As of December 31, 2001, there has been no actual progress on the layout.  However, there is some work going on in preparation for getting the CSXT Shenandoah Division V2.0 layout underway.

Very good progress has been made on the working drawings for the new layout. The layout design has been essentially completed enough for me to feel comfortable with starting benchwork very soon into 2002. There may still be changes made to the design, but I feel comfortable with the overall configuration of the layout and its ability to meet my design and operating goals. Look for the plan to be posted in the Design section of this web site in the near future.

On November 4, 2001 and November 23, 2001, Cherie's dad came over and helped cut 1 x 2 and 1 x 3 "lumber" from 4' x 8' sheets of birch plywood. Even though I hadn't even started the upper-level design yet, we went ahead and did this while the weather was warm and dry to have some "lumber" on hand before starting the benchwork this winter.

On December 22, 2001, my dad came over and helped me install the first 4 of 8 eventual fluorescent fixtures. The first 4 fixtures were installed in the Salem/Covington/staging room. These are four tube fixtures that are four feet long and give a dramatic improvement in the lighting conditions of the room.

On December 24, 2001, I put together "the prototype" (as Norm Abrams would say on The New Yankee Workshop) for the benchwork supporting the two new long peninsulas as well as the shorter new peninsula. These peninsulas all need to be freestanding but able to support the double-deck layout. Chuck, Todd, and Jan came up with some good ideas on how to handle this benchwork, and I think the resulting design will be fine. The wall which supports Salem has studs on 24" centers, so I mocked up a piece of 3/4" birch plywood supported on 24" centers to see how much deflection there will be. Overall, I think the more traditional 16"-18" centers are better (maybe I'm being conservative), but I think the 24" centers will be fine on that one wall.

Various portions of December 26-31, 2001 have been spent finalizing some design changes to the upper level and drawing the actual benchwork and supports. I have all of the lower-level benchwork drawn in 3rdPlanIt for the Salem/South Salem/Wadesboro area. Next up will be the upper-level benchwork for that same area. After that part of the benchwork is drawn, I'll then finish drawing the benchwork for the other room. Being able to see the benchwork in a 3-D view in 3rdPlanIt has me excited about starting the layout. 3rdPlanIt will allow me to calculate the amount of lumber needed for the benchwork (as well has how many turnouts and how much flextrack).

I've included some photos below of the new fluorescent fixtures, the New Castle peninsula, and the new benchwork support prototype. The details of the prototype for the benchwork support are discussed in the caption below its picture.

View looking into bonus room addition where Salem Yard and Wadesboro staging will go. The four new fluorescent fixtures are shown.

Bonus room addition looking towards wall for NS Roanoke staging and the mess in the model workshop area.

Another view of the room. This is the long wall where the Salem classification yard will be.

Looking back towards the main room. The New Castle peninsula is on the floor in its approximate new location.

Another view looking back at the workshop area and the New Castle peninsula.

The model workshop and storage alcove.

The main bonus room again. The New Castle peninsula is on the floor and will need to move about 1.5 feet to the left.

Here's a close-up of the New Castle peninsula. It is still in the three pieces in which we moved it. Hopefully, it won't take too much effort to put it back together.

Another view of the New Castle peninsula.

Here is the prototype for one of the new peninsula benchwork supports. The vertical piece is a pair of birch 1 x 2s screwed together back to back. The horizontal piece is a birch 1 x 2 screwed into the verticals, which acts as a stabilizer. Another 1 x 2 acts as a diagonal support brace. Together, this assembly will act as a "stud" to support the new "wall" for the peninsula. 

The "stud" assemblies will be placed every 16" and will be connected together with a pair of 1 x 2s acting as a top plate and a 1 x 3 as horizontal strapping just above the stabilizer. The diagonal braces will switch direction on each stud so that on either side of vertical there will be 32" spaces created where shelving can be installed.

To support the benchwork, birch 1 x 3 joists will be screwed into the vertical post for both levels of the layout. A piece of 1 x 3 strapping will tie the joists together. Risers will be screwed into the joists to support the plywood subroadbed.

At least, that's the current plan! :-))

Here's another view of the prototype benchwork support. On the right is the mock-up for the 24" center deflection test.