....aaaand two steps back.

I should really post more than once a year. But: Real Life. And spare time spent working on the layout instead of blabbing about it.

Anyway, an overview of progress to date:

That's Steelton Yard on the lower shelf right, yard lead and Sault Ste. Marie industries along the back wall, 1-1/2 turns of helix on the left, then out around the peninsula in the center. The subroadbed for Canyon (near side of peninsula) is even screwed down. Then I add the second-level shelf in the peninsula:

Only 11" of clearance, and more like 9" after I hang a light fixture from the shelf (it looks even more cramped in person than it does in the photo). I knew what the number was going to be, of course -- the whole thing is planned in XTrakCad -- but there's nothing like seeing it.

Well, better to fix it now than be annoyed by it for the next 20 years. The lower peninsula was intended to be an "intermediate" level to break up the helix into two sections, but obviously it's too close to the upper shelf. So that helix turn will have to come out, and the subroadbed unscrewed and moved down about 2 inches -- not a lot, but an improvement.

Layout design: it's all about picking the compromises you can live with. And being a bit flexible when things don't work out quite like you expected.