Railroading Meritbadge Requirement 8.a.1 

Draw a layout of your own model railroad; or one that could be built in your home. Design a point-to-point track or loop with different routings. Include one of the following: turnaround or terminal or yard or siding.

In doing some research for this requirement, I came across a free software that allows you to do this very thing.  www.TraxEditor.com

Model train layouts come in a vast array of sizes, shapes, and length; it all depends on the size of room you plan on putting this miniature land in (and even then, who says you can't make tunnels through your walls at home... maybe mom...).  My first layout (mind you I was only 8 years old) was a very simple circle. Later, I graduated to experimenting with a figure eight layout. What's wonderful about creating your own layout is that you really have unlimited options of items that you can add.  For example; are you going to have your layout take place during the fall or summer? Will it be a coal freighter rolling through the country side or a passenger train traveling to its final destination in the city? The choice is completely up to you on how you want your layout look. 

Some great ideas can be found at www.TrainLife.com