Office of Steam Forum for Model & Toy Steam Gas & Hot Air Engines

What an incredible backstory, and even though a bit sad in the long ago, and also even though I was wrong with my wager (though possibly correct in the long ago), I'm certainly glad that I asked to bring forth such an interesting aside.

So, with that question answered in the negative, let me ask what do you folks typically use for leveling over the long distances involved around your layout? I suppose a good long bubble level is all that you would really need, doing individual sections at a time, but it would seem a perfect opportunity for some form of old-style optical surveying instrument, or perhaps you just use one of those newish laser levels?!?!