Yep, you got it

Yep, you got it. That's one of the key TOMA concepts ... build your layout in bite-sized pieces and then when you relocate, take them with you.

Another key concept of TOMA is temporary track connecting module sections. If you want to get fancy, you can scenic the temp tracks too, kind of how Ken Patterson did his liftout sections in the August What's Neat. Ken built two liftouts for the same location ... one unscenicked and the other with scenery.

If you combine Ken's liftout techniques with your more permanent TOMA modules, you can see how you could make the temp connecting sections work as liftouts if you wish.

Keep in mind that unless you already know what your destination space will be like, there is always a chance one of your permanent TOMA module sections will not fit the new space. That's not a huge problem since you can harvest all the structures, trees, bushes, and details off the module (that's the really time consuming stuff any how) and just build a new TOMA module that will fit the new space.

One example of this for me on my new Siskiyou Line 2 (SL2) is Roseburg Yard. The yard is on a curve and I'm expecting the curved part to be throw away, but the end module sections with all the turnouts and yard ladders will be keepers. When I get to the new space, I will determine how the yard goes into the space and build a new center module to connect them.

So as I'm designing SL2, I try to make any module sections I expect to be throw away have few if any turnouts. I will be scenicking those throw away sections to match the rest of the layout, however.

Trade Out

Joe, like you alluded to, I was going to use TOMA to form the basis of my layout. I was then going to replicate one module and complete it and then place it in the layout, taking the " basic " model out, stripping it and then use it for a basis to complete another module and so on and so on. This allows independent work and still allows trains to be run, operations to be fine tuned , and modifications made without affecting anything on the layout itself. Kind of like a plug-n-play method of layout planning/building.

Toma parts

Yannis, you have the exact right idea, on how the Toma concept works, and will be able to save most every section you build. Remember to keep the sections to a manageable size, most of my Toma sections are 24 inches wide and 48 inches long and made of lightweight materials to make them portable. They are also designed like a modular layout so that certain sections will match up with other sections, in many different configurations, I would make any temporary sections only about 8 inches wide, as they are just filler pieces,  with minimal scenery. Jim 

Thank you all for the confirmation and insights!

Joe: Many thanks for the valuable pointers. I ll check out August's "whats neat" and see Ken's work. I am thinking along the same lines as you, to scenic the disposable modules and try to have as few turnouts as possible on them. Many thanks to MRH for the inspiration provided by the TOMA idea!

Moe: Thanks for the reply. I will indeed try not to overdo it with module lengths. So far the longest one is 5ft or so.

Kriegwulfe: Interesting approach/idea!

I ll get back to you sooner than later with the respective trackplans/modules!