NTS & B Helix lower turn around loop finished

The lower helix loop is now completed and raised over the (future) mainline passenger yard. The supports were made from 3/4 inch dowels and pieces of 1/3 cut at a 60 degree angle, and drilled with a 3/4 inch hole. The 1/3 pieces were glued to the dowels, and then screwed into the bottom of the raised plywood. 3/4 inch holes were also drilled into the station platforms, which were screwed into the lower plywood, also from the bottom. The dowels were then glued into the holes in the platforms. Some of the overhead was not over the station platforms, so the a hole was drilled directly into the lower plywood, about 1/2 through using a flat bottomed bit called a Fostner Bit, and the dowel was glued in the hole. Some of the raised track was directly over and parallel to the lower tracks, so a 1/2 inch by 3/4 inch piece was placed across 2 dowel supports. and screwed into the dowels, and the raised plywood.

The top picture shows an overall view of the layout, including the subway, mainline, raised track, trestle leading into the helix, the helix, and the cable stayed bridge. The lower 2 pictures show the raised track from the mainline level,

A new generation of train lovers (?)

Santa brought my grandson a NASCAR set for Christmas (after all, he was 6 months old). He (and his dad) absolutely loved it, and he is already working the throttle. Might have even hooked his big sister. My daughter says it must skip a generation, since neither of my kids showed much interest in trains. His dad had also picked up a used set for Christmas, so they had 2 sets running together.