Written by Brad Bumgarner, CTA
When my interest in model railroading was once again piqued, one of the first things I wanted to know was how to calculate grades. I knew that grade = rise / run but I wanted to be able to calculate for any of the three values. After writing the code for the Grade Calculator, I wondered what else I'd want to be able to calculate. So far, I've written a Scale Calculator and a Speed Calculator.
I do my programming in Applescript using Applescript Studio to create interfaces. Generally, the programs that I create are for my own use. However, it occurred to me that this program may be of use to the members of N-Scale.net that use Macintosh computers. This program is still in a "rough" form. Right now, I have only one beta-tester. I am making this application available to anyone that wants to use it. Even in its final form it will be free-ware.
Alright, let's look at the Grade Calculator. It was pointed out to me that no measurement system is indicated for this calculator. Does it use inches? Millimeters? Feet? Kilometers? The answer, Yes. And no. No measurement system is indicated because the calculator assumes that both the rise and the run are using the same system. So, if you enter a value of inches for your rise, enter an inch value for your run as well. Be sure to enter a value in 2 of the 3 fields. The calculator will calculate for the third field. As I have noted above, this is still kind of "rough." If all three values are filled in, the Grade will be calculated. At this point, you need to delete the a value in the field you are calculating for. For example, if you know your run and you want to use a 2% grade to calculate your rise but that doesn't get you enough clearance. To calculate again for a 2.5% grade you need to delete the value in the Rise field before calculating again. The Reset button will clear all the fields.
The Scale Calculator will allow you to covert between scales. If you want to prototype a tree that is 75 feet tall in N-Scale, you would choose Actual for From, enter 75 in the feet field, choose N-Scale for To and click on the Calc button. On the other hand, if you want to know how long 3 inches on your N-Scale layout represents at full size, you would choose N-Scale for From, enter 3 in the Inches field, choose Actual for To and click the Calc button.
By the way, your 75 foot tree would be 5.625 inches tall on your layout and 3 inches on your layout is 40 feet at full size.
You may fill in as many of the fields as needed. For example you may enter 75 feet, 4.5 inches, 10 centimeters and 5 millimeters and the calculator will calculate for the entire combined length. Here again, the Reset button clears all the fields.
For some reason this calculator hurt my brain to write. Calculating grades and scales were no problem, but for some reason this calculator did not come easy.
The idea here is to be able to determine how fast your model train needs to travel to accurately simulate a train at full size; or to be able to determine how fast your model train is currently traveling if it were at full size. So, if you want your train to simulate traveling at 30 mph, you'll chose N-Scale for From, enter 30 and click the Calc button. Likewise if you want to know how fast your train is currently traveling, you'll choose Actual for From, enter how many inches per second it is traveling, choose N-Scale for To and click the Calc button. As with the other two calculators, the Reset button clears both fields.
If you are still reading this article, you must have at least some interest in this application. I invite you to try it. Let me know what you think and how it can be improved. If there are any other calculators that you'd like me to add, please let me know. I make no warranties/gaurantees to the application's accuracy. Everything calculates to be the best of my knowledge. I'd be surprised to learn that no bugs existed. I'm sure there are at least a few still lurking in the corners that haven't been found yet. As I mentioned above, it was written in Applescript so it should be benign.
I hope you find this application useful.
Excellent! It worked
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