In this view, the layout is lowered for operation with the drop-down leg supporting the table on the end opposite the hinge connections to the shelf. Note the Märklin Mikado locomotive and tender that gives you a sense of the overall size of the layout.
The wider the drop-down leg, the more stable the overall layout will be and I'm thinking that I might add more material to the lower part of the leg to provide it more stability and make it somewhat self aligning. As it is now, I have to use a level to check the table while shifting the leg position as needed to get it right. As an alternative, I might add level indicators under the table to make this more convenient.
In the photo below you can see that the 0" elevation is actually raised up from the shelf surface using 1/2" foam. Some of the track needed for getting started has already arrived and some layout visualization is underway as a means to validate this portion of the layout
