The main line has 10 ft diameter curves except in one section plus a a small semi "S" curve. I really wanted to get rid of the last of the 8 ft. curves so I started playing around. One of the primary issues is the tunnel which runs at an angle off the mainline. You can see where the new 20 ft. curves will take the new mainline [East side of layout]. I have to build a new bridge!
There was a large shrub that sat to the left of the curve in front of the retaining wall sections. The raised section where the curved track is hanging over the edge is where the Mountain line will eventually cross over the mainline. In getting rid of the hodge podge of track leading up to the tunnel [including 2 small custom "fit" pieces], I had to tear out a section of that retaining wall {see next photo below, left}
It was a pain in the butt but I got the wall "shortened" and fit 3 pieces of Aristocraft track. In doing so, I reduced the number of track pieces {and track seams} from 12 pieces of track to 3 pieces. You can tell by the dirt line on the wall, how much of the raised retaining wall I dispensed with...
Well, a buddy of mine has a ton of extra 20 foot Aristocraft diametter track. So he leaves me a box. Of course I have to do something with it..
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One of the reasons that I tore up so much landscape is to avoid tearing down the tunnel and building it over. By adding another 10 foot radius track [20 ft. diameter] coming off the straight curving to the left - I managed to "lengthen" the layout. I don't have enough space to put 20 foot curves on the west end of the layout. The straight bulldozes it's way through an Alo Vera plant. You can see where the original 8 ft. curves went between the rocks and the building. The last of the mainline, 8 ft. curves are GONE!
The photo on the left shows the end of the old mainline and how much the mainline has headed "west". I will add some more straight track to the north side of the mainline and have it hook up with the new section. This whole project will cause me to redo much of the inner line and inner yard line. It is going to be worth it though....bigger curves are better.
I suppose I could have planned for a bigger layout all along but with so many changes happening in Large Scale and new engines of "size" coming down the pike - I had to go bigger. I strongly suggest that any newbie to GO big if they can.
