Other significant advances on the layout (2012 - 2013):

After the successful launch of the new Automated Operations Control Centre in late 2010, 2011 saw the addition of a new staging and storage facility with two levels of off-layout storage comprising over three scale miles of new track.

This new area was built on three walls of the adjacent workshop and a tunnel was bored through the nearby bathroom to access three additional long sidings in the laundry area. Although not sceniced, the new staging area is finished with all exposed wood painted, a painted cork roadbed covering the entire trackage area, sky-coloured backdrops, tunnel portals where appropriate, and a fascia finished to match the main layout.

All sidings are set up as separate blocks so any number of locomotives (especially sound units) can be stored without creating any current draw on the main DCC system. In addition, the entire staging area can be switched electrically from operating as part of the main DCC system to become an independent DCC system utilizing a second DCC command station in the workshop area.

This arrangement is especially convenient for testing locomotives since any individual siding can be activated, either on the main DCC system or the shop system. Using the latter ensures any operation of the staging and test area has no impact on the main system. Appropriate interlocking mechanisms are used to ensure a locomotive cannot run from one DCC system to the other while both are powered.

The top level of the new staging area branches from the main outer line behind the historical park subdivision and has eight turnouts and 12 separate storage tracks.

The lower level is a continuation of the subterranean subdivision and branches from the main inner line at Chinook, approximately 80 feet away from the shop storage area. It has eight turnouts and 10 separate storage tracks. In the main layout room, there is a five-track storage facility on the lower level. This was part of the original layout design but, obviously, was inadequate!

The total length of new trackage added in this project was over 190 feet which equates to about 3.12 scale miles of additional storage space (and its still not enough!).

In addition to the new staging and storage area, a number of locomotives and rolling stock were put into service and work continues on equipment upgrades.

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