08-03-2011, 02:09 PM
Non-ag, modern, rural in Northern Ontario.
I think that logging is out - almost all now handled by truck (in and out) until you reach a significant size or aggregate product from several mills at a single shipping point.
But how about quarry operations? There's a thread going here somewhere with a modern stone quarry that might fit the bill as it includes rail ops. Sand and gravel is a good alternative since to transport it any distance, you need an efficient method such as rail.
Some sort of specialized plant that has received funding to set up in a remote area - like the bakery suggestion, or plastics factory (above).
It might be easier to alter the locale or the era - by being a bit more urban (like southern/southwestern Ontario with towns on the order of 2000-20000) or by backdating a bit (to the 1940s or 50s, i.e. pre-globalization - means that there is more likely to be "one of each" thing railserved in each town - e.g. furniture factory, lumber, coal/bulk goods, etc).
Andrew
I think that logging is out - almost all now handled by truck (in and out) until you reach a significant size or aggregate product from several mills at a single shipping point.
But how about quarry operations? There's a thread going here somewhere with a modern stone quarry that might fit the bill as it includes rail ops. Sand and gravel is a good alternative since to transport it any distance, you need an efficient method such as rail.
Some sort of specialized plant that has received funding to set up in a remote area - like the bakery suggestion, or plastics factory (above).
It might be easier to alter the locale or the era - by being a bit more urban (like southern/southwestern Ontario with towns on the order of 2000-20000) or by backdating a bit (to the 1940s or 50s, i.e. pre-globalization - means that there is more likely to be "one of each" thing railserved in each town - e.g. furniture factory, lumber, coal/bulk goods, etc).
Andrew