What is the recommended basic steps to creating a route?

Whilst waiting for some large files here at work to save, I read a thread on Train.Sim in which someone stated they were building a specific route and included some screenshots and asked for comments.
This generated a number of posts suggesting that what was being shown was not the best approach, and that what was being indicated would lead to significant problems down the line so to speak!
I was therefore wondering whether any of the current route builders would be prepared to provide a simple schematic for route building, with the emphasis on simple.
For example, should one lay all the track before adding platforms, signals, scenery, etc. Alternatively should one lay a nominal length of track and then add scenery. I should imagine that individual route builders probably use variations on these, or possibly something completely different. I ask this as a means of creating another part for the HFL area. I believe this to be of some interest bearing in mind that the Vone manual is no longer available!
I wish I didn't have these ideas floating around in my head, because then I could concentrate on experiencing train driving!

Alec,
Thanks so much for posting this. Lets hope we can get a useful step by step guide from an experienced user. I have been wondering this for sometime. I have attempted to start creation of a route in the past and failed miserably!
Maybe from this, in time, I can attempt route creation of the Midhants Railway (Watercressline) from Alresford to Alton.

Unless the consensus of opinion has  changed ( the last time i created a route in MSTS was the end of 2001). It was always thought best to lay all the track first. Things like signals, crossings and other inter actives, best left until last.