Hi Ray,
I'm new to the forum but a pro photographer too and I've have been shooting digital for the past five years so I wanted to make a few suggestions to try and help you.
1st. I would highly suggest that in the beginning you let the camera adjust/
set the the light balance unless you have placed a white card, 8.5x11.5" approximately in the scene and white balanced using it whatever lighting you plan to use to take your shot? It seemed you mentioned two different choices but stick with one at a time for a few test shots.
2nd. Use the automatic mode to start with until your getting the results that look pleasing and the most accurate to you. In the shots you've posted you know better than any of us which looks the best with the truest colors of your layot.
3rd I'm not sure but in the beginning you may have had your iso set too high, probably you can use an iso setting of about 200 +/- and still shoot at a reasonable shutter speed. Too high of an iso will cause the scene to look very light or of course if you played with a slow shutter speed setting that could do it also. As Larry, I think said, focus using a larger aperatue which will be automatically done for you unless your working in manual mode.
4th Set your camera for Aperature Priority and let the camera set the shutter
speed it needs, if it seems too slow crank up the iso one notch higher, from 200 to 400.
5th You mentioned a 22mp file size, without meaning to be belittling, that is over kill indeed, I imagine your Rebel has about an 8mp sensor and for shots to post or even print a 4mp JPEG image is more than sufficent to produce a file that will post a fantastic image or print a beautifully sharp and detailed 13x 19" print, I do them all the time from a 3.5mp JPEG file size.
6th As it was stated before, determine what/where your subject is and focus on something that is approximately 1/3 the depth of your overall scene. The reason for this is that for any given camera to subject distance, as well as Aperature setting,to the main subject, say the Red caboose, you'll have 1/3 Depth of Field [DoF] in focus in front of the subject and 2/3 behind it. Now if you move back a little farther from the subject, the caboose, your depth of field will increase, move in closer and it decreases.
I believe your camera has a DoF button on it to the right of the lens and when pressed you be able to see the DoF your getting
In the begining keep it simple and let the camera adjust most of the settings for you. Try this and I think you'll have better luck.
HTH
David