Hi everyone. My project is moving on. I have now put together a list of the industries on my layout with the cars that would be serviced at each. However, I would like some ideas as to what I have missed. 

My current plan for my model railroad is a modern (current) era switching layout. I currently have two Athearn Genesis MP15AC locomotives that I am planning on using. Neither of these locomotives has ditch lights. They would be used strictly inside an industrial park setting, not crossing any "public" streets.  Would ditch lights be required in this type of setting? If so, how should I add them? I don't particularly care if they work or not. 

I am wondering if prototype railroads had any physical indications along the tracks to indicate clearance points at turnouts: the place beyond which a piece of rolling stock would not clear rolling stock passing by on the other route of the turnout.  I have looked at lots of railroad photographs and can't see anything that seems to serve this purpose.  When I ride the local commuter rail, I don't see anything like this either.  On the subway platforms and on some passenger platforms, I see markings to let the engineer know where to stop if the train is X cars long.&nb

Fresh out of HS in 1971, I worked at a local terminal grain elevator in Salina, KS.  Capacity, around 10 million bushels.  At that time, this elevator did a "boxcar" business of receiving grain by rail.  I didn't see many covered hoppers, but I saw tons of boxcars.  For several years I have tried to remember, let alone find, an example of how the grain was extracted from the boxcars.  I remembered that there was a twin screw auger that was inserted into the boxcar, and it traveled on rails, but beyond that, nothing.