layout incline... grades are they too much?

Wired

Posts: 188
Joined: 2008-01-26

I have no idea how to calculate grades, properly anyways.

So far I know that all the grades that are in place on my layout are 3% according to the Woodland scenic incline subterrain stuff I buy... but since it does not say if its for HO or not... it could be a much steeper grade (or shallower?) than I intend. What I do know is that the only loco that has issues making it up the grade is my 0-8-0 Proto swticher from Walthers which can actually haul 6 cars up said inclines.

The issue I came upto started when I did my latest revision:

[Admin note] Image resized using the Appearance tab of the WYSIWYG tool, and a link insetered to the full sized image...

The Yellow section is made up of two of the 3% risers mentioend above. with the east side leveling off at 2-1/4 inches.

The Green section starts at 0 and ends at the same 2-1/4 inch height as in the yellow seciton.

Now the Red section is what I would like to start construction of on Wednesday, but need to clarify that its going to work before I start putting glue to foam. So where red begins on the West side of the layout, track is at 0". Where it ends on the west it is at that wonderful 2-1/4 inches that is used in Green and Yellow.

What the issue is that if we follow the track from the west side and track it to the first blue dot, that incline raises to about 5 1/2 inches. (so about a 3" raise in elevaton) which is not REALLY what I'm worried about.... what I'm worried about is the second blue dot to ground, will I have enough room to keep the grade low enough that my heavy steam will still be able to work the ridge?

The train that is expected to pull on this grade will be a heavy mountain from Bachmann pulling a consist of 3 con-cor passenger coaches. A light mountain may also do this route with light freight. I also got my Challanger that may want to attack this grade once in a while.

So am I asking too much of my motive power?

-------------------------------------------------------

Luke
http://nscalebc.blogspot.com/
The Pacific Great Southern Railway in N-Scale.

Submitted by Wired on Mon, 04/14/2008 - 00:36.

Jimmi

Posts: 862
Joined: 2006-12-18

Luke, the easiest way to

Luke, the easiest way to calculate grade is:

1 inch rise in 100 inches is 1%

2 inch rise in 100 inches is 2%, etc. etc.

The secret of success is sincerity. Once you can fake that, you've got it made. Jean Giraudoux

Jim

Mon, 04/14/2008 - 01:25

Wired

Posts: 188
Joined: 2008-01-26

holy poopie head, I got

holy poopie head, I got some pretty big grades here.

-------------------------------------------------------

Luke
http://nscalebc.blogspot.com/
The Pacific Great Southern Railway in N-Scale.

Mon, 04/14/2008 - 01:49

Bryan

Posts: 4228
Joined: 2004-02-29

You'll get away with 3%,

You'll get away with 3%, but when you add a tight radius on a 3% grade, it becomes a tall order for a loco to haul much of a load.

The calculation for % Grade is; Rise / Run x 100... ie 2½" rise over 96" run, would be 2.5/96x100=2.6%

Bryan

Mon, 04/14/2008 - 07:24

Wired

Posts: 188
Joined: 2008-01-26

I have not had an issuew

I have not had an issuew ith the grade in the green section so far. My Challanger has been able to pull 16 cars up it with no issues (my whole collection of rolling stock), my GP9 unassisted has pulled 14 with no issues, and since my Mountain loco is getting DCC equiped, and I haven't fitted DCC to my Mikado yet, they have not had a chance to attack the grade yet.

its just that higher red section that scares me... oh welll..it will be fun!

-------------------------------------------------------

Luke
http://nscalebc.blogspot.com/
The Pacific Great Southern Railway in N-Scale.

Mon, 04/14/2008 - 13:22

steam-n

Posts: 159
Joined: 2007-01-19

Grade Problems

The percentages used to describe grades measure the rate of rise, and apply to any scale or, for that matter, to prototypical railroads. It's not the height of rise that matters, but the rate of rise. If you're using Woodland Scenics risers, I think it's safe to assume that the rate of rise is whatever the package says it is.

I agree with Bryan that anything over 3% is the beginning of problems, and that tight curves on 3% or more can really be trouble. I scrapped a layout once because I pushed the limits of my grades and curves. The layout I'm currently building will have no grades over 2%. Of course, if your trains run well on a particular grade, then obviously its OK. But in the planning stage, you can't go too far wrong with the "3% rule".

I don't know the dimensions of your layout but it looks like it has some interesting features. I'd like to see it get worked out- nothing is more frustrating than frequent stalling and derailments.

--
Just imagine! A grown man who plays with little trains!

Mon, 04/14/2008 - 14:17

Wired

Posts: 188
Joined: 2008-01-26

the layout is made up of

the layout is made up of one 8x4 sheet of plywood base with a 2 inch foam cap. Then I have what was an old workbench which is about four feet wide and 2 and a half feet deep which has become the roundhouse area, but will also have a small depot.

I have gotten all my stalls and derailments fixed up to this point, I just have what is quite possibly the most difficult portion of the layout to construct left.

The full layout is in my gallery

-------------------------------------------------------

Luke
http://nscalebc.blogspot.com/
The Pacific Great Southern Railway in N-Scale.

Mon, 04/14/2008 - 14:50

BryanC

Posts: 1481
Joined: 2005-01-26

Link?

Wired wrote:

... The full layout is in my gallery

Link?

Cheers!

Bryan C
Alligator Lines "The Eclectic Line of the South"

http://ALines.home.att.net

Mon, 04/14/2008 - 15:11

BryanC

Posts: 1481
Joined: 2005-01-26

Later on!

Wired wrote:

... I have gotten all my stalls and derailments fixed up to this point, ...

That's what a lot of us say! Please don't be too surprised if a lot of these things re-occur once you get around to doing ballasting and scenery!

Cheers!

Bryan C
Alligator Lines "The Eclectic Line of the South"

http://ALines.home.att.net

Mon, 04/14/2008 - 15:28

Wired

Posts: 188
Joined: 2008-01-26

http://www.nscale.net/index.

http://www.nscale.net/index.php?q=gallery&g2_itemId=52168 is the link to the gallery image.

Oh I know stalls and derailments are always going to be something that needs constant attention. But for now everything is working properly, so for now I'm happy.

It's when I start scenicing that I'll start having fun with these issues again. On that topic...scenic stuff first with the sculptamold and plaster, then ballast?

-------------------------------------------------------

Luke
http://nscalebc.blogspot.com/
The Pacific Great Southern Railway in N-Scale.

Mon, 04/14/2008 - 17:24

69Z28

Posts: 968
Joined: 2006-03-19

For me the following

For me the following has worked,

Background and 3D scenery,

WS Risers and Inclines,

Cork Roadbed with cork switch pads,

Then WS plaster cloth.

Ready to Paint the new scenery and plaster cloth.

Then lay then track and wire it up (DCC) and give it a go.

See ya

Ron

--
Ya gots ta choose. Sometimes ya wins and sometimes ya lose.

Tue, 04/15/2008 - 00:47

layout incline... grades are they too much?

Comment viewing options

User login

Similar links

Navigation

News and Info

Syndicate