding lengths. I will likely adjust the siding at the top of the lower deck to 3 car lengths, keeping the 5-3-3 Inglenook ratio for the lower level. The near mainline switch on the lower level will be moved back to make a useful interchange track. The upper level lacks a 5 car space, and I'm looking at moving the near siding switch back along the main and shortening the siding. The siding track beyond the switch is not actually part of the plan.
With the laying of track comes roadbed and ballasting, and the need for a coherent vision, or 'story', to focus the effort. The CQD and SOS are two Class 2 railroads serving an urban area in the coastal Mid-Atlantic states. This is their story (dum-dum).
The CQD is represented by the trackage on the left, and serves the only two industries on the layout, located at either end. Probably a grocery warehouse near and a furniture factory far. The CQD put the switchback in to serve the factory powerhouse. Sometime later, another railroad (not the SOS), put in a line adjacent to the switchback. The furniture folks were happy to have a little competition for their fuel business. After the lawyers finished, the competitor could leave cars for interchange, but could not switch them. The railroad eventually abandoned the line, to be taken up by the SOS.
Time frame will be determined by the equipment available, or what comes over the transom, but likely late 60's/ early 70's. Whether the story is plausible isn't as important to me as to give some direction to the modeling and operation.
