First off to be able to build a layout of this size you need to drive everyone nuts with track laid all over the house and then act like a fool whenever anyone steps on it. Then take over the dining room table and get mad when someone wants to eat at it. Sooner or Later the wife will allow you to build that shelf layout you been asking for!

NOW you need someone who can actually build a shelf. I suggest a Father in Law with a wood shop and possibly a lifetime of building in wood and LOTS of power tools. Now you may have to give in a little at this point. Your CFO may want some painting done or woodwork like crown molding or baseboards. Do this with a cheerful grin because it instills goodwill and the opportunity to get to the store to get needed supplies that said goodwill will allow for less complaining from your CFO of the costs! Its a win / win situation! You should also use this breathing period to finalize your plans like how wide of a shelf, minimum radius curves, and what kind of control your going to use. For this layout we will be using DCC with 22" radius curves and a 5 1/2" shelf for most locations.



After the goodwill tour is completed is time for the shelf to go up! The idea my Father in Law came up with is really classy and looks really complicated BUT its not really just a little time consuming

Now while figuring out the layout we found a location that was going to be a real bear to make an outside shelf! It was where the chimney was so we cut a tunnel through it. We got real LUCKY when we had the tunnel cut we found it already had a shelf right at the same level as the track was going to be! there was just one problem though. the location of the flu required a dogleg to get around it. So with the use of sectional track we laid it out. I then hooked up some power and ran one of the locomotives through the tunnel. It worked great! But then I remembered I still had my 2-4-4T Forney that had a little different running profile. I ran that through the tunnel. It would make it through but it sounded like it was binding up so I put a rail car hooked up to it. PROBLEM it was derailing the car at slow speeds and at higher speeds it would toss the car completely OFF the track! Is my railroad already derailed? I love that Forney and want to be able to run it what am I going to do?