Woody -
Ahhh. But I'm sure I have. I lived in New York (Yonkers) for about 4 years when I worked at the UN back in the 70's. I've been all over NYC and LI.

Not to mention the dented oil pans from driving over it.

Kansas City St. Louis & Chicago
St. Louis Iron Mountain & Southern

Buffalo Pass Scalplock & Defiance 

Having been on a number of tourist train rides around the country, I can say that the the diesel rides don't do much for me.
When I ride a tourist railroad, it's for the experience of seeing, hearing, smelling, and "feeling" the steamers.
If I just want to look at scenery, I can do that in a car for a lot less money.

Aesthetic purposes -
Adding scenery, detailing equipment, counting rivets, handlaying track (with the exception of special curves), etc. are only for aesthetic purposes, too.
You can run your train on an EZ Track oval without needing any of the above.

I haven't done any measurements with #5 or #6 turnouts.
I just used the standard turnouts and the 18" radius curves to kind of help out the newbies getting started with EZ Track.

MPS -
While the other folks offer some great advice, don't be afraid to go out and buy a standard Bachmann train set.
They're usually cheaper and will give you something to play with while you're designing your layout. The standard (as opposed to Spectrum) locos run just fine for a beginner and they and the cars just don't have as much detail as the Spectrum models. You can always buy the high dollar stuff later as your layout progresses.
When it comes time to actually start laying your track, buy the gray roadbed with nickel silver rail as suggested.
You can use the black roadbed track for test fitting and planning or sit it on a shelf to display your equipment or put it on a dead end spur somewhere.
If you buy a DC set, you can always go to DCC later. With Bachmann's  EZ Command DCC, you can run one DC loco so you're original loco won't be wasted by buying it.
Have fun! Sometimes, the planning and building is more fun than the running.

"Great" is in the eye of the beholder. For some, a figure 8 is great.  For others, a large layout with multiple turnouts, sidings, spurs, and switchbacks is great layout.
What type of running are you looking for - Continuous loop? Switching operations? Point to point?
About the best book out there is the "101 Track Plans".

Joe -
I haven't done any measurements with #5 or #6 turnouts.
I just used the standard turnouts and the 18" radius curves to kind of help out the newbies getting started with EZ Track.

KCS -
I'm guessing you sawed off the diverging leg of the turnout and added a short curve going the opposite direction.
With no straight in between, do you have problems with that?

I'm sure it would be cool but I don't see it happening in the near future due to the costs involved and the amount of manufacturing resources available.

I'm always getting those timed out errors.
There have been more messages that I've posted that haven't even shown up because of the time out errors.
I'm not the computer wiz that Yampa is, but now I 'm worried what the Bachboard is doing with my computer.

So as not to be wasteful when buying the pack to just to get the 2" straights, one could sharpen the edges of the 90 crossings and use them as throwing stars.

I posted a message in the General Discussion on uses for the 2" straights.
http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,6377.0.html
Bob  - Too bad the board doesn't allow for voice. Probably just as good, especially when people have complaints.

I had posted this on the old board. I hope I have this right from cutting and pasting -
Passing sidings
One problem with making a passing siding on the straights with EZT (EZ Track) is that (with one exception - #5 below) you need a 2" straight.
That is, unless you want to cut the EZ Track.
As of today, 2" straights aren't sold separately.
They are sold with Bachmann's 90* crossing. It comes with four 2" straights.
Below are 6 examples of how you can make a passing siding using 18" radius curves.
This won't work with 15" or 22" radius curves without some kind of "S" curve somewhere.    
   *****************************************************************    
      
   1. Above - No straights between curve and turnout. ***NOT A GOOD IDEA *** Diverging leg = left - 18"r - 18"r - right Straight leg = left - 3" - 4 1/2" - 9" - "2 1/4" - 2" - 9 - right Dimensions = 38 3/4" long 6 3/4" wide    

   2. Above - 2" straights between curve and turnout. Diverging leg = left - 2" -18"r - 18"r - 2" - right Straight leg = left - 9" - 2 1/4" - 2" - 2" - 9" - right Dimensions = 42 1/4" long 7 3/4" wide    
   
   3. Above - 2 1/4" straights between curve and turnout. Diverging leg = left - 2 1/4" -18"r - 18"r - 2 1/4" - right Straight leg = left - 2" - 9" - 4 1/2" - 9" - right Dimensions = 42 1/2" long 7 3/4" wide    
   
   4. Above - 3" straights between curve and turnout. Diverging leg = left - 3" - 18"r - 18"r - 3" - right Straight leg = left - 9" - 3" - 3" - 2" - 9" - right Dimensions = 44" long 8 1/4" wide    
   
   5. Above - 4 1/2" straights between curve and turnout. *** The only combination that will work without a 2" straight. *** Diverging leg = left - 4 1/2" - 18"r - 18"r - 4 1/2" - right Straight leg = left - 9" - 3" - 3" - 2 1/4" - 2 1/4" - 9" - right Dimensions = 48 1/2" long 9" wide    
   
   6. Above - 9" straights between curve and turnout. Diverging leg = left - 9" - 18"r - 18"r - 9" - right Straight leg = left - 9" - 9" - 2" - 4 1/2" - 2 1/4" - 9" - right Dimensions = 54 1/2" long 11 1/4" wide    
   
   7. Above - Opposing turnouts Diverging leg = left - 2 1/4" - left - right - 2 1/4" - right Straight leg = left - 4 1/2" - 3" - 2" - 9" - 9" - right Dimensions = 45 1/2" long 7 3/4" wide    
   *****************************************************************    
   EZ Track yard
Here is an EZ Track yard made without cutting pieces and using the 2" straights, standard turnouts, and 18" curves.
The below pics use the diverging legs for the straight sections and the straight leg
for the curved sections.
Add straights equally between the two curves and the straights to make it longer.    
   *****************************************************************    
      

   1. Above - Can be passing siding or two track yard.
Diverging leg  = right - 9" - 2" - 2 1/4" - left
Straight leg = right - 18"r - 18"r - left
Dimensions = 34 1/2" long   10 1/2" wide (to lowest corner of turnout)    

   2. Above - Four track yard.
Top set of turnouts -
Diverging leg  = right - 9" - 2" - 2 1/4" - left
Straight leg = right - 18"r - 18"r - left
Second set of turnouts -
Diverging leg  = right - 9" - 9" - 2" - 9" - left
Third set of turnouts -
Diverging leg  = right - 9" - 9" - 4 1/2" - 2" - 2 1/4" - 9" - 9" - left
Dimensions = 65 1/4" long   17 1/4" wide (to lowest corner of turnout)