In England it was common to have the "brake luggage van" in the rear of the consist.
Although the typical consist in the USA is as you say there have been many variations. The weirdest I can recall is the PRR's long mail and express train Nos 11 and 12 which carried its passenger coach in the middle of 15 or more mail and express cars.This probably facilitated station stops at least for the few passengers.
In more recent times, baggage and even piggyback cars could be found at the end of first class trains. I took a movie of NP's Mainstreeter featuring piggyback cars at the rear in the mid 1960s.
On medium to lightly traveled branch lines the train might go in one direction as you described, but then the engine would run around the consist on the return trip and the baggage cars and combo would be in the rear.
Lew Schneider
