After many, many iterations, I have come up with a layout I'm very happy with

[aleopardstail]

That looks very complicated! I'm reviewing the points situation to see if I can simplify mine. Would be very easy in Code 55, but I want to use the SeTrack curves, purely for ease in my first layout.

ahh there is some good news on this, you can use normal fishplates to join code 55 rail to code 80 track. the actual rails are the same height, just code 55 is inset into the sleepers more. when you do it you need to shim the code 55 track to get the sleepers lower sides the same height off the board, easy to do and only needs to be done for a short length.

another way is 3mm cork under the code 55 and 2mm under the set track code 80

Interesting. I imagine once it's ballasted you can't tell the difference?

you can, but not "at a glance", C55 track looks better, the points look weird though as the switch rails are the same as the C80 ones.

once the sides are painted though and ballasted its good

[fourtytwo]

A traverser is track that slides sideways and is usually used behind the scenes on layouts to save space, but can also be used on prototypes...

Here is a very simple traverser in action.

https://youtu.be/DoBO6vCw1h4?si=2UszTYTiIoAxvRlE

Or a model railway version looks like this.....
P1160933.JPG

they look so simple, I have tried a few times and never gotten one to work yet.. not even "works but unreliable" either. sector plates I can do

In my experience it's all down to how much slop there is in the ballrace slides underneath and of course using good pieces of wood.