I’m intrigued by Flemming’s layout as featured in the July 2005 MR as a possible basis for a Grizzly Nothern layout. His layout packs a lot of mountain railroading into a smallish room.
However I’m puzzled as to how the Butte/Elk City (E&N) staging and the Union Pacific staging are readily accessed for switching, maintenance and possible(?) derailings, without having to be a contortionist.
The E&N staging lies at 0" elevation (45" above floor?), under the mountainside tracks that carry a track rising from 6" at Raymondale to 10.5" at Donaldson. The mountainside is narrow and steep between the yards and the wall that backs the mountains.
Similarily, although perhaps not as puzzzling is the UP staging. It lies at 0" as does the track from Hogback Junction along the front of the layout, the staging also being backed by a wall. I suspect the centre of the UP loop under Mount Shadow must be open from below via duckunder.
The illustration shows only one access panel, below Donaldson.
Can Flemming or others clarify?
[:)]