Nether Region

From the moment I'd decided to build this layout, I knew one area would pose a challenge when it came time for scenery: the two hidden tracks along the back. John Allen's original layout didn't have a "back"; indeed, one can take the caption on his plan quite literally: "tracks hidden from view" didn't mean they were enclosed in a tunnel; they were simply not visible from the front. In fact, the tunnels under Daphetid were short and had portals on the back side, which can be seen in a few rare images.

John could get away with this because his layout was large (relatively speaking), and it sat up fairly high. My little Z Scale G&D doesn't have these advantages—indeed, it's meant to be viewed from all angles—and so the tracks would need to be completely enclosed in a tunnel. The problem in doing this was that it created a challenging area to scenic, given that it's smack behind the wooden trestle, and I knew right from the get-go it would require some careful planning.

My approach was to construct an enclosure that wrapped around the two tracks like a glove, providing absolute minimum clearance for trains in order to provide maximum room for scenery around the trestle. Essentially I made a long box out of 3/16-inch thick Gatorfoam, with a split lid to follow the different track grades.

The cutting and fitting was done with great care and precision, as every fraction of an inch counts in Z Scale. The rear half of the lid was attached to the subroadbed at each corner of the layout, while the front half rested on a vertical front face panel that sloped to match the track grade behind it. With all of the stark white Gatorfoam, it's a little difficult to make out the various shapes; at the same time, all of that clean white inside the tunnel will make it easier to see what's going on in there, should it become necessary.

It was a relatively small addition to the layout, but it will have a big impact on the eventual scenery-making in the area around the signature trestle. And I had a strong urge to continue on with more of the same—until I came to my senses and realized that extending the enclosure might make tracklaying in the tunnel difficult or even impossible. So, I switched gears, and talked myself into laying the track in the tunnel! I couldn't come up with a good reason not to.

Just prior to laying the track, however, I soldered all of the track joints. I learned long ago not to assume that track joints will remain conductive forever, and usually the one that causes trouble is the one that's hardest to get to. And the layout is too small to worry about expansion/contraction issues.

Once the joints were soldered, tracklaying took almost no time at all, as my technique provides near-instant gratification. I simply apply a bead of Loctite PowerGrab to the underside of the roadbed, and press the track onto the layout. That's it. PowerGrab has a very aggressive tack, and the track doesn't even need to be weighted, unless it doesn't lie flat to begin with—and if it doesn't, something's wrong!

The only trick required is applying the right amount of adhesive. Too much, and you've got curly white weeds growing along the rails (which can be cleaned away with a stiff-bristle brush that's wet with water). I apply a bead down the middle that's just large enough to rise above the edges of the roadbed when sighting across the underside of the track.

So, the layout has seen two milestone events in one day: scenery substructure and tracklaying have both begun. Sure hope those switches become available soon!

Original Gorre & Daphetid image courtesy of Peter T. Prunka.

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