This is the update for 12 December 2015. The construction of the layout finally reached the Union Station (aka Kansas City Union Station) yard area in early December. I've left this area to the end because it will have the most complex construction piece, the engine facility in the middle of the east helix. Hopefully over the next couple of weeks, I can get a couple of tracks installed to join the layout from one end to the other. I am in the process of planning the design of the support structure for the engine facility that will be placed in the middle of the east helix. The structure will have a couple of key items, namely, allow me to sit under it to clean the helix tracks & have a pop-up area to allow maintenance on the track near the back wall. More to come on that in the future.

The following pictures show various parts of the Union Station yard.  I am working on the passenger train section of the yard first which includes industries along the back and side wall.

This picture shows the east end of the yard. Two of the passenger tracks are getting really close to connecting to the east helix (about 6 more feet).
 

The picture below shows 5 of the 7 passenger tracks.  The polarity car is still being used to verify track feeder locations.

The picture below shows the west end of the yard. The tracks in the foreground will be for freight as well as sidings for icing platforms and a freight depot.

The picture below shows a close-up view of some of the turnouts on the west end of the yard.

The picture below shows an overall view of the Union Station yard looking toward the east helix.

Finally, this is a picture of the wall above where Union Station will be installed.  The signs represent all of the different railroads that will serve Union Station.  The only through trains will be from the ATSF while the others will run from staging to Union Station and back to staging.

More to come after the holidays.