The two ends are called traversers, and it's primarily a European concept. Think locomotive transfer table, except this one is manually operated by you. The idea is to have a sliding table where freight cars are stored on tracks that can be slid into alignment with one or more lead tracks. You can store more cars in a smaller space in this way that you could by using switches to get to the tracks.
The traverser, of course, has to be hidden as there is no such thing in the prototype world (that's not really true, but close enough). The traverser acts as a source or destination for cars as you operate the layout. Cars coming onto the layout are pulled from the traversers and cars 'leaving' the layout are pushed onto it. The traverser is set up before the operating session with inbound cars and after the operating session the outbound cars are taken off. Cars can be put onto or off of the traverser during the operating session if you want to extend the session.
These traversers are 33 inches long, enough for three 40' cars including an allowance for the couplers. The three tracks are on 3 1/8 inch centers, close, but acceptable for straight track. The close spacing allows each track on the traverser to align with each of the lead tracks. If the traversers had normal spacing they could not slide back and forth enough to align with the lead tracks.
The traverser hidden within industry 'A' receives inbound cars and supplies outbound cars. At the other end of the layout the traverser supplies new cars coming onto the layout and those leaving the layout are pushed onto it. Each traverser could, conceivably, start the session totally filled and end the session totally filled with different cars. The operator manually aligns an inbound or outbound track with the desired lead track, the switching move(s) are accomplished and then another track is aligned until all moves have been done. Hidden with a large industrial building or under the bluffs, the cars seem to be coming and going in a normal manner - with some willing suspension of disbelief.
TT
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