Costs:

One further item may be of interest to potential model railroaders - cost: About $660 (not including trains or "labor").

Most of the items were purchased at retail. Some, like the aluminum briefcase, were purchased at eBay and I may have saved some money. Many of the items, like turf, glue, paints and tools, are Shared Items and are listed now at the price that I paid, but the cost could be spread out over multiple layouts. For example, the 32 ounce jug of Green Grass Fine Turf costs $9.49, but there is enough to last for layout after layout. So if I'd used it on 10 layouts the cost assigned to this one would be just $0.95. This means that the actual cost for the layout is lower.

Unique Items                     Cost
circus tents                    $92.45
elephants                       $22.99
giraffes                        $22.99
Aluminum briefcase              $21.21
8x8510 Marklin curved track     $24.56
2x8503 Marklin straight track    $4.96
2x92500 Merkur balasted roadbed  $6.50
2x91510 Merkur balasted roadbed $26.00
clowns                          $15.99
camels                          $10.99

Shared Items
Z scale trees                    $9.25
hook-up wire                     $5.49
contact paper                    $5.74
pines and trees                 $27.49
Merkur Special Glue              $9.99
spade tongue terminals           $1.69
1/8-in phone jack                $2.99
1/8-in phone plug                $2.99
1-in foam sheet                  $4.29
3x1/4-in foam sheet              $9.87
Scenic Glue                      $6.39
Scenic Cement                    $6.39
Scenic Sprayer                   $3.89
Foam Putty                       $7.98
Hot Wire Foam Cutter            $39.98
Green undercoat, 8 oz            $7.79
Earth undercoat, 8 oz            $7.79
Fine Turf, yellow grass          $9.49
Fine Turf, green grass           $9.49
Bushes, medium green             $3.79
Shopping promenade people       $12.99
female pedestrians              $12.99
male pedestrians                $12.99
100 Preiser figures             $99.95
rail joiners                     $6.42
3/4-in flat camel hair brush     $3.49
foam knife                       $5.98
Testors Enamel Paint Kit         $7.99
locking tweezers                 $5.39
round camel hair brush set       $4.95
needle file set                  $5.39
Range top salt & pepper shakers  $2.97
white acrylic paint              $0.87
12 Marklin automobiles          $29.32
1" x 1.5" circus posters dh01    $5.99
1" x 1.5" circus posters g03     $5.99
Ceramcoat acrylic paint set      $2.99
Traditional Holiday acrylics     $2.99

      Total                    $661.06

      Total when shared over
      additional layouts       $593.42