A Third Line, With Elevation...

So... the thing that was bugging me was this:  If I wanted to go all the way around the room, I had a height discrepancy.  I initially set the height based on the height of the door frames, and the assumption that having the train as close to eye level as possible was the way to go.

But... but... the windows along the front of the living room had some shelving and window treatments that were about 3 inches HIGHER than my train shelf. If I wanted to close the circuit as it were, I would need to raise the height of my existing shelves... Or.... Or...

I settled on a less intrusive, more gradual approach to tackling this issue.  Bachmann makes some EZ track risers that would allow me to gain the elevation needed...  I had enough of a run to keep the rise at a modest 2% or so....  and you know... If I'm going to have an elevated track along the back edge of my shelf as it approached the chimney, it wouldn't be that much work to create an elvated viaduct that allowed for a Cal Train line to run beneath my Giants Train Line.

Yes.... At some point, I did in fact buy an MP36 "baby bullet" Cal Train engine

to go with my 4 cal train bombadier cars.  I mean, someone just sent them to me. I wouldn't actually be buying trains for a layout that couldn't accommodate them. Okay... I mean... I guess I would.  But come on. A full Cal Train push/pull consist, next to my Giants train line?  That's too good to pass up! And a good fit since the San Francisco terminus of the Cal train comes in a block away from the Giants' AT&T park.

Sooooo.... anywhoooooo.... A viaduct. I like the idea of doing something cheap and DIY, but something that would look good when seen from a distance.... I bought some balsa wood  "beams", and coffe-stir-stick "girders" and "cross-members," and begin engineering 36-inch-long viaduct sections that would take the bachmann EZ track, as well as a coat of paint of rust-red industrial colored paint...  I've played around with various types of support beam strutucers.... and now have 12 feet of viaduct running halfway down the wall. Once I settle on a final support structures, I'll complete the run to the chimney. Until then...

Behold... my Giant Train Of Doom, with elevated viaduct and Cal Train consist running beneath it...

Soon, I will be ready to "cross the Chimney" and try for a long run above the windows.... we'll see. That would seem to require some kind of signature bridge of some sort....  A signature bridge...  36 inches long...