It’s a lumber yard

 Well, I’m building like a fiend. I cannot believe the amount of lumber going into the construction of this layout. It’s a lumber yard.

As per the design, the track surrounds the operators “pit” of Pettigrew Yard on all sides. On one side each track level has some sort of attachment to the benchwork below it. 

-BUT- 

On the other side the upper most level floats. This poses some interesting problems. I want to support the benchwork, obviously, but I also want it to be restrained from moving laterally.

I’m supporting the aisle side with threaded rods coming down from the joists above. I had to build a “trick bag” support, that extends down and around some inconveniently placed air conditioning duct work, to not only hold up the third deck, but hold it in place laterally. 

A long time ago I got a blue print from an Art Director depicting what she wanted for her set. There was no engineering showing how this was going to be accomplished. When I inquired about how I was going to levitate this substantial piece of scenery, she simply said, “I’m relying on you to come up with a clever solution that is on time and with-in the budget limitations”.

Nice. I’m having flash backs…

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