What would be the grade % if I set my risers one ft. apart and rise 1/2" every foot.
0.5" / 12" = 0.041. I.e. 4.1%.
Stein
Note that 4.1% is pretty steep for model mainline use (if that’s what you are planning). And don’t forget the transitions needed into and out of the grade, which can have the effect of requiring a bit more space to climb a given distance.
Byron
I would avoid that kind of grade at all costs!!!. 3 and 4% grades spell lots of trouble in model RRs!!!
I learned the hard way and had to tear out 2 layouts one with 4 % and one with 3% and reformulate my layout.
I would stick with no more than 2% grade. Thats a rise of 2" ever 100" of length, or a half inch rise aobut every 2 feet {25" actually} Instead!
One thing to remember, if you are trying an over/under on a layout, is you can also lower the track on the bottom by lowering it into the terrain below. I am in the max 2% camp, but I also see why one would want a little up and down on the layout.
My suggestion would be to have a little up and down, perhaps around the outside edge and employ a crossover somewhere to achieve crossing over the other track. You don’t need a reason to go up and down, like crossing over something, it’s nice to have variety on the layout. It could just be the way the natural terrain goes.[C):-)]
Not knowing anything about your plan, I am assuming a lot here. So it’s just something to consider. Good luck.
Brent
I use a 4 foot level and go 1/2 inch every 4 ft makes for a smooth grade up and down depending on how much room you have, the earlier posts would work also. I can pull 75 to 100 cars easily on my grades, but my layout is about 550 sq feet . Get a 2x4 x8 and lay it on its side to judge for yourself its to steep of a grade to use. Jim.
Hi!
As you have read, pretty much everyone posting so far has warned against using a 4 percent grade. I agree. My current and previous layouts used a solid 2 percent to get from the main to the lower level staging/storage. Two percent seems to be a common choice for a lot of MRs, and its a good compromise in change of height in a given space, and still allowing a decent string of cars to be pulled.
But make no mistake, even 2 percent will make a significant cut into how many cars a given loco can pull, so keep that in mind. Frankly, if I had the room, I wouldn’t go higher than a 1.5 percent grade.
Just for those who like gadgets. Years ago there was an article in MR on how to build a grade indicator using a level and some machined metal parts. As I recall, you set the attachment to the grade you wanted then when the level bubble was centred you had the desired grade. Maybe someone knows which issue that was in. You can buy a device that will show what % grade it’s sitting on. They’re available at some hardware stores and tool stores. I’ve got an ap for my iPod Touch which is a bubble level and it also shows the % grade. I check it against my carpenter’s level before using and it’s always right on.
Hi again,
In building the lower level and inclined access track from the main level, I was after a solid 2 percent grade. This is what I had on a previous layout and was a reasonable “trade off” to get the tracks down far enough (to allow access) and yet still allow the reasonable movement of trains up.
I took 3 levels - a one ft, two ft, and 3 ft, and attached a small block of wood at each end that equated for a 2 percent rise for that length of level. As most of you have already figured out, getting an incline the proper drop/rise on a tangent (straight) track is not a big deal. But to make the drop constant on curved track gets a little hairy. That’s where the shorter levels came into play.
Are the risers you have from a figure 8 setup? Those are typically 4% grade and used if you have limited space and traction tires. Depending on your layout size you can do 2% in a similar space using an offset loop. Basically 2 loops offset by a few inches and crossing under and over each other at the merge points. I just did that for the re-build of my northern half of the layout.
Max grades just like radius is governed by what you are going to run! If you are running just a couple of short cars then 4% is fine but the longer the cars and the more cars you run and that number goes down. Radius is the same except the number goes up. Mine is close to 5% in spots but the main runs are flat as a pancake (I run 40’ max cars and 6 cars is a long train for me). Another point on risers is that the weight of cars makes a big difference as well as wheels. Some like heavy cars, some go NMRA specs and others go as light as possible.
This sounds like the layout I am planning on working out in my Man Cave setup. I am going to have the train run around the room (ex-two car garage) on two levels above head height for mountain scenes. The city setup will be at the begining and end of the trip and for maximun viewing height, I need to drop from 69.5" on the inbound arrival, and climb to 74.5" on the outbound departure route. My floor space for the city will be 56" x 72" for the main city, there will be room available for an extra 32" x 40" farm land area. The part of the city-farm land section will cover 112" of the outside wall while the last 40" of the farm land will only allow the 32" deep section to allow present room fixture existance.
And advice do for this city-farm land area would be much appreciated to allow me to circle the city and allow the level to be low enough to view.
I plan on putting guard rails along the suspended tracks to prevent the train from falling on people walking under the tracks.