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Ken, Welcome back! I belong to a modular club (www.hotrak.ca) that has posted some pics and info on how we build our modules. See also www.railwaybob.com - obne of our member's site for more info, but be prepared for lots of pics! Bear in mind that you do not need to follow any particular standard if you are constructing a home layout, rather than a true "modular" approach. As far as your questions: 1) I think they are great. The hobby is model railroading, not carpentry right?! ;) However, I do think that they are expensive. With basic carpentry skills, you can easily build 2x4 foot modules for a fraction of the cost using 3/4" paint-grade plywood and 2" extruded (pink or blue) foam. Having said that, the only thing that I really don't like from WS are the plastic trees and the ballast. 2) I would start with Walthers or Woodland Scenics own site to get part numbers etc, but then search on-line retailers for the best price. I think that WS was offering a buy X get 1 free for a while, so that may be the best bet. 3) I think this is a good approach to (re)entering the hobby. It lets you get (almost) straight to modelling, which is the interesting part (IMHO ;) ). If you like running trains, well it helps get there quicker too. I would skip the 4x8 table. When I got back into it a few years ago, I started with a 4x8. Then I started building dioramas, and then found the modular group. My 4x8 is still not finished, and now will probably never get done. Some nice things about the modules include: they afford a degree of learning, accomplishment, and they don't take forever to finish. We have guys at the club who turn out sets of modules on a regular basis. If you really want to see the trains run immediately, then set something up temporarily on a table, but don't make it permanent. Hope that helps. If you want some more modular railroading resources, let me know. Andrew
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