I don’t use spikes, so this will have to suffice.
18 months after the IAIS Grimes Line was dismantled and our basement reconstructed, and a year after the first piece of Ikea Ivar shelving arrived to serve as the base for the new benchwork, track is fully installed and wired on The Hills Line. The last insulation displacement connector installed provides power to a short section of track underneath the IAIS Iowa River Bridge between the former CIC Yard Lead and the switch to City Carton Recycling.
Next steps are a series of shakedown sessions, designed to make sure that the track as built will support the operations as designed. Smart money is that I’ll end up making some subtle adjustments between elements, which are considerably easier to do BEFORE any scenic elements are in place.
So who wants to come operate?
The Hills Line 
Congratulations on your “golden spike” (aka IDC connection)! If you only lived a little closer to Georgia I would really enjoy attending a ops session. Hopefully one day I’ll be able to visit. It is so nice to see you making progress on your new layout. -Tom
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I’ve been following your progress with great interest, your previous layout was such a huge inspiration to me and your current project was in large part the reason I built my current layout on Ikea shelving. Congrats on this milestone! To second Tom’s comment, I wish I were closer and I’d gladly help you operate!
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Congrats! Inspiring as I just finished cutting the benchwork for my NorthPoint:48 layout and hope to have it operational in just over 12 months time as well.
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Great progress on the layout. I’d be interested in an outline of your planned operations.
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Thanks Mark. Still developing the planned operations as part of the shakedown sessions, but should be in a position to share my plans shortly.
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