Take time away from the layout? We might as well go in reverse and dismantle it! 1 screw at a time per week with 7,880 screws to go.
Yeah, your apprentice was fixing what Bud, the layout designer/builder "screwed up" not leveling the track joints and/or putting screws too lightly or way too much cracking the wooden ties. But, that Bud guy is making progress on the 2 track elevated run.