My son and I have completed the cutting and sanding of the elevated roadbed supports. I have have mounted the elevated roadbed. This is a 1/2" plywood roadbed with 25 - 1/2" dole rods for support. The elevated track is set at 7" above the table top. The elevated roadbed is secured to the support posts with #19 1/2" nails and glue. I will be attaching the support polls to the table by cutting the first layer of cork and then gluing the posts to the table top. I am also adding some effects below the roadbed for realism and will be painting the roadbed black and the support polls black. I will also be adding the foam roadbed under the track as well as gravel between the track rails. I am wishing I used thicker plywood for the roadbed and may end up adding some addition support to this. I would recommend a 3/4" thick plywood for the roadbed.
I have begun the details on the elevated track sections. In the above pictures you can see the detail I have added below the elevated track. This detail is being created with 1 1/2" wide balsa wood planks and small balsa wood beams to give the steel girder effect. The layout is very messing now becuase I was adjusting the track inside the mountain, which means I have been walking all over the layout.
I have decided that the existing elevated track did not serve a real life purpose and blocked too much of the view. I have adjusted it to actually serve a purpose. The new evelated track now connects the outer rail, inner rail and train yard together. The train yard is contructed on a shelf behind the operator. I also began creating addition shelves to hold the trains that are not in operation.
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