Back in April I installed the mainline track up to the east end of Maynard.  This is the first town down the line (west) from Willis, where the visible portion of the layout begins.  Shortly after that I completed the roadbed through the town and was ready to lay track.  There are two spurs planned for Maynard, one will serve a ready-mix concrete plant, and the other a retail propane dealer.  I had intended to install the mainline and industrial trackage within a week or so in order to start generating revenue for the railroad.

Well, I got side tracked with other things and the trackwork took a back seat.  Since I had decided last week to back off for a while on my sub-roadbed construction for the Spencer logging operation, I thought this weekend would be perfect to get a little trackwork done.  So off I went to Maynard.  The two mainline switches are installed now, and one of the spurs is complete.  I’ll put a little track down for the other spur during my next work session.  The mainline can’t advance much beyond these switches as the track curves here to the side of the room where the Spencer trackage is headed up into the woods (the area I’m taking a break from).  I don’t plan to construct the mainline through this area until all the Spencer sub-roadbed is installed (my new rule: work from the rear toward the aisle).

But that’s okay as I have a ton of trackwork that needs installing over in Monterey now that the sub-roadbed there is completed and the track plan has been drawn out.

I don’t particularly enjoy doing trackwork as it is so finicky, but it was quite satisfying to see it installed at the end.  After I install those last few feet of spur track, I’ll make all the feeder connections below, and then run the Alco and a few cars over it.

It occurred to me though, if I’m going to complete the mainline sub-roadbed by spring per my 2nd Anniversary prediction, I’d best not take too long of a breather with that Spencer sub-roadbed!

-Jack