Power Plank...Position? Placement?

Pick your own word.  The idea is, I put the plank in place.  The place is not permanent, but it works well there.  Most of the switching is done at that end of the railroad, and the DCC throttle cord is long enough to reach halfway down each long side of the benchwork.  In this way I can keep hold of the controller while uncoupling, etc.  I do have to set it down to do anything at the other end of the line. 

I purchased an MRC extension plate a while back but realized afterwards that I'd need two in order to put one at the other end AND be able to plug in at the base station.  So, for now, I'm happy as is.  When I run a DC locomotive I have to either operate with a partner as brakeman/conductor or walk back and forth between the train and the throttle.  That's okay too.

Two more things - the color is Mudstone, same as the fascia frame and the whole thing is switched on and off at the power strip, not pictured but just one shelf down and to the left of the plank. 

...the concept and plan...

...but not the whole railroad.

From "At The Throttle", Model Railroader, January 1962, by Linn Westcott

"OUR TOWER OF BABEL FALLETH"

"We model railroaders have many names for the same thing and sometimes several things for the same name.  For instance, is a 'loop' an oval or a baloon-shaped thing?  What is a block?  Sometimes we wonder which end of the train has markers and which has classification signals.  Last year I had the pleasure, along with Whit Towers (our chairman), John Allen, Heube Heubenthal, and others, of serving on an NMRA committee to dig out the various meanings of model railroad words and to assemble them into a glossary.  The result of the first year's work is now in the back pages of the NMRA yearbook.  The work is by no means completed; we may have overlooked many important words and our tendencies to narrow some meanings may not meet with general approval.  For instance, we felt 'layout'* should mean the concept and plan but not the whole railroad. (emphasis mine).  Take a look at the glossary and let the committee know if you feel things are wanting."

I found this editorial while reading through the MR 75 years collection.  Were there responses to this editorial?  I hope so...they should make for interesting reading.

*You may or may not know my thoughts on the word "layout" (click the link to find out).