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As a newbie and still in progress of building my first multi-level layout, every step has its challenges! First and foremost the challenge is trying to build a castle on a mobile home budget. 1. The planning software... It took several days to figure out all the, now simple, things that Atlas' RightTrack software can do. I use Atlas RT because of its name - FREEware. 2. Cutting the subroadbed (plywood) to meet the plan specifications... In the layout planning stage I built-in transistions for all curves and track switches. I.e. The first and last piece of track to a 22R curve is one 24R piece of track. Planning with RT was easy compared to cutting the subroadbed to match. Radius centers are at different points. 3. Laying the cork roadbed was easier than I expected. Using Liquid Nails to glue the cork down made it pretty simple. Until I got to the first switch! Cutting the cork to interconnect two directions and fit smoothly without gaps for the #6 track switch was a challenge in itself. I laid one of the two dogbone return loops first. 4. I decieded to use Atlas code 83 super-flex track and will start laying and testing track, one block at a time, on the newly laid roadbed this next week. I was going to nail the track until I read mikemc's reply above - to use the liquid nails and glue it down. This sounds like a better solution. With all said, my "Biggest challenges in tracklaying" are still ahead! My layout - for those interested... I am building a freelance 5' x 12' 4-level HO scale railroad. It has two mainlines which I call the freight line and passenger line. The inner track (freight) is based on 18R and 20R curves and the outer track is 22R and 24R curves. It has 4 sidings, 4 spurs, a small yard and 2 double slips to go from inner to outer tracks. I am building it in my garage. The framework consists of 2 4' x 4' x 40"h. "storage cabinets". One for storing camping gear and the other for holiday decorations (this helped convince my better half that the RR would not take up useless space). In the 4' space between cabinets I've put drawer slides so that the control panel slides out when in use and tucks away when not in use. With a mobile home budget I am building it with DC blocks vice DCC using 2 MRC controls. My freight engines are Santa Fe and Union Pacific and the passenger engine is Southern Pacific. If anyone has any constructive suggestions for a newbie please e-mail me. dbhuff@cox.net
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