I am starting my new layout in N-scale which will be a twice around loop with several sidings on a 28"x54" layout.
What is the maximum grade I can use with n-scale? I don’t want to go to steep but I need the track to be able to cross over itself. Being a small layout I’ll be running mainly shorter trains & smaller locomotives. (SW1500 diesel 060 steamers)
How far apart should I space any parallel tracks? Again, shorter trains & nothing longer than a 40’ boxcar.
Locomotive brands? Back when I modeled in HO I usually ran Athearn locomotives. They were fairly well built & not too terribly expensive. At that time most people I talked to stayed away from brands like Bachmann, Life Like, & Tyco. Lately I’ve heard alot of people talking about Bachmann & how well it runs. Are they better than they were back in the 70’s & 80’s? I’m building this layout on a limited budget so I need to be able to put quality locomotives on the track without breaking the bank.
Hi, Michael. I converted from HO to N about a year ago, so I’m no “old hand,” but here are a few things that might help you.
First of all, a grade is a grade is a grade, no matter what scale you’re in. So generally speaking, you’ll probably want to keep your grade closer to 2% than 3%.
Parallel tracks, I think, can be as close as 1 1/4" on centerline. I’m going about 1 1/2" myself.
There are lots of brands (and models) of engines to choose from. So many, that generic advice wouldn’t be very useful. But there’s a guy that’s compiled a tremendous database on practically every N scale engine ever built. I don’t know if this link will be live, but if it isn’t, just copy and paste it in your browser: http://www.visi.com/~spookshow/locos.html (If that fails, just Google the phrase “Spookshow N scale” – without the quotation marks.) It’s a must-see for anyone looking for good, dependable N scale motive power.
To piggyback on the good above responses – see Spookshow’s N Scale Trainstuff – especially the layout construction section – since that’s you current emphasis – with a lot of trial & error you can now avoid. Spookshow has a refreshing frank-articulation.
Kalmbach’s Bookstore does have some specific N Scale resources under – Books, Special Issues, and Information Station (PDF-downloads). For example: Building a Model Railroad Step by Step by MR’s Senior Editor, David Popp – all in N Scale.
Subscribe to Model Railroader’s weekly email, and you’ll even see times when you can purchase PDF-download books at a nice discount. You’ll also know when to order the coming Special Issue at a pre-publication price of $1.00 discount + free shipping. Don’t overlook Model Railroader’s complimentary How-to-Articles.
Typically, a 2% grade will halve the number of cars your loco will pull on the flat. You can go steeper but you’ll really cut down on train length. If you’re having a hard time getting a 2% grade to give you adequate clearance consider lowering the low track. I kept my max grade at 2%, but at one point ran a 1% downgrade into the foam to get realistic clearance where the tracks cross. It worked out really well and helped to mitigate the “flat terrain syndrome”.
1 1/4" is the minimum on straight tracks, you’ll want to open that up on curves to 1 1/2". I believe that if you butt the two cork roadbeds together you get the nominal 1 1/4" spacing. If you have a yard it’s often wise to run a greater spacing if your five finger un-coupler is on the large side.
I have a few Bachmann Spectrum series steam locos. They run quite well and the detail is good. Most locos today are well above the standards of 25 years ago.
Welcome, sir, to (N)OBILITY-Scale; you will shortly wonder why you stayed with (H)ORRIBLY (O)VERSIZED-Scale as long as you did.
Now to answer your questions:
grade – no matter what scale I were modeling in, except for special circumstances, I would always try to keep my grades at 2% or less. If you keep your level separation at 2" a 2% grade will require a 100" approach to reach that separation. Since you indicate that you will only be operating 40" cars you could get by with 1.75" which will requre an 87.5" approach;
parallel track separation – remember, your equipment may be 1:160 proportion but your fingers remain twelve inches to the foot; with that fact firmly in mind I maintain a 1.5" separation on my trackage–even mainline trackage. As someone pointed out, however, you could probably get by with 1.25" but you could have a royal pain in the posterior in the event of a disaster (read: derailment);
motive power – my motive power stable is almost exclusively Kato and Atlas . . . . . . . . . . I do have some Bachmann Spectrum dash 8-40C/CWs which run fine but I would not pretend that they are of the same mechanical quality as my Kato and Atlas locomotives; my only steam locomotive is a 2-8-0 and it is a jewel. Walthers/Life Like is apparently abandoning steam locomotive production so the availablility of N-Scale steam is becoming just a little on the short side.
Welcome to the fold. N scale is really coming into its own “golden age” right now, with great choices for track, locomotives and rolling stock. The influx of new manufacturers of laser cut wood kits and other scenery items has also made it a lot easier to get where you want to go.
The technical aspect of grades have pretty much been covered, so I’ll talk about making it work visually… For many years I had a small 2’ x 4’ layout that included an over/under figure 8 with an intertwined oval. Both circuits included a grade. The key elements to make it work visually is to build scenery around the grades to make them look like they belong there. If the train is going up a hill, then odds are, there’s a bigger hill that it’s trying to cross. This means you should consider including a rock cut, or even a tunnel to indicate a mountain setting. The images below are from my current layout.
The overall platform here is 36" wide, and there are two loops going on under the mountain. The tunnel visible on the left is a line that’s descending from right to left, and the track just to the right of the tunnel portal loops up from left to right, appearing at the right edge of the photo behind the large mill building. The mountain can be lifted off to clear any errant freight cars.
If you’re modeling the prairie, overpasses where two lines transect might be the reason for the rise. Here you’d want to include a fill embankment to carry the track up and over, and maybe include an interchange track between the two lines.
You also want to make sure that you have appropriate looking embankments and/or retaining walls where your different track levels are close togeth
For our layout, we are definitely sticking with short cars (22’-36’ freight) and short trains, and did the design work to fit this. We started by running a test track for the engines we are starting with, and experimented with grades and minimum radius. Ran the tests while each engine was pushing, pulling, forward, and reverse, using the maximum length train that we will ever run (16" total length). Tested the grades with straightaways and with the minimum curve we found worked for our equipment. We tested for both physical minimum (6"), and the minimum that still looked about right to our eyes for minimal overhang while our short equipment was rounding the corner (6" looks OK with 22’-32’ cars, 7.5" for the 36’ers).
We kept the final grades to 2% or less in general, especially on visible mainlines, but went higher elsewhere when needed. The maximum our equipment and train length could handle was a little over 4%, but we kept short of that in case future engines we acquire might not perform so well. The highest we went was one stretch that we kept a little under 4%, safely within our performance margin.
Also, if you are strict about the size equipment you are running, you can reduce the height clearance needed for track crossovers, and that will reduce your grade requirements to make the clearance. If the lower track is on a grade, remember to test the height clearance for your tallest equipment on that grade.
Just remember that it’s like the Panama canal. Once you set your tolerance limits, your allowable equipment can never exceed them!
For track spacing, in the yards and station areas we went with 1.5" for thumb allowance. Mainlines we went to 1.25" for better appearance.
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