Hi all,

When I had my layout benchwork built about 14 months back it was done by a good friend of ours who has all the tools like saw tables for the MDF etc.
The benchwork need to be fixed in into a drywall which isn't of the best quality and he managed to get it hanging off the wall pretty stable and level.

To make it dead level from left to right and front to back I use thin wooden shims to get the right effect after which the lift-out sections get screwed to the subframe in a few places to avoid flexing and warping.

At one end of the layout my Free-mo module is connected as part of an industrial park.   In order to work this area, the switcher needed a small tail track.   However, I didn't want this extending into the main part of the room where the kids play, and eventually something (or someone) whacking into it.   So I built a small drop down leaf and mounted it with a hinge.    In the "up" position, a simple bolt/washer/nut combination keeps it in place.   I need to get a small hook and eyelet to hold it back in the down position.

Just had our Easter weekend break so I had 2 extra days available for construction and progress has been astonishing – way beyond what I expected to achieve, which makes a change from the usual 70% achievement of plan at best.

A few photos........

If you've been reading this blog then you'll remember that I've been trying to reclaim portions of an elderly friend's HO layout but in On30. Much of his railroad isn't my style - mainline spaghetti bowl loop (big loop) and when I brought it home in huge chunks only the strong survived. Since On30 tie sizes and center-to-center spacing is som much different, portions of the layout are being used where you can't really tell that the rails is so out of scale. Some of the switches have come up in pieces so I am re-laying them on new ties and PC board ties from FastTracks.