Good info from everyone! Thanks!
I went to the tutorial site and learned alot- now I know what kind of layout I want to build and what features to build/design in. I'll have to find the book that someone mentioned too. In the mean time, here's a few more questions:
Where can I figure out the smallest radius a curve should be for a given scale of train? I know that in the real world, there probably wouldn't be too many examples of tight-turns for trains, but for modelling purposes, what is the tightest turnaround I'd want to use that an average N-scale train could comfortably negociate?
Why is cork usually put underneith the tracks? Is this to deaden sound? Or is this because is gives a scale appearance somehow? Ballasting is the pouring or rock-looking substance over the rail ties after the rails are put down, to aid in appearance, right?
Finally, with flextrack, after you bend a piece into a corner, won't the outside rail be much shorter than the inside rail? How do you fill the gap whe connecting the flextrack to the next piece? Also how hard is it to get a uniform curve? Are there tools used to stay uniform, or is TLAR (that looks about right) sufficient here.
skipgear, that little layout looks great! Is what I mentioned above with the flextrack what you mean about the easements for the corners- the gaps between the outside rail?
Jason