... I knew it ws going to be big, but...

 

I just drew up a rough track plan of the complex as it will be arranged on the modules.

 

I found it's going to want a triple and a double - five T-Trak modules worth of space, and will probably be about 20 inches deep. This is deeper than the recommended 14 inch depth, but standard single modules are usually 8 1/4 inches deep, so will still fit on a standard 30 inch table top with them. I have 4 of those now, so would only need one more...

 

The below shows the anticipated layout of the track and major structures.

 

 

Starting from the left...

 

The green bar shows how long a double module would be.

 

The steam shed takes up most of that room, and the blue tracks are an "apron" for open-air display of steam locomotives. The Big Boy, Pennsy T1, and a Daylight will be indoors in the shed. Other steam locos will be outside, on the apron between the two modules. The apron will be butt-joiner, without rail connectors of any kind. The track power will come from cables connected under the modules.

 

The red bar shows the length of the triple length module. The other half of the apron picks up at the edge of the module, and carries on to th green transfer table pit.The pit extends down under the top of the three parallel tracks below it. From the bottom sre the Red line, Yellow line,  and the access track from the yellow main. The switch off the main will be at the far left end of the main lines. The gray area is the apron around the diesel facility, and the shaded area is the footprint of the building.

 

So, the entire com[ex takes up 5 modules length on the layout.

 

I'm toying with the idea of making the modules  "full table width", with another set of main lines on the "back" side of the module.. They could still be used with either set of "main" lines, front or rear. connected to the layout or left free, depending on the needs of the layout. 

 

With these issues recognized and considered, I'm about ready to finally start printing. I'll begin with the pit, bridge,  and the apron for the diesel facility. The pit and bridge are the heart of the operation, so this will let me see if I have to start over again!