Just a comment about the grades on the right side of your latest layout. On that side, you have 3 lines, the red mainline, the green mainline and the branch going up to the coal tipple. Assuming everything is level where the red-green crossover is near the tipple incline, that incline must go up at least 6 inches (and probably more to allow for scenery) in a very short run. To help the branch reduce its climb, you could start lowering the green mainline grade about 3 inches (meaning the branch would only have to climb about 4 inches), but that would require you to lower the red main (to get under the green main) by about 9 inches in a relatively short span.
My suggestion would be to put the coal tipple inside the reverse loop on the lower left hand side, giving you plenty of room to easily raise the green main where needed and to service the coal tipple elsewhere.
Chuck
