It's About Time - Some New Layout Ideas

It's been a very long time since I have spent any meaningful energy towards my N scale hobby.  I guess addictions can fade over time.  However, lately I've had a desire to get re-engaged in the hobby, at least in a small way.  I revisited a couple layout designs that I drafted over the last couple of years to see if I could come up with something that would inspire me to start a new project.  My garage is used for multiple things, and I didn't want another island style layout like my Marias Pass, which took up a lot of space.  Instead, I am looking to do a shelf style layout in an "L" shape to optimize the wall space I have available.  The main component on the left will be a 7' maximum length, with a width of 4' at the elbow of the "L".  This can be conveniently built from a 4x8 sheet of plywood.  I then have about 10' along the right side wall in which I can add an extension of 6' for some additional yard space.

I would like to feature my 3d printed trucks on this layout, as well as the lumber loads that I created a few years back.  That gives me at least a start to my list of industries.

The current short list includes:

• grain elevator with truck scale and unloading building for my 43' and 50' Wilson grain trailers and straight trucks
• lumber centerbeam transloading area or simple truss building shop requiring lumber delivery
• meat packing with loads of cattle being delivered in my Wilson cattle pots, and then cold storage and outbound beef in 64' reefer cars as well as truck/trailer reefer rigs.
• small intermodal facility to feature trucks and utilize a pair of piggy packer loaders that I own.
• other industries that I haven't decided on yet.

I like the idea of a major highway overpass stretching through the center of the layout.  I haul grain to an elevator in Council Bluffs that is right next to and under interstate I-80 which gave me the idea.  This would be a focal point for truck traffic as well as a natural view block to separate the layout into two sides.

I'll give these ideas some time to sink in and just maybe I'll be inspired to get the woodworking tools dirty again.  Let me know what you think.