new layout with no name

[FCIN]

Thanks all for the imput so far,here's a list of the c/hoppers i have.
PWRS ACF 4600 3-bay c/hopper,UP x3
Intermountian 4-bay cylindrical c/hopper,NHAX x2
Atlas ACF 3-bay cylindrical c/hopper, CSXT x2
Exactrail Evans 4780 c/hopper, FMC Chemicals x1
Athearn 54' 4700 c/hopper, FMC X1
Atlas ACF 4650 3-bay c/hopper, SSW x1
Walthers 50' airslide c/hopper, CSXT x2
Walthers Trinity 100t 2-bay c/hoppers, CSXT x2
would all of these still be in use in the period i plan to model 1990-2000??,if not could you give me some examples of c/hoppers that would be.
Ray

As for the reporting marks; CSXT, NAHX, SSW (UP), USLX (the FMC car), UP, those would all be valid for your era. I found examples of most of the cars you list and they all appear to be primarily used for grain/potash/fertilizer handling. The Trinity 100 ton 2 bay hoppers would be primarily used to transport cement.

There are plenty of the 50ft Airslide hoppers still in use transporting flour and sugar and I see them quite frequently around here, although as time goes on, they are rapidly being replaced with the newer pressure differential cars.

The Atlas cylindrical covered hopper is an early style ACF centerflow, first introduced around 1966. I haven't seen one one them in a long time, but no reason you couldn't use them on your layout. We had a fleet of them lettered for ACFX and SHPX assigned to National Distillers used for shipping distillers dried grain.

Looks like you've got plenty of covered hoppers for handling inbound grain, but only a couple that would handle sugar. I've looked at aerial views of several General Mills plants around the country and most of the cars visible in the views appear to be inbound grain. Most of the Kellog plants that I've been able to track down, don't appear to use rail service, even though they might be located close to a rail line! Go figure! Of course the final product would be shipped out via truck, although you could have inbound box car loads of packaging materials.

For what it's worth, I'd still try and have separate industries on your plan rather than try and make one large industry fit with your car fleet. Gives you a lot more flexibility.