Placing Rail Served Industries On Layout Edge

[Brakie]

Interesting comments. My personal thoughts are that any building/flat construction on the layout edge looks awkward, unless, perhaps, it is some sort of open-sided shed.

To me, the problem seems to arise from the need to place tracks and structures more or less parallel to the front of the layout in order to efficiently use space. If the layout could be rotated up to 45 degrees or so, open viewing of structures and operations would take care of itself, and operations would likely be enhanced.

I'll probably face some similar problems soon, since the factory compound will have a fair amount of switching, so I'll have to give this some more thought.

MM,IMHO I believe the contemporary switching layout designs will take some time to adjust to especially buildings being place along the front-something that's been frown on for years for the reasons you mention and among others..

I do like the concept simply because the prototype has industries on both sides of the track instead of one side and with the industry facing the front like you see on most layouts.