Layouts and layout building

Hi all, while track planning the other day, I came up with a radical new idea for a multiple level layout. There are two levels (or more if you have the space) that are either not connected or only connected by a comon staging yard. On the bottom level is a standard layout whose era is somewhere durring the steam to transition era. Then, on the upper level, is the exact same layout, same prototype and all, except that it is fast forwarded to today. It would be a compairison on how the world has changed and how the railroad has grown or shrunk (trackage has expanded/shrunk-rolling stock has changed) and how towns cities and industries have grown. 

Tell me what you think and if by chance you try it.

Kind of an interesting twist on an old idea (changing era's on a layout). My layout currently under construction is two non-connected decks representing two different areas (kinda like two divisions of the same railroad), with the time frame rotating from say 1940 to 1995. I don't remember it coming up before about doing two levels with each being the same exact area but in a different time.

My only concern would be about in effect doing the same layout twice, might be less interesting than doing different things on different decks. I figure for my layout I can use replaceable building and details to change the time frame in a relatively short time, so moving ahead say a decade or so at a time is pretty easy. But then I will have to make some compromises that you wouldn't have to do in doing it the way you describe. It would be fun to see the layout if you do build it!!

Actually, it has been thought of before and commented upon in the linked thread:

I hadn't seen the previous thread, but this sounds like a really cool idea.  I might have to snag it.

boston1943 wrote:

Hi all, while track planning the other day, I came up with a radical new idea for a multiple level layout.

Not really as radically new as you might think. I've written about this kind of layout a few times, most recently for a three-deck design based on the Oahu Railway in Model Railroad Planning 2008 magazine The idea in that article was to have one deck set in the busiest era for the railroad (around WWII) and have other decks set in earlier eras that used older equipment and would operate at a slower pace. And I'm sure others proposed it long before I did.

Byron
Model RR Blog

  I have a friend who is building a basement size '2 deck' layout with no connections between the the upper and lower levels.  The lower level is a double track 'transition era' layout.  The upper level is a single track 'modern era' layout.  All of the track/wiring is complete, as are both staging yards.

Jim

I think that would be cool as heck.  I admit, I am fan of ti all.  I enjoy the modern stuff as we get to see it everyday but i enjoy the romance and history of the yesteryear and bygone era's.  I have tried to balance them both on my layout as I go back and forth between era's. 

I model my Kiva Valley in either 1956 or present day.  I admit, there are defiantly some issues that I have to swallow, some creative imagination and little go old fashion horsefeathers but it works.  I try to keep my structures era neutral, such as brick and other features and  shy away from obvious dated structures such a cell phone tower.

Compromises on some things but in the long run, I think it is worth as I get to enjoy it all.

But if I had the budget and the room, that would be very cool.