One of the advantages of modeling San Jose is the sheer diversity of industry that was in the area. Sure, the prune industry dominated, but there was also heavy industry. You can model the Food Machinery Company's plant if you want to build freight car loads of rotary cookers, or the the Accent (Stauffer Chemical) MSG plant on the south side of San Jose.
And if you model the Accent plant, buy some extra glow-in-the-dark paint at the hobby store and model the siding on the opposite side of the tracks for the GE Nuclear Plant, where you can practice your skills building a TRIGA reactor load for your flat cars!
Now turn off the lights, bring out the popcorn, and watch this tour of the GE San Jose plant where you can watch lathes turning, fuel rods being assembled, and control rod assemblies moving up and down!
[Don't ask me why YouTube is occasionally showing a Santa Clara swim meet video; search for "San Jose Facility 1958" on YouTube if the embedded video isn't correct.]