How a Bad Back Can Be a Good Thing

I spent a fair amount of my holiday with a bad back. I have a few discs in my spine that are slowly collapsing, and every once in a while one of them will remind me that I should take it easy. The prescription for these flare-ups is heavy-duty pain medication and lots of rest.

Although these episodes are rather painful, there can be a silver lining, if one looks for it. Unable to do any home renovation or other strenuous duties around the house, I was nonetheless able to do some modeling. Plus, there's something to be said for having a tiny, five-pound layout: I had no trouble carrying it up to the kitchen table, where I could sit comfortably and work on it.

Thus my bad back gave rise to a significant spurt of progress: now all of the track has been laid, and the trains are even running! The work went slowly, to be sure, as I was heavily medicated, but I was still able to get the last of the code 25 rail down and make a video of the layout's maiden run. Bear in mind, as you watch the train go round and round, that most of the track will be hidden; the only visible portions will be the two relatively straight runs between the two helixes.

For photos and construction details, please head over to the James River Branch website.