Here is my preliminary layout plan for the North Pole section. This assumes a section that is six 32×32 baseplates deep by 10 baseplates wide. This would basically cover two 30″x96″ tables (it might need to be trimmed to 9 baseplates wide). This also assumes that this Section will be located on a corner of the display.
The basic layout idea is that two train tracks will run in front of a factory building where toys/presents are being made and in front of an “administration” building where Santa’s office and communnications and computer equipment are housed. My inspiration for these two buildings is the Heinz plant complex on the North Shore.
Located next to the admin building is the elves Village. Greg’s Alpine Village buildings, any Winter Village sets, and any other victorian/half-timbered or similar buildings can be incorporated here as a “residential living area”. If we need additinoal room for more Village buildings, we can use the space behind the Admin and Factor buildings (marked as “Alpine Village, Winter Village II buildings” on the layout). Behind the Village area can lie Greg’s Santa’s Castle.
One potential modification to this is that the inner train loop may need to peel off and run back behind the Admin and Factory buildings. This would be the Polar Express line and would run between the North Pole Section and the Town Section with a Forest Section in between.
Please let me know what you think of these ideas. Nothing location-wise is set in stone yet.