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Started with plans for bench work and precut as much as
 I could at my place of work.

Then home to the garage to start assembling the bench work.

Out to the train shed for one more look at the old
 layout before destruction starts.

That was a tough step to take, start tearing apart the old layout 
to prepare the shed for the new layout.

The shelves were removed from the left side of the room and
 the sheet rock was finished.

The bench work starts to go in all the while moving all the contents
 of the room from one side to another as I went.

After the bench work was complete the upper cupboards were build to make storage area for many things that were stored in this room before. It also functioned as a valance to hide the lighting for the layout.

I used 4 foot single florescent tubes for work lights and used 
clear Christmas lights on a dimmer for operation lights.

My track plan was just where and what I wanted to include in my layout.

Now came the actual task of fitting things in the space I had.
 I did want a dual mainline layout but not all the track parallel. 
I built this layout around the scenes I wanted to model. Things like a river,
 a bay scene, mainline over mainline, as much horizontal track spacing as 
possible, reversing loop,   a snow shed,  large gorge with bridges crossing,
 a pond with a cabin on it, engine facility with fueling and sanding and
 turntable and shops for painting and car work and engine work and MOW equipment storage, Yard as large as possible, Intermodel facility, Saw mill,
 Farm equipment company, Town scene from old layout, Farm scene,
 Agrichem farm chemical company which my father owned, Draper Valley 
chicken feed plant which is close to home, Gas station, 
 Fast food restaurant, Train station, and other buildings and scenes
 from my old layout.

Before I started this layout I had never been to an operating session.
 I wish I had. I still think with what I have I can still have some pretty 
fun operations if I can fit the helix and staging yard in under
 the layout like I would like.

Now came the track laying. I used all Atlas code 80 flex and 
Peco electrofrog switches. Maximum grade is 2% and minimum
 radius is 16 inches. I think once it is painted, weathered, and 
ballasted the look of the track will satisfy me. I wanted reliable
 operation with the least amount of 
work in keeping all equipment to exact standards. It is a job to get 
and keep all track work and equipment in perfect condition all the time.
 I used Midwest cork on 1/2 plywood base and nailed the track
 temporarily until all the bugs were worked out and then the track is glued
 and ballasted down and the nails removed. All my joints are
 soldered like my last layout and I never had any problems,
 even with temperature and humidity changes. The layout is wired
 in blocks for DC operation at this time but DCC will be easy
 to convert to in the near future. A temporary control panel
 was put in place.

Been working on getting the base scenery down and bases for all 
the buildings. I want to make all the buildings removable for further detailing .

The last week I have been working on building a helix to get below
 the layout and building a staging yard for enhanced operations.
A place for trains to come and go from. Got the helix built and
 installed and track all laid and wired and the staging yard and 
helix are working without a problem! 
 The following are pictures of that project.

MORE TO COME   KEEP CHECKING BACK