@ O-Gauge CJ
sometimes walking away allows one to clear one's thoughts in response am I putting more into this plan yes you are we all make the same error at first, we see fantastic layouts that have trains low and high tunnels passenger stations roundhouses turntables and of course we want it all! reality check quite a few of these layouts are in areas that have a space of 20-30 feet wide and some are 30-40 feet in length, but some are in a space of 10 feet wide and 15 feet long and they each have plus and minuses to them.
so first off, my suggestion is simple you want as wide a curve as possible so if you have or can purchase or even borrow some 0-72 curved track and make a simple loop where you plan on making your layout on the floor this gives you a visual in reality also mask off the actual planned layout size on floor.
now do you want a town with the usual street's buildings with a mix of sidings for cars to be switched out for various industries? do you want a roundhouse with a turntable this last item eats up a lot of your layout area or do you want a yard area to hold a variety of cars waiting to be assembled to run on the mainline? and I found lift outs in senior years are troublesome weight wise but a hinged lift up is fantastic and you can walk inside layout if you use the open grid/table benchwork.
do you want water features or a lifting bridge and when you're in your senior years can you climb onto or under that layout as you did in younger years of age. these and a lot more are what you need to address now before you build anything as well as do I want all flat top benchwork or do I want open grid and use small manageable tables that can be easily removed. I say all of this as like you I created a layout plan looked great on paper but then reality came along and the spaces I thought I had poof reality hit I am on plan 19 plan 18 was great had 3 levels none interconnected but no place for buildings nor any spur tracks for factories and so on plus my wife has arthritis so bad that a normal step stool her knees will not allow on most days and unlike me she is the artist of all scenery thus I had to lower the layout to a 2 level affair with the second level much lower and even that isn't great for her knees.
hopefully this gives you more to ponder as for laying track on floor trust me a visual will make for clarity that even the best track layout software pales in comparison.
can you tell us what the exact dimensions are that you have in area for planned layout as in is it 20 feet wide and 40 feet long or ?
