First of all I must say hi Kal, as one new member to another. I too have returned to model railroading after many years absence but I am a little luckier than you in that I have been unexpectadly presented with a room, or at least one wall of it, to start over again.
I have recently completed the Metcalfe signal box and it is a realy nice model when finished and, like all Metcalfe models, repays your patience and care many times over. Also I have found that their models are very easy to add extra detail and weathering to, if you think they should need it.