Rescued Trains posted:Mark, great thinking, a trip to Lowes, a little bit of time for construction and it is done. Did I miss a meeting? Has a new level been invented? All mine look like yours. I haven't heard of this new "wizbang" device Mike G. talks of.
Steve
Steve, Thank you! The "wizbang" device Mike used is his digital level. He showed us photographs where his level showed 0.0 several times. It is very impressive! 
Lew and Pat, Thank you!
RSJB18 posted:Hey Mark- just caught up here on your thread. Good to see some solid progress. Love your choice of test loco's too
. The framing should be fine as long as your not planning on dancing up there
. My second level is just about 5" and some taller cars don't fit (rookie mistake), so 5 1/2" should be fine.
I use those Rustoleum paints too, they are very nice. A suggestion for the spray paint- get a old box fan and mount a throw away AC filter to the intake side. Position it where you are spraying, and move along as you go. It won't grab everything but should control most of the scatter.
I had an idea for the cassette system Dave designed. Make a top that looks like an engine/ service building that can sit on each cassette. That way you can disguise it a bit when they are on the layout.
Keep up the good work.
Bob
Bob, Thank you! No I do not plan on dancing! There is only 38" from the plywood to the low ceiling! The 5-1/2" came from testing the sheet of plywood temporarily held up by blocks of wood. I first tried 5", but decided to go higher. Good idea on the paint spraying. I am defiantly going to make adjustments before spraying again. 
I really do like the idea to put an engine house or car repair house over the cassette! Maybe I should have put in a few more thumbs up! I'm going to do it!!
John H posted:Mark, I have been enjoying your progress. I know how satisfying it was building my layout. Your second level is a great idea and please don't take this as overly critical. You could reduce your grade and increase your clearance by just supporting the plywood with posts, without the boards. A Railking Husky Stack is 5 3/8" from the base sitting on Gargraves track alone. I used 6" concrete wall forms to hold mine, and I hardly have a splinter or wire's clearance. Mine is 7' wide with supports around the edge and one in the middle, and absolutely no sag. If this is moot because you never plan on any rolling stock that high, then keep up the good work. If I ever get a scale sized stack, I wont be able to run it on the lower track, so I'm just throwing this into the mix. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!
John, Thank you!! I never thought you could get away with supports like that without linear bracing. But you have proven it can be done!! Yours looks great! One thing I won't be running any cars higher than the boxcar since I like the steam-diesel transition era. I don't ever envision running high cube cars or double stacks. Now cutting the steep grade down some could still be a possibility. I wasn't going to build this upper support yet, but I found myself waiting on my next load of Mianne benchwork for the long straight grade and the yard in front. If Tim is able to keep onto the schedule he told me over the phone, I should see it sometime next week; surely before he starts packing everything up to take to York next month. Once I get that, there will be more lower level track work, the yard, and the power panel. At that point I can get started wiring. The point is, that gives me time to see if I don't like the grade, I could easily take this apart and remove the 1x2s, thus lowering the grade.
I appreciate you throwing the idea into the mix!! 
Dave is glad you did as well!!
Brian, Thank you!!!
