A question of grades...

With the elevated Koenigstein tables in place, it was time to start work on the secondary line running up to them.  It didn't take long before I realized that, based on the way I designed the 'nebenbahn', the grade up to Koenigstein would be over 8%.  By comparison, the Höllental line in the Black Forest, one of the steepest grades for a 'normal' railway line, is 5.5%.  

Yup, more track plan changes.

I decided to re-run the grade up to Koenigstein along the main line around the long edge of the layout.

You can see the track to the right of the main line sitting up on risers (no roadbed yet) winding its way towards the back of the layout.  It gets very close to the main line at one point, so this will be an interesting scenicking challenge.

As it reaches the level of Koenigstein, it has to cross the main line in order to make the turn.  Originally I had planned to have a bridge at this point, but it now looks like the main line will have to be in a tunnel for a greater period of time.

Here you can see the array of supports I built for the branch line as it crosses over the main line.  Of course, there will be plywood under the branch line track...

Finally, here's a picture I took of the 'northwest' corner of the layout.  There will be a small freight depot at this point (which was the case in Koenigstein before the freight depot was torn down in the 90's), behind which will rise the tall hill with the Koenigstein castle on top.



Here's an image I found on-line looking towards the 'west' from the platform at Koenigstein showing the castle on top of the hill.  This is what (hopefully) will be behind the freight depot in the previous picture.