So what is the steepest grade you have on your layouts, and why?? Is it modelled after a specific area, or simply cuz??? I will have no grade on my mainline, but my branch will have a 2% grade . It is not yet modelled after a specific area, but one of the coal mines will be a copy of a mining complex I recorded as part of my job last year. The reason for the grade is twofold: to add a little variety to the layout , and avoid a crossing between my branch and mainline along the Y. The grade will allow the main to pass under the branchline. Happy Modelling!! John ------------------ The Santa Fe and Southwestern, Chief of the Southwest!! Proud to be NARA Member #14
Funny thing for a Colorado resident (and one from the Western Slope) to say, but my railroad is billiard-table flat. The area I'm modeling is flat as a pancake, except for the numerous chatpiles left over from the lead & zinc-mining days. ------------------ Southeast....Southwest.. Ship IT on the Frisco! Bob T. Member # 362 http://hometown.aol.com/slsf1630/myhomepage/profile.html
Bob, I think you made a good choice . All of my previous layouts had many grades built in and they were all a pain in the...well you know!! I originally wanted NO grades on my new layout, but it became necessay as a way to avoid a crossing of the branchline and mains . I could, of course, have done the crossing but I think having the branch cross OVER the main will be cool !! Happy Modelling!! John ------------------ The Santa Fe and Southwestern, Chief of the Southwest!! Proud to be NARA Member #14
No grades for me either, well, there's a little slope from the mainline to the sidings, but that doesn't count, right? I've got a small interurban layout I'm building that has a 3% grade, but it's not pulling anything. ------------------ Ed Harrison Ed's Mental Cab Ride
I have grades on my layout .. heck .. ya gotsta have grades on a mountain logging railroad .. and I don't know of any western railroad that does not have grades to some degree at some place or another! You can run your pike like the prototype .. add a helper at the bottom and take it off at the top .. or leave it on to assist with 'dynamic braking' and deadhead it back from the bottom of the other side to catch the next train. ------------------ Bill (#16) "Get Goosed on the Yreka Western"
I'm gonna have a 3% grade where an empty coal train pulls onto(upyo actually)the "graded spur to a coal mine it only runs parallel with the main so I'm not going and passing. ------------------ TrainBoard.com MEMBER#204 N.A.R.A. Member #8 THE-WEB-PAGE-IS-NOW- UPDATED!! Appalachian & Atlantic Model Railroad "QUALITY at WORK with SAFETY in MIND"
No grades for me, either, fellas. How can you do them on a 5 x 9 !? ------------------ CSX and HO Scale The Newark Branch RR Ship it the good 'ole way, BY RAIL The Newark Branch Railroad
Mine is mostly flat too. I will have a small grade to go to a 3X5 upper deck, but that's about it. Also if ya saw my update in my benchwork topic in N scale, I just finished framing section #2 and will add the joists tomale. (Gotta go and get ready for work now ,sigh) ------------------ Moose River RR Company "Service First*Excellance Always" CSX+Conrail+Nscale=FUN!!!! NARA Member #9 [This message has been edited by moose (edited 28 January 2001).]
Mine has a three percent grade on reverse curves (canted) with no problems whatsoever I have plenty of motive power to haul the trains We run up to 50-car trains. They sound great coming down in dynamic braking . . . in my mind ------------------ Alan Curtis. Moderator. Member #12 The perfect combination - BNSF and N Scale! www.alancurtismodels.com Andersley Western Railroad Alan's American Gallery
I have several grades between 3% and 4%. I'm modeling the PRR in Pennsylvania and you have to have mountains. Also the grades add a feel and look of power to long trains. I run a 50 car coal drag up a 3+% climb with triple headed steam, along with steam chuff sound and its sounds real. I use my (MRC sound 312 system) to supply brake wheel squeal on the down side...sounds even better. ...Eddie ------------------ Eddie Delozier PRR N-scale www.deloziers.com eddelozier@yahoo.com
I have two 8ft(real world)flat sections, one is a transfer track and the other is a large yard. the rest of my layout are all grades. I try and keep between 2 and 3 percent. The helix is 2.3%. I'm HO and run only steam. also there are no real straight sections, the curves through these sections are 30"+ radius. ------------------ When in doubt, empty your magazine. Member #33
I have a 3.5 percent grade on my 12x14 around the walls layout. I have a stacked double loop on one corner so trains can come from point A to B and back again. There are hidden holdovers on both levels and the top level incorporates a yard at the top of the 3.5% grade.
The MAT is flat in many places except for the mountain passes where I keep the grade to 2% It does make a difference to see a train grinding its way uphill. I am pleased I have walk around control so can adjust throttle settings accordingly. minimum radius for this N gauge pike is 15 inches and that is only in the mountains. 20 inches on the rest of the layout. John you also asked for the reason. In the case of the MAT it is to get from one level to another. A total of some 20 inches. Takes a lot of track to climb that much at no more than 2% ------------------ Robin member #35 Proud to be a foundation member of NARA , #2 Maberly and Tayside [This message has been edited by Robin Matthysen (edited 29 January 2001).]
On my old layout i had multiple grades, i don't want to say what they were (too embarrasing). i just fitted them in so they would work. My new plan is mainly 1% with a small 2% climb out of one city. i think i learned my lesson when it comes to grades and radii Okay here is one picture. At the bottom where the station is, and the steamer. The rise is 4.25" over 36". The Mike would just crawl up. Couldn't pull anymore cars than what it had. The grade though did not look that bad. But look out when it got to the top ------------------ === Railery === sites.netscape.net/agsgreg Home of the Shadow Mountain Ry [This message has been edited by railerygreg (edited 29 January 2001).]
Railgreg, I know what you mean by grades and radii !! That photo looks like it could have come from MY old layout (great minds thinking alike ??). Anyway, I like grades, but I have had some bad experiences with them in the past. I hope this time I can get it right (finally have enough running room for a GRADUAL grade !!). Happy Modelling!! John ------------------ The Santa Fe and Southwestern, Chief of the Southwest!! Proud to be NARA Member #14
I have a 4% grade on the ACRR. I somewhat regret the choice, but 2% didn't climb fast enough for the space. I used Woodland Scenics inclines and haven't had any trouble with the grade or transitions, but mt Atlas SD-35 will only pull 7-8 cars alone, in pairs, they pull 15 cars. Not too bad, considering it's a shortline railroad to start with. Still, I wish I had gone with 2%....next time I will.... Jeff Augsburg & Concord R.R. (a fictional shortline in Central Illinois) http://acrr.rrdepot.com
Paul, Nice Climax, and even nicer Shay !! Kit or scratch built?? Happy Modelling!! John ------------------ The Santa Fe and Southwestern, Chief of the Southwest!! Proud to be NARA Member #14
gotta love those shays. !! ------------------ TrainBoard.com MEMBER#204 N.A.R.A. Member #8 THE-WEB-PAGE-IS-NOW- UPDATED!! Appalachian & Atlantic Model Railroad "QUALITY at WORK with SAFETY in MIND"
Jeff, 4% is pretty steep, but I also had a 4% grade on my last layout!! I always added a helper to the front of the westbound traffic (cool to see two 4-4-0s double heading!!) and dropped the helper at the top of he grade. Never had any problems wih moving cars, but I ran pretty short trains because the layout was so small (4x8ft). Happy Modelling!! John ------------------ The Santa Fe and Southwestern, Chief of the Southwest!! Proud to be NARA Member #14
