Placing Rail Served Industries On Layout Edge

[FCIN]

... I've opted for a lower / open industry, a scrap yard, in it's place, so I can still reach over to tracks further back.

Same here, for now all my "proposed" plans have a team track and another open type industry, that would only require a very small, low structure (tank car unloading facility).

Of course you can find industrial spurs where everything is on one side of the main track for one reason or another (this being an example: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=33.97...6&t=k&z=18), but I prefer to have something on each side of the main track and am really wondering if what I'm demonstrating is workable.

I do like that open warehouse idea though, but still not sure what to do about the uncoupling bit. I know I could use an underfloor magnet or something, but I am thinking of changing my couplers to those of Sergent Engineering in the future, as I love the way they look, not sure if they will work well with under the track magnets etc.

I've never liked going the magnet uncoupling route for many reasons. And although I haven't done it thus far, if I stay with the Kadee's I'll most likely cut off those trip pins and put air hose details on the end of the cars.

I doubt seriously of those lovely Sergent couplers would work with an under track magnet. Been thinking about possibly switching to them myself at some point in the future. About the only other thing I've thought of in regard to the open warehouse, would be to make the roof easily removable to access the cars if necessary. Not sure I'd be comfortable doing that, but it's a thought.