Hello TB members, Just wanted to know what most of you all are using to do inclines with. WS Incline Sets, Pier Sets. If you use something else, like homemade, do it yourself. Let us know how you do it, and why you use what you use, cost, looks. Please put your 2 cents in. Thanks Don.
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Right Side Of The "New" JJJ&E[/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Here is the right side of the layout. Risers are in position for the 1 1/2% grade. The town of San Marino can be seen in the distance. The bench work on this side of the layout is fifteen feet long. The turnaround area is 50 inches in diameter, so that allows me to use radii of 21 to 24 inches on this part of the layout. The rest of the layout has 28 to 30 inch radii. All of this was accomplished with Unitrack which on this side of the JJJ&E still has to be weathered and ballasted. I used WS 2% risers and lightened the grade to 1 1/2%. I also used WS 2% risers on the "original" JJJ&E. Some photo's of that layout can be seen on my website below. This is an early photo of this part of the "new" JJJ&E. The second photo shows the turnaround area. This is the highest point on this 1 1/2% grade. [/FONT]
There is the costly way and the less costly way. The pre-designed risers are one way. Another is to cut out the shape and width of the curve on a piece of plywood and use hidden supports (it will all eventually be covered up anyway) from scrap wood or other material. This would be, more or less, the old way to make slopes. There is mathematical work involved to get the slope just right- not to steep and more testing before final affixation to the layout, but a lot cheaper that using WS risers. I will try to upload some shots of another cheap way tonight if I get home early enough. I used pink foamboard shimmed with craft sticks for final adjustment re: slope.
If you are good with woodwork (and math), then build them with lumber. There are many benchwork books that show you how to attach cleats to risers to support plywood sub roadbase. Getting the math right down to the nub (very important in small scales as even a little hump really reduces pulling power and is noticeable) is a matter of patience. The advantage of doing your own is that you can get a, say, 2.23% grade if you want to. If you can live with the WS 2 or 3% (I don't recommend any higher) and don't have carpentry skills, they are definitely the way to go. But, it is surprising how often a 2.something grade is what is required, AND anything less than 3% is much preferable. Another advantage if WS besides the perfect incline is you can work late at night without disturbing kids, neighbors, etc. from their sleep! If you can arrange your layout to a 2% grade, these are real timesavers.
I actually used Left over 1inch insulating foam that i used for my subroadbed and cut it to shape and sanded down to taper it to make my inclines. A little messy ad time consuming but so far has been well worth it.
I like the WS inclines. The work is done for you, no messing about. Also don't forget that if you need to these inclines and risers can be trimmed with the a sharp knife if need be. You don't necessarily need the whole cross section of the riser if you don't want it. I generally glue mine down before trimming. Jim
