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Sir, I will add some thoughts to the boiling pot. Your main line cries out for more mileage. Thus: http://www.naisp.net/users/mfischer/Trkplans/2x40003.zip This picture shows the two switches in red that I am talking about. Some really big switches like #8's will provide smooth operation across there and not to mention a good spot for a junction tower. The other reason for including a second loop of track is to ISOLATE your yard from the main line. It is very unsatisfactory to have to stop yard switching to let main trains thru or vice versa. Another benefit is freeing up your switcher to work on it's own drill track and keeps the Main line trains from derailing across yard switches that were left un-thrown. (Or open, closed etc) You will forget which switch is thrown for which train as I did. Chopping off the top two yard tracks in the ladder and making them long stub tracks will increase your capacity and provide a working storage area for your switcher. I infer from your plan you may connect to another section someday and create a sort of a central yard. Bellevie is a excellent town, when I saw it I had the urge to grab my trusty P2k 0-6-0 and start switching. It may be possible to do a sort of trackwork to allow you to reverse trains, I am thinking of your engine leaving the yard and taking care of the towns and suddenly having to somehow change direction for the return trip back. And lastly, the suggestion I included above helps lengthen your mainline run and perhaps provide enjoyment on days when you dont feel like switching. You can always sorta take a stretch of main and hide it behind a increasing screen of small to bigger trees to hide your train and provide a sense of time. And one other thing to consider is the capacity of your sidings. I myself think a train that has a heavy steam engine up front with 15 40' cars (maybe a few odd lengths longer here and there) and caboose is a TRAIN in HO. Worthy of any engineer. BTW, you club folks running 100 car double stacks across mountains to distant citys need to keep in mind that in a average room 15 cars is alot of train to roll. The reason for this is the BLI Heavy Mike is capable of hauling this train up 3% grades with a bit of slip here and there. So that is my "maximum" train if you allow room for one of these to do it's work or better yet have a siding big enough to fit it I think you will be pretty happy. Lee
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