Tim: Thank you for the tip about your blog. I enjoyed reading "Nebenbahn in Bayern" and found the example track plans helpful.

Michael: Thank you for the links; a couple I have seen but the others are new to me. I'll be eager to look at them in depth.

After posting this morning I went to wikipedia to study the various natural regions of Germany from the Nordostdeutsche Seenplatte to the Isar-Inn Schotterplatte. I am attracted to the Mittelgebirge regions which are hilly but not too mountainous. I will need justification, after all, for my station to be situated on a bit of a curve. The stations I've seen in the North German Plains have been largely straight-tracked. As far as an actual German state to situate my layout, I remain undecided at this point.

Interesting that most modellers situate their layouts in Bavaria or the Black Forest or elsewhere in the south of the country. Are there any examples of modelling the north of Germany? I've always thought the Kiel Hbf would make an excellent subject (although it is too big for my space).