Plate 276:  Concept-3, Part 11: the builder prepares for a survey of the upper-level roadbed
(This plate added NOV 2003)

Our builder is the most even-tempered fellow in the world. The designer had earlier assured him that since the upper level was already fully built, it wouldn't need to appear in Concept-3, which concentrates upon the embankment level. However, when the builder made the mistake of displaying his new Concept-3 model in the middle of the actual layout (Plate 275), the designer was immediately struck with the idea that Concept-3 was somehow... "incomplete"... that, perhaps, a removable upper level might be a good idea. --more--

A full transcript of the designer's actual remarks to the builder appears in Plate 275. Now, whenever the builder is faced with one of the designer's caprices, he will not lose his temper. Instead, he will simply nod his head and retire to a toolshed in the back yard, where he keeps a supply of old horseshoes that he found while prospecting with his metal-detector. He will pick up a horseshoe and slowly bend it until it is perfectly straight. He will then slowly re-bend it to its original horseshoe shape. He performs this exercise in order to attain a state of tranquility while he meditates upon the designer's vagaries. After the builder finished his horseshoe exercise, he began preparations for a survey of the upper-level roadbed. His first task was to draft an accurate one-twelfth scale upper-level track diagram (reproduced here). Go to top of page