Thanks all for your input!
I've taken a look at the Crown offerings (OB boxcar and the reefer). Those are indeed nice looking models. I think I now recall looking at these models years ago and concluded they were too "scale" to mix with my "traditional" stuff that I was messing with at the time. However, I do not clearly recall.
I do believe Ted shared a thought that I need to remind myself of:
"What you're trying to do is art as much as science. There are no rules."
I think he's onto something there. What I will be doing isn't "scale" modeling, in fact, that's one of the reasons this project is appealing: Instead of trying to stay as faithful to "scale" as possible (which can get exasperating), I get to set the standards.
In that vein, it will indeed be akin to an impressionistic painting only in that I hope the elements compliment one another to the point that the overall result of various layout scenes (as well as the layout as a whole) are "acceptable" at a glance. But, like a photograph of any layout (even "scale" layouts), under closer scrutiny, even with the best layouts it becomes more apparent it's a model. Just that it won't take a microscope to spot it's a model for my "Traditional" layout! Besides, the only way any layout can ever look "real" is with excellent modeling within an excellent photo. That is, it will never be mistaken for "real" when standing looking at the actual layout.
I'm also beginning to suspect that I'm way overthinking some elements. (Me?? Overthink?? Surely you jest. 
)
SO...
Me thinks I need to chill, do the things that I enjoy that can be done in the immediate future, and any outside braced boxcars or "027" reefers (etc) I want to address, can be done at a later time.
Cheers!
Andre
