Making ties and big bridge completed

 My last day to work on the track started out rainy so I finished up some more ties.  I use a self made tie jig to predrill the holes for the screws at just the right distance apart.

 The jig is just a short piece of angled aluminum bought at the local big box store.  It was cut to size and then I screwed on an old tie with just enough space for a tie to fit snuggly in it.  The holes were drilled with just the right spacing so when the rail is slipped through the screws it is in the proper guage.

Screws were then screwed into the predrilled holes.  Now I can slide the tie on the rails, space them right and then hand tighten them down.  I bought a tool from Real Trains to put on the ties and keep them at the exact gauage when I tighten the screws down in the field.

The weather cleared enough for me to lay out the last 8 feet of the bridge/trestle.  I laid the cedar 2x4's on top so it had a look of a curve instead of three straight sections.  Now just the last 3 feet or so of fill needed at the other end and then I can lay the rail and connect the line.