When laying track on curves should there be a tilt inward ( don’t know what they call that - maybe a camber) as the track travels around the curve or should it be laid flat? Is there a “standard” that one normally follows for HO track laying? Your comments are appreciated.
Little Layout Enthusiest
The word you are looking for is Super-elevation. There are different techniques to achieve this, but in our scales, it is merely cosmetic.
David B
Thanks, but it is almost like the angle is there to protect a train from flying off the curve due to outward pressure. I guess we don’t run them fast enough to have that happen…or we shouldn’t. Thanks again.
An HO scale train running at 87 scale mph is actually only traveling 1 mph - well below the walking speed of the average octogenerian. Unless you are running at speeds measured in (scale) Mach numbers, there is no need for superelevation.
OTOH, it does make the model scene look more realistic.
For several hours of interesting reading, just enter superelevation in the Search Community block, and select Model Railroader Forums after in. When I did that a few days ago I got 400+ hits, some of them mine.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with superelevated curves and spiral easements)
Prototypes used superelevation on tracks where trains ran at speed. Usually, this would only be on the main track.
A scale 3 to 5 inches of superelevation is all that’s needed. The transition from flat to maximum superelevation should be over a couple of car lengths.
Don’t superelevate where the track or superelevation effect would not be visible. Superelevation raises the risk for long/heavy model trains to roll onto their sides. Definitely don’t do it on helixes where the extremely long curve (multiples of 360 degrees) and grade raises the risk dramatically.
Mark
Go to page #2 near the top and you will find a thread entitled, “Super elevated Curves”. There are some good links to explain exactly how to “Super elevate”.
Blue Flamer.
Don’t remind me of that thread, it continues to irritate. Wish the thread’s creator would edit the spelling of “cuvres.”
Mark
If I recall correctly, superelevation is not done to keep trains from flying off the curve but to limit the amount of lateral force on the outside rail and reduce the wear on both rails and wheels.
Ricky
To quote Williams’s second edition Design of Railway Location “The outer rail of a railroad track on a curve is placed at a higher elevation than the inner rail in order that the resultant of the centrifugal force and weight of the train may be as nearly as practicable normal to the plane of the track, and consequently make the wheel pressures on the two rails equal.” (Sure sounds like a college textbook, as it was. Do you suppose professors intentionally wrote that way to make it easier to spot students’ plagiarism?)
This would effect wheel and rail wheel, as well as making it more comfortable for passengers and reduce shifting loads.
Unless all trains operate at the same speed, the amount of superelevation is a compromise. For example, trains traveling slower than what the superelevation was designed for, experience increased drag.
Mark
Well the trains all do have numbers, some have fancy paint jobs, and there are fans. NASCAR on the rails anyone?
My mainline trackage has superelevated curves because I like the looks of it. And I like watching the trains lean into it, especially unit trains.
Bob
Well, that certainly nails it. Thanks to you gentlemen I now understand the concept of “superelevation.” I don’t think I need to worry about that feature on my new layout. As my name indicates, I am working on a track plan from the original version of 101 Track Plans. Number 57 is a 10 x 7 layout that I am expanding to 13 x 8. That’s all the room I have in my condo’s little basement. However, I’m looking forward to it. I have a feeling that I may use this forum again in the future as I make my move from a 20 year armchair model railroader (through many issues of Model Railroader) to an actual “live” creator of my own, personal, little world. Later gentlemen.
Little Layout Enthusiast.
Super elevation is mostly used in the modern era. The point is to put the force of the train falling over onto the rails. This might be used in earlier times for high speed passenger trains, but if you are modeling before the 50s, then I wouldn’t use them.
Oh?
The First-World-War-era railway engineering book I cited earlier discusses superelevation and the effects of slower speed freight trains versus higher speed passenger trains such as: “On single track lines used exclusively for freight, the superelevation should be calculated for speeds not exceeding 15 miles an hour …” The tone of the book’s discussion on superelevation indicated that the practice of superelevation had been around for some time: “Formerly it was the custom to maintain the inner rail at grade in rounding a curve and to cant the track entirely by elevating the out rail…”
Mark