CreativeLayout building - stuck

maybe if you snap a couple photos of what you have done and your track plan could help.

Good idea to provide more information including photos, but ultimately to finish the layout make the necessary decisions and plow ahead.

its tough to make decisions on moving ahead. I try to tell myself for the most part if you don't like what you did or it doesn't line up you can usually do it over, even cutting the track you can always get another piece or two, that's why I bought extra I knew id screw something up. lol

Hard to tell where you're stuck at, wiring or the track plan itself. Track planning, though with town/city/mountain/etc. planning areas is of paramount importance.

FWIW: I've re-built every original track plan/layout at least twice, sometimes 3 or more times until I am satisfied. Once you have a gratifying track plan, getting the trains running is straightforward, though can be a lot of work depending on how big the layout is

Great comments by all of you.  Especially “Just Plow Ahead”.  Here’s a shot of the two freight yards.  Yes, wiring seems to be the next step before I can start working the upper deck.  It’s just some 25 switches to wire to a control panel is a bit intimidating.  Yep, Dig In and Plow Ahead!

Get all the track working. Then you can have fun running and switching trains. I’ve built my layout too big and never seem to get where I need to be. I think I’m into my 20th year working on it. For me my pleasure is running the trains. I’ve always got something to do and that makes it enjoyable for me.

Wire your loop to get trains running, then tackle the 4 track yard. This way you have something to do when you're not working on the double track main. I would do your sidings and then the 6 track yard after that. Turntable can be done when you feel you have the need of it.

I'm with Darrell. Get one continuous main running first. Then the second continuous main. From there, add items in the order of most increased operating capability as you judge it. Many times I wired the tracks before the switch machine that gave access to the track (DZ-1000 can be thrown by hand), and then wired the switch machine before I got around to wiring the non-derailing feature. Yard and spur tracks can have cars spotted on them even if not wired, since the loco need not go in there.

If the upper deck is going to be on top of the lower, you may want to get the lower deck pretty far along before building the upper for access reasons. I find if it's possible to hit my head, it's inevitable.

Second the idea of manual throws for yard and spur tracks. Of my 50 switches, about half are hand-thrown. Saves money as well as wiring, and ultra-reliable. I'm thinking about going back and putting switch machines in two places, but meanwhile, I'm operating, so it's low priority.

Thanks, ChefTed, for starting this thread! All the comments will be helpful to other people (like me) just getting going.