individual industries or a bulk terminal+

[h2w]

Construction on my shelf layout has slowed down for various reasons. I have a section that is  18 inches by 77 inches. the rest of the layout is 12 inches wide so I chose this section for industry because its wider.  I can fit 3 small industries with 2 car spots each coming off the main at an angle and one at the end of the main, one of my interests, is weathering cars that I see coming thru locally, mostly covered hoppers ( its a rush to hear my 7 yr old get excited when he sees a particular car on a train pass by and he yells you have that one!), so the space as a bulk terminal where the various cars can be seen has peaked my interest. so what  do you think any opinions would be appreciated also this is ho scale. any track plans would be great I use code 100 and either atlas#4 or #6. theres 3 bulk terminals in this area one is in Herndon pa which consists of 2 long sidings  running parerel  to the main both tracks are heavy ballasted and stub ended half way down the track is a large undertrack pit where sand is unloaded from NS hoppers and there various portable conveyors for loading covered hoppers hmmmmm I might have to go down there again
any help would be appreciated

thanks
 mark

[LIRR]

Not enough to go on.....what's your time period? If you're modeling the 40s to the 60s, several smaller industries may be the ya to go. If it's the 70s to present day, then a single large industry like a paper mill for instance, would be better. You'd wind up with the same number of car-spots probably

[Catt]

I would do a bulk terminal just to have something different but believable.Actually I am planning on doing just that when I make the new yard module for my Onandaga sub.

[jpec]

It's the number of car spots, not necessarily the number of industries that determine the operations potential.  A single large customer, say a bakery supply warehouse, could have spots for boxcars, covered hoppers with flour to be rebagged on site and tank cars with vegetable oil needing to be placed in the proper spot. You go with a bulk terminal,  it's the same car types going in the same spots, unless you went with something like a corn syrup terminal which is spotted by grade. A transloading facility allows a car with something like plastic pellets to be off-loaded in to a waiting dry bulk trailer.  Next day it could be a flatcar of lumber being loaded onto a waiting flatbed truck. It's like a super-charged team track...

Jeff