Quite honestly, Timbo, after reading all the preceding posts I think that Mark (Forty Niner) has offered you the most sound advice for a person in your position.
Far too many new model railroaders rush into the hobby, spending willy nilly on a host of excessively expensive and unnecessary equipment, with immediate dreams of grandiose layouts and fancy trains. History has demonstrated that those who have had the most success and longevity of interest are usually the ones who start out small and purchase only a modest array of middle-of-the-road equipment. They worked their way up over the years to increasingly greater accomplishments and more sophisticated trains. Ours is definitely not a hobby for anyone in a hurry.
An overwhelming premise in the hobby for as long as I can remember has been that the key to initial success is to get something up and running in as reasonably short a period of time as practical. Choosing a fairly simple 4x8 design with the capability of running just one train at a time and including perhaps a little switching, is more than enough for the newbie to bite off. Another good choice is the purchasing of a broad selection of modeling guide books and/or videos that explain and demonstrate how and why things are done and how to go about doing them yourself.
DCC and fancy, high-end, locomotives and rolling stock are fine choices once you’ve established that you do have a developing long term interest in the hobby. However, these are far from a necessity for the beginner. A good, medium priced, DC powered, Atlas boxed train set, one that proves to your liking in appearance, is a fine choice as a starting point. Together with a simple 4x8 trackplan, the set’s DC power pack, some extra track, a plywood board and some simple structure kits, it’s possible to have something up and running and to enjoy in exchange for just a few weekends of work. Once that has been accomplished there’s plenty of time to