Much good advice here. Be careful about the length of the leads on the many switchbacks in the plan. Shuffling one car at a time in and out of a customer starts out being boring and can turn into annoying.
1 Like
Good point. The size of the freight car can make a big difference as well. For example, a 50’ boxcar is 3.75” in N scale, but a 40’ boxcar is only 3” in N scale. In that example, you can fit 5 40’ boxcars in the same space as 4 50’ boxcars.
Rich
1 Like
Are there specific ones you have in mind?
Okey Dokey,
Made some changes by removing the Coal Mine completely and moving the Engine facility and equipment track to the top. This let stretch the bottom left siding and make it a single track with maybe a logging location since I have the sawmill at the bottom right.
My really big concern is that I feel like I don’t have enough places to switch cars to. Looking at it the only industries are in the bottom right and bottom left if I put in the logging. Some light freight would go to the company store also.
I’m really at a loss here. Any thought would be massively appreciated!
2 Likes
I think that the main issue with space is attributable to the choice of industries and structures that you started out trying to model. You are making a good decision in my view by dropping the coal mine which required a lot of operating space. Same goes for the sawmill. Even the engine house can take up valuable space.
So, if you want more space to switch cars and have more cars to switch, pick smaller industries with loading docks, lengthen the tracks a little if you can and use shorted cars like 40’ boxcars. You are on the right track though, so to speak.
Rich
2 Likes
So would you remove the sawmill also?
Just for giggles, if I JUST HAD TO HAVE the coal mine, would you start from scratch? A company town for freight and the mine for coal switching?
I don’t want to tell you how to run your railroad, but if I were going to build a shelf switching layout in N scale measuring 18” x 5’, I would not choose a sawmill and a coal mine. I might pick one or the other but not both.
To maximize the number of cars and the number of industries, I would select a number of small industries with loading docks. But, let’s say that have your heart set on a coal mine. Then, I would concentrate on that single industry.
Rich
1 Like
Gidday Benjamin, if you continue to remove industries, you’ll have no reason to switch anything! 
What you need are the visual cues to suggest that various industries exist.
The saw mill, or for that matter any rail served industry, does not have to be modelled in its entirety. (The original Swartz Creek No: 1 plan has only two complete buildings.)
You could, for instance, on the “freight track” place a simple loading ramp as in a team track. You could on the “logging ?” track, have a coal and fuel distributor. (tank cars and coal hoppers.)
The model railroading magazines have had, throughout the years, lots of plans for very small industries, so many so that one can be easily confused as to what one really wants.
Have Fun.
My two cents, Cheers, the Bear. 
3 Likes
Thanks, Rich.
My Grandpa was a C&O engineer, his brother worked for Hocking Valley, and Great Grandpa was an oilerman for B&O and then an engineer for a quarry here in Columbus.
They all ran coal at one point or another so it is kinda important.
Would expanding the layout to 2’ instead 1.5’ make much of a difference in your opinion?
Ben
1 Like
IMO, yes.I doubt if you will waste a square inch.
Cheers, the Bear.
2 Likes
Yes, it would back a difference because that increased depth would permit you to more effectively model both the coal mine and the sawmill. In that regard, JaBear has made some thoughtful suggestions about how to model large industries in a small space.
Rich
2 Likes
I think you’re both dead on. Im going to keep ut smaller and change out most of the industries like The Bear suggested. I’ll keep the coal and logging for a bigger layout.
Back to the plan!
1 Like
I have a Kalmbach book titled Lineside Industries. I pulled it off the shelf to get some ideas for you to consider. Here is a partial list.
Scrap yard
Furniture factory
Canning company
Coke plant
Fruit packing
Warehouse
Storage
LCL
Lumber
Millwork
Mixing plant -plastic pellets
Storage
Hardware
Parts supplier
Just to give you some ideas. Hope this helps.
Rich
2 Likes
A few years back, I used drawings to kitbash a coke retort plant, a simple structure that doesn’t take much space. Just an example of a lineside structure.
4 Likes
A quick drawing to illustrate my thoughts on how to represent a rail serviced industry when space is lacking.
Coal & Fuel by Bear, on Flickr
This is not a new idea, there are plenty examples of well-done compact modelled scenes.
All Richs suggestions could be truncated in a similar fashion.
Cheers, the Bear.
3 Likes
One suggestion regarding industries? Have them on the backscene. They can be as big as you want then. Just build the loading/unloading dock.
David
4 Likes
Exactly. After all, the loading dock becomes the central point of focus for many trackside industries.
Rich
1 Like
Thanks everyone! That really gives me a lot to think about!!
2 Likes
The point which I didn’t make well, is that while it isn’t common, the same can be done at the “front” of the layout.
Cheers, the Bear. 
:
3 Likes
You’re not a model railroader if you DON’T make mistakes!
Welcome to the hobby. Remember, what you don’t like from the first attempt can always be refined or replaced
4 Likes