Dewarville Layout Guiding Principles

As I develop my N scale layout, I  want to establish guiding principles for it that will shape its operation and perhaps put some constraints on its cost.

1. The layout takes place in the modern day and minute. If it's February 6, 2014 on the real calendar, it's February 6, 2014 in the layout. This way, I can always operate the most current railroading technology as soon as the model train manufacturers produce it. That said, there will be no attempt to scenic the layout for a particular season. That is, there won't be snow or parched grass.

2. The layout is DC. I know whenever I talk to any hobby shop staffer or post on a message board, the idea of running DC is nearly apostate to other model railroaders. Purchasing a DCC decoder-equipped N scale locomotive adds at least $50 to the price. I have 54 DC locomotives to run on the layout thus far. To reequip them with a DCC decoder would require a lot of effort, locomotive disassembly, and several hundred dollars. For such a relatively small layout, I'm not sure if it's worth the cost. It is true that DCC allows you to run multiple consists from different manufacturers and that is a feature I would like. So I cannot say never to DCC but certainly not right now.

3. The layout must be able to be disassembled at a future date. As I live in an apartment, there's no guarantee a rent increase might occur that makes me leave. Thus, I have to keep the structure of the layout such that it can be disassembled without too much lost cost in buildings, scenery, or track. This will impact how scenery is applied.

4. Structures will be purchased pre-built if possible. My modeling skills are below average and I don't want to flood my small apartment with CA glue and paint fumes. Where possible, structures will be purchased that are pre-assembled, snap-together, or already built by an Ebay seller. 

5. Locomotives will (mostly) run out of the box. When I modeled HO, I was anal about rectifying locomotives that didn't have ditch lights or MU hoses and cables. I spent a lot of time detailing as a result. I don't want to spend the time or money on that and N scale's smaller size sort of defeats the purpose of such detailing. There will be some exceptions--horns will be placed in prototypical positions if possible.