If you had 4500sqft and a blank check...

[Erik W]

Hmmm . . . I'd build a layout a little larger than I have no - at the center of the space - hire people to do the grunt work and all the things I don't like  . . . add a bar and home theater . . . and then a lot of walls, doors, traps and other booby-traps -- along with a well-armed group of henchmen. Next, I'd come up with some sort of Bond-esque cool bad buy nickname.

Then, I'd buy me a couple of those "8" Cylons . . . and maybe a "6" for Bernie . . .

 Then I'd invite all my favorite internet "acquaintances" over for an op session . . . their mission . . . somehow get through to the layout . . . mine? To sit in the "command center" and laugh at their failures and demise . . . .  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Damn!  Sounds like Marty switched to decaf this morning. 

Erik

[AlkemScaleModels]

Hmmm . . . I'd build a layout a little larger than I have no - at the center of the space - hire people to do the grunt work and all the things I don't like  . . . add a bar and home theater . . . and then a lot of walls, doors, traps and other booby-traps -- along with a well-armed group of henchmen. Next, I'd come up with some sort of Bond-esque cool bad buy nickname.

Then, I'd buy me a couple of those "8" Cylons . . . and maybe a "6" for Bernie . . .

 Then I'd invite all my favorite internet "acquaintances" over for an op session . . . their mission . . . somehow get through to the layout . . . mine? To sit in the "command center" and laugh at their failures and demise . . . .  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Ohhh, thank you master!!!!!!

[delamaize]

Myself, Northern Pacific Tacoma Division, the entire division, between 1939-1949 Multiple decks. Staging yards at the north, south and east terminus points, Helper service at all appropiate districs. Military traffic etc....

Oh and I would throw in the Milwaukee road, great northern, and other railroads where the intersect the NP.

OOOooooooooo........I would end up divorced.......

[ljudice]

I'd divide it into two 2000 sq. foot rooms and built the NS Pokey in one and the Swiss Gotthard line in the other.

[atsf_arizona]

Here's some inspirations:

1)  6000 square feet, Hamburg, Germany.  Arguably the world's largest layout that has craftsman-quality to it.

It is definitely worth the trip, if one is ever close to Hamburg, Germany:

http://www.miniatur-wunderland.com/exhibit/video/4-minutes-wunderland/

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Some photos:

http://community.webshots.com/user/Minature_Wonderland-reg

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2)  Tom Miller's massive Fn3 layout in Portland, OR area, :


http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/mrht_tom-miller-interview

http://www.pacificvistapublishing.com/products9.htm

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[asarge]

Model Cincinnati.....Mainly the C&O but all the other ones too. I would also have enough room to model the C&O from Russell to at least Peru Indiana w/o a huge amount of selective compression.

OR

The C&O from Russell to Rockwell yard with some loops to model some of the junctions in Indiana and Chicago. Need a 12 foot ceiling to get it on at least 3 levels

[SkipGear]

There is a gentleman in town that is modeling B&O Chilicothe Sub (Cincinnati to Chilicothe) including an interchange at Midland in a 40x50 basement with very little compression. Every town and landmark (bridge, trestle, etc.) is done to scale, with some compression between towns. I can't imagine what could be done with more than double the space. A trip from Cincy to Chilicothe on the layout takes roughly an hour at scale speed as it is.

[delamaize]

There is a gentleman in town that is modeling B&O Chilicothe Sub (Cincinnati to Chilicothe) including an interchange at Midland in a 40x50 basement with very little compression. Every town and landmark (bridge, trestle, etc.) is done to scale, with some compression between towns. I can't imagine what could be done with more than double the space. A trip from Cincy to Chilicothe on the layout takes roughly an hour at scale speed as it is.

Someday......
I figured to do a non compressed version of the prarie line, I will need an at least 50' X 50' room. But for now, it will be a ficticous representation of Tenino, Wa. as a N trak module.

[Mark5]

If you had 4500sqft and a blank check...

Hmm, better hope that bank account has some serious overdraft protection, or a balance that only accountants can understand ...

I'd build the Pokey from Welch to Williamson I guess (circa 1973), with mine branches and all. I don't think I'd have time for a job with all this 

But seriously, I used to dream along these lines, but as I got older the thought of maintaining such a monstrosity grows more and more terrifying.

So, though I want a larger layout than my current one, I won't go over a certain limit.


A man's gotta know his limitations



Mark

[cv_acr]

Or maybe an indoor swimming pool with a live steam railroad around it.  ;D ;D ;D

Now you're talking.

[mmyers]

I'd put CMR on a retainer and just have them build until I 'm happy.

[davefoxx]

Forty-five hundred square feet and a blank check?  Hmm. I might seriously consider something cool like the Southern Railway's grade at Saluda with NO selective compression.  Lots of motive power, including radio-controlled helpers, being dropped to their knees on the hill.  Good stuff.  But what era?  Tons of F units in the '60s or SD70s in the '90s?  Since it's a blank check, why not both? 

Dave

[Ian MacMillan]

Hell I'm just trying to fill the 23'x50' space I have now.

[up1950s]

Hell I'm just trying to fill the 23'x50' space I have now.

You could do a point to point 1/1 scale with your Speeder and have room for a leg-less Moose , station , and some small fauna and flora . Be the first to have a 1/1 indoor real railroad .

[Chris333]

Blank check. Well I'd have something with scenery  I can pay someone to do that.