This morning, everything in my train-room, EVERYTHING, is in its place on a shelf: all the locos, all the rolling stock, all the 'Streets vehicles, all the diecast cars normally parked along the streets, etc. All of it is on shelves. Only stuff glued down is still on the layout - permanent parts of it like buildings and figures - is still on the layout.
This has been a goal for several years. I didn't have enough shelf space, and had to use the layout for storage: several train's worth of locos and rolling stock had to be on the layout at any time. When I wanted to run a different train I had to switch out stuff from shelves: put this loco on the layout, take that one off and put it on the shelf in its place. Same for 'Streets and diecast cars: something had to stay on the layout at any time.
No longer. Over the last year I added a shelves: lots of them. I was surprised me when I added it up - 386 feet of new shelves! Added to 165 feet I already have. Over 550 feet now. Sounds like a lot, and I suppose it is. But its 85% full . . .
I added gobs of shelves under the edges of the layout and above the layout and on the walls and, well, just everywhere I could . . . .
I added shelves in out-of-the-way places (these swivel out so I can get to them).
And this morning I decided to test it out. And there is room for everything.
All of my steamers are on a shelves, each in its place. When one or another of this is on the layout, there will be an empty space on a shelf ready for it if and when it come offs and something else goes onto the layout.
All the diesel and turbine locos have their homes, too . . . and every special train has its special shelf . . .
And all the 'Streets vehicles and the diecast cars.
The layout is completely bare . . . no locos, no rolling stock "stored" on it . . .
Nary a train in sight . . . . or a 'Streets car or truck, or a diecast model
Downtown looks surreal - like from cheap '50s science fiction movie. The people and buildings are there, but without all the 'Streets and parked vehicles, it looks strange.
The residents of my little town are taking it in stride, although some of them feel disconnected. My two English sports car nuts miss their Healey and Truimph. Steve McQueen (to the right of center far to the back in the photo below) is standing in the street, keys in his hand, about to unlock a green Mustang GT that is not there - but he's cool with it - he's always cool. Steed and Peel (right edge on sidewalk) wonder where his Bentley and her Elan went. the guys in front of the Harley dealership wonder where all the bikes went . . .
Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee figure where there Dodge Power wagon went is just another mystery to solve . . . Bond misses his Aston, but at least he still has his trusty Walther PPK, And Veranda Turbine is puzzled about where her Dual Ghia went, but knows she needs to focus on the attentions of John Wayne and Dean Martin at the moment. They all trust the cars and the trains will come back . . . hopefully soon.
And there is even room for growth: shelf space for every loco on pre-order, etc., and even room for more shelves to be added in the future. But today, while the layout is bare, there is opportunity: I plan to dust and vacuum every square inch this afternoon, fix a few minor issues requiring attention including some re-wiring under the layout (Ugh!) and then set up everything again.
Tthis was a minor victory in the grand scheme of things, but very satisfying.
. I nearly had all our layout tidy. And the pool table was clear of trains! 
