I actually built my own suspension system using an electric winch for a 6' by 6' layout in my son's old bedroom. Although pretty cool at first, it eventually became a bit of a pain to work on. You really need to put removable/folding legs on the table so that it doesn't swing around on the suspension cables when working on the layout, and yes, the cables will get in the way. You also have to make sure that nothing is left around the edges of the layout before you raise the it up so things don't fall later. The same goes for terrain/structure/landscape heights that may get squashed against the ceiling.
If you can locate the layout in an area of the room you can guarantee won't accumulate clutter (so you can ALWAYS walk all the way around the layout) and you install legs, then go for it. Otherwise, I'd recommend looking for another alternative.
Hornblower
I totally want one. I thought of this but had problems designing and placing it.
An easy idea with no room around the ground level for one exception for going up.
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
My friend Fred built his layout in the living room, but his house is huge and has two other large rooms that could fill the need of a main "living room".
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My wife let me build the cardboard 1:1 model of my layout in the living room... twice!, but it was temporary.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
It was all I could do to pull off putting a locomotive on the mantle. Shiny gold, and all that.
On the other hand, she doesn't come into my train room and put in all kinds of girly stuff, either.
Works for me.
Ed
Would the wife notice?
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."