Layout photos Page Five
Here's a view of what will eventually be the control panel for the railroad. That's the MRC Prodigy DCC System on the left with remote throttles, and a standard MRC Tech II Controller on the right (for the short line). "DCC" is basically an ability to control the individual locomotives, as opposed to controlling simple track current. So with DCC, you can have two different locomotives on the same section of track, yet have only one of them running! In addition to the DCC Controller, each locomotive requires it's own DCC panel inside (and nowadays most credible locos are offered in DCC and non-DCC versions... DCC costs a little more).
Here I've started adding some contour to the big mountain section using Hydrocal and plaster cloth. Hydrocal is a lightweight material like plaster.
And here's the aforementioned "staging yard" complete with track, ballast, and several consists ready to go!
A close-up view shows that five lanes make up this staging yard, but two of them are static (meaning they don't actually allow trains to go onto the layout).
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