GEC's Layout Progress

[Green_Elite_Cab]

Maybe you should build a shelf layout?

I agree, if you can do it a shelf layout is much better and easier to work with. If you want grades it is simple to do. If you are doing
grades open frame is the way to go
here is a pic of mine under construction so you can see what I mean by open frame and see how I used it.
The track can go up and down as I please as can the scenery, buildings can be below track level.
Just some food for thought

That is my plan for any future layout I build. Ironically, the only reason I settled on this layout was because it was in a step by step book and my 14 year old self wanted a layout that would at least work operationally (I suppose if i used only the SW1 and 40' cars in 3 car trains featured on the cover, then it would). Based on my recently level of frustration, you can see how well that worked out.

I think the biggest frustration is building a layout that fits in my equipment in a realistic manner, particularly my electrics. The only place i can really run everything i want to is if i modeled the NEC between Union Interlocking in Rahway NJ and Waverly Yard in Newark NJ.

To put it bluntly, this is the busiest spot on the Northeast corridor. the NEC goes from 4 to 6 tracks at Union Interlocking, then continues into Linden where there was a HUGE GM bus and truck plant, as well as Merck. the Six roads continues until Elizabeth where it goes back to 4 tracks. However, Elizabeth is the site of the famous S-curve and the station over the CNJ mainline. Not far after that is Lane Interlocking, another major feature of the NEC (here, track 1 "flies over" the entrance to Waverly yard from Track 2).

It would be insane to model this all. I'm guessing I'll have to pic particular scenes and find a way to "separate" them realistically. Even with compression, these key scenes (Layout Design Elements?) will be large. I'm not sure even a module could really do it justice.

Other electrified routes are extremely limiting as to what can be run on them.