Setting the grade to Shamokin

 This is an overview of the latest progress.  I have gotten the plywood sheets for the roadbed of the branch, the sidings at Glenbourne Colliery, and the bridge over the aisle in place and temporarily placed them on risers to gauge the impact of the 3% grade to the bridge. Looking across the two aisles, you can really see the severity of that grade. I am a little concerned about the limits that will place on the equipment but I have to keep the bridge high enough to provide 6 feet of clearance over the aisle. I am trying to picture what a 25 car trains with four engines will look like on this hill.
 The town of Shamokin will be where that bookcase is standing now. The benchwork will continue to the wall there.

The grade does not look so bad when sighting down the right of way from the end of the curve of the Narrows. Sort of makes me feel better.

The grade again looks steep when looking from the east end of the line. The plywood subroadbed over the aisle is placed to give me a reference point for continuing the roadbed on the other side of the aisle. It will be cut out when I place the bridge permanently.  I have to build a whole new wall structure to provide both a scenic divide and a support for the roadbed climbing up to Mount Carmel which is hanging from the ceiling. Shamokin is going to be what rises to the right side along the wall where the plywood ends currently.

Standing on a stool, you get a view looking back down the grade and can see where the base is for the colliery sidings.

This us a view showing where the backdrop will rise up to pick up the roadbed. The line will cross over the summit of the back drop and go from the side where I am standing over to the side which is visible from the aisle to our right. It will then continue to rise up to the ceiling down in the back where the red wire is hanging down. I cannot imagine if I have another derailment like the one I just had with an I1 plunging to the floor from this height!