Hello, I have purchased a cookie cutter layout called, "simplicity and great plains." It is a oval with a couple siddings and two spurs. One spur is a "Y" spur and the other is a straight single spur...both are on the inside of the oval. It all fits on a 4x6 table. I am at my witts end trying to figure out 2 small (modern) industries/businesses I could put at the spurs...its such a small layout. Any ideas?
nscsx2 small (modern) industries/businesses
Here's the track plan, for those who aren't familiar.
A bit of a challenge for a modern-era layout, since the curves are tight and the spurs are short. A lot will depend also on the area of the country you wish to represent and your on-hand freight cars.
Some thougths:- Aggregate dealer (sand gravel, maybe bulk cement) - Scrap yard, maybe for the leg of the wye with the tighter curve- Transload facility for the straight spur. These are the modern-day equivalents of the team track and can receive a variety of cars and commodities. Here are a couple of example photos from the website of the Middletown and New Jersey RR.
Search Google Images for "transload rail" and you'll see more examples.
Best of luck with your layout.
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It's generally more convenient to have straight (as much as possible) for industries. It makes it easier to drop and pick up cars; plus loading platforms and such are simplified.
Thus the track on the upper left looks like a good candidate for practically any building with a loading dock. Or even a track inside. The two tracks on the right are a bit more tricky. Keep in mind that those tracks can be (easily changed). Maybe the could be straight(er). Or not.
If kept as curves, it is easier to set them up as something without an immediately adjacent building. Bulk unloading comes to mind. Or even a lumberyard, where forklifts will unload the centerbeams (see upper photo above).
There are certainly lots of possibilities. I recommend thumbing through a Walthers catalog to pick up a few ideas. Or just relax, stare at the ceiling, and let your mind wander.
If you have a favorite kind of freight car, that may influence your choices. Tank cars? There's corn syrup, acid, clay slurry......
Ed