Southern Pacific Switching Layout

[FCIN]

Not much progress is going to happen until November, I will probably be painting the backdrop within a few weeks, but that's about it for awhile.

I have been thinking about a theme for the layout and have been considering modelling the end of a branch-line on a short-line, It will probably be set somewhere in the east, such as Kentucky or Ohio.
A couple of possible names I came up with are: "Kentucky Midland" and "Frankfort & Ohio".

That's an interesting name choice: "Kentucky Midland" as that is the predecessor name of the Frankfort & Cincinnati Railway (later Railroad). But be that as it may, why not just go ahead and lay some track so you can run something and worry about where your railroad is and what is supposed to represent later? I'd stick to something in the area where you live for inspiration rather than an area that you aren't familiar with.

Several of us have pointed out that you can spend (waste?) a lot of time trying to find the "perfect" track plan that most likely you'd end up changing something as you actually build your layout. You seemed to really like this latest plan and it sure has a lot of operating potential - so don't worry about the backdrop, etc., but at least temporarily put down some track and turnouts so that you can run something, see what may need to be changed and keep your interests up. Being able to actually test out my plan has been the best thing I ever did. I can operate the layout any time I want; change it around in an hour or so to try out what might be a better arrangement and; most of all it's keeping my interest on a high level.