Back on the ninth of October, I continued installing new subroadbed for Powder River.
Then I installed new roadbed, including part of the siding for the stock pens.
Then we went on vacation for over a week. On the 19th, after we got back, I began installing new track. Here I'm getting ready to solder a couple pieces of flex track together for the curve out of Casper.
The track has been soldered and installed.
If you look close you might be able to see the superelevation of this curve. Just under the can closest to the camera are a couple of insulated rail joiners. Casper will be on its own DCC booster.
Today I removed the cans from the new track, wired it up and tested it. Here's one of the Casper switchers running on the new track with a boxcar in tow.
I installed a new section of skyboard behind the new Powder River benchwork. It took some doing to splice it in with the Casper section:
But in the end I got it installed. I patched and smoothed the splices and refreshed the paint. The paint is still wet in this shot.
Then I started installing new subroadbed. Here a chunk of 1 1/2" foam is glued to the new benchwork, and has been weighted down until the caulk dries.
Yesterday I added another section of foam. I'm using left over pieces of insulation from when we finished the basement, which is why the sections are a bit on the small side.
And yesterday afternoon, after the caulk had a few hours to set up, I started installing new mainline roadbed.
Here's something of an aerial view of the new roadbed. You can see where the mainline used to curve back around behind the roundhouse when Casper yard was under construction on version 4 of the layout in New Jersey.
Meanwhile, other work continues. With the completion of "cornfield corner," it was finally time to move Casper into its permanent spot in the corner. I stapled felt strips along the benchwork stringers that will contact the room walls, to prevent damaging the surface of the wall.
With that done, I rolled Casper into position.
Wow! That sure leaves a lot of open space in the room, doesn't it?
Not to worry - I already have plans for all that empty space!
After positioning Casper, I replaced all the casters with new feet. I would have left the casters in place, but there was no height adjustment on them, and with a slightly uneven floor, that would have meant the track in Casper would have undulations in it. That would result in cars rolling out of their spots - not a good thing! So off came the casters, and on went adjustable feet.
Finally, after well over a year of work, I can finally extend the benchwork around the room. I wasted no time in getting started, and built the bench work for Powder River and Shobon off the "west" end of Casper's benchwork. I even got the mounting strips for the backdrop installed behind the Powder River area.
