Possible Layouts

Here are the three layouts I was considering. The first one uses a traverser contained inside the layout to move cars and engines from the staging area at the top to the main switching area below. The area serviced by the traverser is inside the orange box.

The second layout uses an external cassette to move the cars and engines from the staging area at the top to the switching area on the bottom.

The third layout connects the staging area to the switching area by turnouts. In this layout the staging area is at the bottom.

I don't know if any of these will be the final layout. I want to be able to have trains run on and off the layout at both ends so I simulate traffic comming from both directions. I had been trying to work in a 18 in. x 5 ft. area but I might have to change that. Possibly going to a 4 ft. x 2 ft. area and having a loop.