Erik,
We used to have a very large layout like this one in Apex NC. People from the East Coast would gather twice a year and run incredible steam and gasoline engines, pulling crowds of enchanted adults and children. The re was a couple of lifts to unload the massive engines from large pick-up trucks and it smelled coal, steam and oil all over the property.
And then the person responsible for the layout and organization passed away....
And the layout was forgotten and no more trains are running.
I believe the owner of the property is still alive but has given up on his life time hobby.
I still have pictures and films of my children riding these trains with awe.... It was some 20 years ago.
Yves