Great job Josh.
When I first returned to this hobby, I visited a number of modular railroad displays.
As I began to formulate some ideas that I did not see on many, or any occasions, two came to mind...as a diorama or modular section. I also thought these might be 'educational' to both kids and some adults. (There are a lot of folks that have no idea of where our electrical power comes from)
Saturn V Launch Scene
I don't ever recall seeing such a scene. My interest grew from both growing up in that era and the lack of kids knowledge about it , (and some pics of liquid oxygen cars I'd seen). So I asked myself , "how did they get the liquid oxygen fuel into the Kennedy Center for the Saturn V moon rocket?". Turns out Florida East Coast RR was on some sort of managed strike at the time, so most of the fuel arrived by truck to be stored in big tanks under ground.
WELL, how about if we play with that history a bit and have fuel arrive by rail! ...the new transport age being assisted by the old transport age of railroad. Liquid oxygen cars bringing in the fuel for the Saturn rocket. And in a newer vein the solid rocket boosters being brought in for the Space Shuttle Rocket. Lots of switcher action with special NASA switchers, BIG models, etc.
Can you imagine the look in kids eyes when they saw a 5.5 foot high rocket (Saturn V in HO scale) on a diorama/module.
Might make them want to learn more about this great accomplishment in our history, and consider science futures.
Only liquid Ox cars I ever saw were made in brass...and very expensive. I found that the 62 Athearn tank car was almost exactly the right size to kitbash...never finished, but started on two. (BTW, I have a sheet of printed plans I could send to anyone interested...or maybe I could post them over on a separate thread since they are 47 years old, Oct 1963)