Traditional BLOCK wiring is useful for operating trains in conventional mode; especially for parking trains at passing sidings, stub sidings, or yard tracks. If/when you add Lionel's LEGACY technology and LEGACY-equipped locos, the blocks are less necessary -- probably useless if all locos are LEGACY-equipped. With LEGACY, you can "park" a loco anywhere; it will remain there until addressed again. Meanwhile, other LEGACY-equipped locos on the layout can be separately addressed and commanded with a CAB-1, CAB-1L, or CAB-2 hand-held controller.
Lionel's simpler yet effective LionChief control system offers basic functions for wireless control of LionChief-equipped locos; kinda like a mini-Legacy system but without all the features (and price tags) of the top-of-the-line LEGACY system.
Your proposed layout plan includes many points of interest. Is there some "logic" to mixing Ross track with tubular track? Maybe you're using some tubular track because you already have it on hand; thus it's "free."
All the best,
Mike (ritrainguy)
mottlerm@gmail.com
