02-21-2009, 12:01 PM
The CNR had a similar open-platform style freight house in Palmerston, in southern Ontario. Cars on tracks on both sides of the platform would be spotted with their doors aligned across the platform (this can be done with multiple tracks, too), then LCL would be transferred to the different cars assigned to the various branches radiating out from Palmerston. There are some good photos and a description of the operation in Ian Wilson's book Steam Over Palmerston. Most of his books, even though all deal mainly with the CNR in the '50s, are great references for anybody wanting to model branchline operations in the 1950s or earlier. All volumes detail each line, with track diagrams and industrial placement for each town, plus a description of operations, and, of course, lots of excellent photos.
Wayne
Wayne