Most interurban roads hauled freight--IIRC, a few were freight only--though the usual method was with electric locomotives (most often just called "motors"), often steeple-cabbed, and often interesting in form and function. Wide-swing couplers and round car end sills facilitated negotiating the sharp curves--you know, like 027 sharp!--involved in running freight inside city industrial districts.
Electric traction was once a very important and large niche in the world of 0 scale. You can build a very realistic, uncompressed layout in a small space, even using 2-rail track track.
