After the roadbed was prepared, the rail gang with the track-laying machine arrived. The big track layer was followed by six railway cars packed with rails and ties. Conveyor belts on the sides of the track layer brought the rails and ties to the front. Behind the rail and tie cars were cars carrying spikes and bolts. When the rail was put in place on the ties, five men on each side would pound in huge spikes to hold the rails in place. Crews would shovel gravel into the roadbed to keep the tracks straight and well-drained. The track layer would then move forward on the new rails. A rail gang could have 65 to 85 men in it. On a good day, they could lay over two miles (three kilometres) of track.

McCulloch had to perform feats of great engineering skill on several sections of the line. Chute Lake Pass, north of Naramata, had a difficult 4.5 percent grade. McCulloch created a triple loop where the line doubled back on itself twice. The spectacular chasm at Myra Canyon was 3.75 miles (6 km) long and 714 yards (650 m) deep. It also split into two forks at the south end. To get the railway across the canyon, McCulloch built 16 wooden trestles, 2 trestle bridges over the forks, and 2 tunnels. More than 25 cars of bridge bolts were required.