Rochester Exit and back loop

Progress has been made!  Haven't written because I've been diligently trying to get the exit-fold-down-bridge working and I've finally done it.

One major goal for the layout was to have a way to loop the trains for constant running in the event people came over to watch trains.  "Normal people" aren't that excited to watch yard work (go figure).  I also wanted to have that wonderful sound of a running train going while I'm working on scenery or other items.  My track plan allows for some light switching and yard work, but to get a nice long run, I ended up with two 'duck-unders' and a loop back around the room at a higher elevation than the rest of the layout.

Everyone I've talked to about layouts and track plans always warned - DON'T BUILD A DUCK-UNDER.  Technically I didn't ... I built two.

That said, I've made 1 (so far) collapsing. The "fun" part of this was how to get the track aligned so when it folds back into place the train doesn't derail and fall to the floor.  Dealing with the track leaving the bridge was easier to setup because of how the bridge folds down.  At this end, the track decends onto the track on the layout. I created some self-seating rail joiners and when the bridge lifts back into place, the rails decende into these joiners and fit perfectly (pictured here).  The other end is a bit more menacing.  I ran a piece of track right across the joint and pumped it and supporting benchwork / cardboard / wood with liquid nails to solidify everything and let that set.  I came back later with my Dremel and cut-off wheel and cut through the track, cork and wood.  This separated the bridge from Rochester, now allowing it to fold down.  Folding it up gets the rails close, but if its not exact - my test car will derail.  Some tuning and guides will be added to massage the track where it needs to be (more on this in a later post)

Since the loop around the room is at a higher elevation - and I didn't have room for (or the desire to build) a helix, I have to get the track up about 5" from Rochester to the back of the room.  A 2% grade is probably the max I want, and that equates to a 2" rise over 10 feet.

The exit from Rochester is on an incline and starts immediately after the yard throat, and goes to about 1/2" before it hits the bridge out to the back loop. (there's photos to back this up if I'm not making sense).  The bridge inclines up about another 1/2" and hits the right wall, and keeps chugging. Buy the time the track hits the center of the back wall - we're at the 5" mark.  I ran a train up this with track just tacked together, and it seems perfectly fine.  So I think we're good.

The next step will be to lay cork and track around the back loop to the final bridge back into Canandaigua - which will be a good time.  I think that one will be static, not 100% sure yet.

Latest photos of the construction