Does anyone know af any examples where some general freight classfiication would occur at Coal Marshalling yards.  To have two seperate yards (One for the general friegh one for coal marshalling) isn't practical but I don't want something that never happened so I am willing, though reluctantly, to forego the general frieght if it never occured.  I'm not talking about a huge amount of freight.

To give it some context, the P&A interchanges with a Coal Branch off another railroad where large amounts of coal hopper traffic comes onto the P&A off the Coal Branch (both modeled and from staging).  There are also a few local businesses along the coal branch that are serviced by the other railroad on this coal branch.  I also wish to interchange a significant number of cars via this branchline which neccecitates some kind of classification to occur.  The amount of non-coal interchange traffic would be no more than 1 train a day or even as light as 1 train every other day.  So to locate a classfiication yard for such a small amount of interchange is not practical.  Because much of the coal on the coal branch  is destined to be transported via the P&A, the coal marshalling yard was located close to the P&A at the end of the branchline (within 5 miles).  I figure between the local customers and the interchange traffic, 1 local in one direction each day (i.e. 1st Day Local North, 2nd Day Local South, 3rd Day Local North, and so on) and 1 "Run Through" Train each day (at most) is all the general freight would be switched. 

An slight alternative might not be a seperate yard location, but a few tracks off to the "side" taht was used for General Freight classification at the same relative location.  Perhaps that would work????

I'm still trying to grasp a proper understanding on how frieght cars were moved and interchanged circa early 1950s which is the time period i am modeling.  But hopefully from what informatoin I have already, I am within what was normal operating procedures for the time period. 

Any feedback and/or information would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Ken L.