Track Testing and Benchwork update

It has been awhile since I updated. I had a few issues in my busy life that kept me away for awhile. I had been working some on the connection between the upper and lower level. From Rockland to Searsport the roadbed has been put in place and the benchwork for Searsport has also been put in. With a little height adjustment I was able to get it in with no helix required. At the other end of Searsport I started a two turn helix to get the rest of the way to the upper level. I'll be checking grade and placement on this before it gets put in permanently.
Today Ralph and Phil came over and we tested the track and controls to see how everything worked with a small crowd. We pulled and pushed cars all around the layout and tested every bit of track and controls. They were very few issues to report. Some were fixed on the spot and some will be looked at. I had one interesting one where a turnout track had bowed and caused a misalignment of the rails. I tried moving it over and holding it with track nails, but actually appears to have pulled the rails away from the ties. Now I'll have to see if I can use spikes on the rails to fix it, or is a new turnout in order.
All in all a very succesful test.