I'm working on the backdrop/divider for the layout and hope to maybe be done with it in a week or two. Next up is actually laying track. I'd like to get as much of the mainline on the lower level done as quickly as possible so I can see a train or two run and make sure it is as bullet proof as possible before starting on the upper level. The plan is to put in all the turnouts for the mainline as I lay it but the turnouts won't have track from the main leading to anywhere for the time being. I thought I could add a short section of track to some of them and maybe a couple scenes could be created where there would be a track laying crew with appropriate equipment laying new track to a town or industries as would of been the case as railroads added track. Anyone have any links to items that would help create this or to other layouts where this has been done? Sumner
I haven't seen this done on a layout myself but it does sound pretty interesting. Going out from end of track, I'd guess you would need to have some ties and rail staged. You could have a run of ballast with new ties set and ready for rail and transition that to ballast and the just graded dirt as you extend away from the switch. For vehicles, maybe a bull dozer, a grader, some kind of track hoe or small crane for lifting rail sections, and maybe a dump truck with some ballast. Just random thoughts. Wonder if there is anything on some of the 3d printing sites like Thingverse for example that represents MOW or track laying equipment from that era? Could be a fun scene. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with.
With the 1:1 roads laying sectional track these days, you could just have a customized flatcar or gondola with a load of Atlas sectional track, pushing a crane car. You'd have to paint the ties concrete color. Put a ballast hopper behind the track car, followed by a spreader, for single-pass railway construction! A railcar full of Unitrack might be a bit much... Oh, if 1:1 life were only that simple!
