Beginning Benchwork

Bruce stopped over yesterday and we talked for a long time over the mockup I had laid out on the modular benchwork. We agreed that what I had laid out very closely resembled his last track plan but there were details in the yard area that needed some rethinking to fit in the 10' span with curves at either end - yard interchange, yard lead, cabin car track and ideally 4 tracks each 1 car longer than my longest train. Then we started talking about the passing sidings and figured pretty much 5-6 cars in a train plus engine and cabin car. Good compromise I feel so that the train does not wrap from one town to the next but still enough to make switching a little demanding.
Bruce had a number of interesting ideas and took some of the sketches for thinking and doodling. It will be very interesting to see what he comes up with and I can hardly wait. While he was here, he helped me mount the bracket around the room that the back of the modules will rest on. In reality it took me longer to pull out and move back all the stuff under the layout than it did for us to mount the three 10' spans of 1" x 4" but it was definitely a 2 man job and I appreciated his help.

Bruce screwing the board to the wall studs ... we hope!

I took the picture of Bruce after we leveled and screwed the board at both ends. He was drilling pilot holes for the rest of the span. I have another photo, I will have to dig up and post, of him doing almost exactly the same time waaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyy back when we were both lieutenants in the Air Force and building a shelf layout in my apartment. Hmmm..... maybe this time we will actually be able to run a train!