WOW!!
Thank you all so much.. this is eactly what I was hoping for.. I think I just need a push in the right direction and you've given me something I can work with.
Jim: I was able to do exactly as you said and got everything in one file.. but it looked pretty much like the first photo in Daves post .. at least it was all in one file.. thanks for that.
David: Thinking in layers was the clue I needed to give me a new perspective. Once I started looking for "layer" options new menus started to drop down...that helped.
Doubledaz Dave: Forget John Wick...you are now my new hero!!
What you did in the third photo is exactly what I was trying for. You also raise some good questions that I think I can answer. I am lucky enough to have the space for this with room to walk around the outside of the whole layout. I also have options on the orientation in the room and I can massage it to make it work...If you look at the photo from the magazine most of the trackwork is reachable from the outside of the layout with the exeption of the turntable/rounhouse area.
Grades: The best way to explain whats going on is this.. the track from the turntable and the track coming off the switch at the top of the black level form an overpass that goes over all four of the mainline tracks that pass under and down to the next level .. this is where it gets interesting.. a train going under the overpass on the outside track (the track with the spur going to the "Y") travels around under the upper level and comes back out of the overpass on the inside most (purple or cayan) track going the opposite direction!! The same thing happens with a train on either of the inner tracks .. it goes under on one and comes back out on the other going the other way... cool right??!!
The spur with the "Y" leads to the lowest level ... train goes in off one leg of the Y travels around and comes out the other leg.. it's a big reverse loop..this is also the level that leads to lower level staging under the yard/passenger station.
It looks much more complicated than it is ... I had to study it for a while but it is really just a double mainline twisted over itself. I think with some help and proper planning I could pull this off..... right now I am working on the room and dismantling the old 8x12.. new carpeting & lighting etc... then the journey begins... should be fun!
Again thank you guys for all the help..
