Thanks for the pictures. Looks really good to me. I like the track plan, at least what I can tell from the pictures, it looks pretty interesting, like it will provide some excitement while running trains. I would say your experiment is producing good results. It looks like you have gained a lot of knowledge and are doing well with your layout plans. Looking at all the layouts people do here is also inspiration and offers up plenty of ideas.
I am experimenting as well. Re-entered the hobby in 2011. Had a few temporary layouts until last year. I now have a more permanent 6'x16' layout, and like you have done, I am also planning to expand. Probably not as much as you have with the 40' extension part though. I got Mianne bench work so it could easily be changed and also because of easy assembly and easy access.
One more thing I like about your layout is the multiple elevations of track you have. Many others have that as well. I think that adds a lot of interest to the layout. I started out wanting all flat, but I think I am definitely going to have to add some elevation changes somewhere. I also like the way you have varied the directions the track is running so they are not all just perpendicular or parallel. I haven't done any of that and have not been happy with much of it. Everyone else's layouts always look so much nicer, others always seem to be so much more creative. Guess if I steal enough ideas, something workable will happen someday.
