In the Fall, I will begin construction of a large HO scale layout.  While I have not yet settled on a prototype, the leading candidate right now is the Union Pacific's Evanston Subdivision in Utah, specifically around Echo Canyon.  In looking at the trackage, I noticed that the double track mainline has no crossovers, but instead has center sidings.  Any thoughts on how to incorporate this into a layout.  Seems center sidings instead of crossover will take up way to much space.  Or, should I just do crossovers?  Below is the space and general flow of the la

This morning I've been testing a variety of adhesives on SPS foam to discover if any of these would eat the foam,  but also to see if any created a stronger bond compared to the other. I thought this experiment might help others, so here 'tis.  FYI - for what I need to achieve on this model: My structure will include ~ 25 brick piers that will be set into the foam. The piers will be attached to the structure and only give the appearance of actually supporting the structure in the ground. I will drill slightly over-sized, shall holes in the foam to accept the piers.