Here's a copy of my first attempt at a track plan - outer curves are drawn at O96 but could easily be over 100 - I'm a little concerned about getting too s-curvy - which is why I'm staying under 100 - even though I have room to go over. Inner mainline is drawn at approximately O89 with the two reversing loops drawn at a graduated mix of O-89 and O-80.
Was thinking about maybe doing an industrial area inside the loops by the stairs - maybe a brewery and train shop with the appropriate sidings. Other end would be your atypical Kansas town on a hill with trains in the river bottoms running around it.
Elevation - rear track is elevated and grades out at each end as it comes to the front. When at front, it's at low spot. The inner track elevates from under the stairs - crosses over itself (figure 8) and remains elevated as it crosses in front of the water shut-off and over the duck-under - dropping in the reverse direction of the outer line. I like that the figure 8 - and reverse elevations offer a nice contrast.
Reverse Loops - The outside track tucks underneath the inner loop under the hill (see inset sketch), wrapping around un-seen - emerging at the back corner of the walk-in. The inner-loops reverse is a bit of a question-mark for me. I didn't want three bridges at the stairs end duck-under, so I was thinking of putting a switch at the point the figure 8 drops - continuing the elevated track out - over it's lower self, then dropping it down to meet. My concern is that might limit industry - I'm thinking of adding a yard here inside this loop with a Topeka-esque shop and a Brewery.
