Shelf Project Update 2

I received my next order of Unitrack, which now has me at about 90% of the project. I've been adding insulated rail joiner gaps, putting in drops and an extension of the DCC bus to the shelf, and have begun installing DCC stationary decoders for the Unitrack switches. I've also weathered the track

I've found there's no good way to install Kadee 308 under-the-track uncouplers with Unitrack. The roadbed puts the rails too high for the magnet to work the couplers if you just try to install the magnet under the roadbed, so you have to hack a space out for it. I'll cover this with ballast when the time comes.

I took advantage of the Trainworld deal-you-can't refuse for the $50 Bachmann GP9 that Neal M put us onto. The West Isle Line that I've blogged about used to be the Santa Fe Alpaugh Spur, and I figure that instead of the ex SP GP9 the line now uses, the Santa Fe could well have operated it with a GP9 of its own. The recent Bachmann units from the last 10 years or so mostly have very good, crisp, opaque, and accurate paint. I really like this one.

Here it's sitting on top of the Blair Line culvert that I was able to paint, assemble, and install. It will be "dirted in" later.