Raising the layout with ropes and pulleys is the hard part - I simplified this on my 6’ x 8’ HO layout by hooking an A-frame on each end, with a pulley attached to the top of the “A”. The fixed end of the rope was attached to a rafter in the garage, the rope then going to the pulley on the A-frame and over another pulley on the rafter. This gave me a 2 to 1 mechanical advantage. In other words, it halved the pull needed to raise the layout. I could raise and lower it myself, by doing one end at a time, a foot at a time. Of course, with 2 people available it was much simpler!
The A-frames were just pulled back up to the rafters when the layout was down. They were hooked onto 2 carrying handles at each end - which also made it easy for 2 people to carry the layout - at least until the weight of scenery got a bit much!
Tony.