[8D][8D][8D]Hi Guys,N Gal’s,
I hope 2016 is very good to you so far, I have a question, for this project I will be using woodland scenics inclines,how do you determind what percentage of incline grade you need, I have a section of my layout that is 1 1/2 feet lower than my main yard, I hope this helps, Thanks for the help,
Trainsrme1
A 2% grade is most commonly used, that is 2" rise per 100" of track. a helix is probably the best way to make this transition.
How much running space do you have between these two segments, 18 inches apart in height?
If it is not over 30 feet, we are looking at a helix as the only option here… Or changing the 18 inches to something smaller.
Or, two separate layouts?
My easy to remember formula is Grade = Rise / Run
http://www.johnsonlevel.com/News/ElevationGrade
Just make sure all your units are the same such as inches or feet (for most US folks) or mm or cm for metric folks.
For helixes you’ll also need circumference which is 2 x pi x r, r being radius.
Pretty simple math and google is your friend too.
I have used WS inclines. They come in 24 inch sections, and the two percent ones rise 1/2 inch in that distance. Then you will need something 1/2" thick to support the next piece of incline. Etc until you reach 18". I would therefore suggest the wooden riser supporting plywood system. This would be cheaper, sturdier, and probably less hassle.
Dave
Of course WS lists the actual gade their products so you only need the math when you are rolling your own grades like I did. If you go with open grid benchwork, then you’ll need to figure what grades you’ll need and then make the calculations of how much rise you need for your next “riser” and measure the delta (change) above your benchmark, in my case the top of my open grid frame work was easiest to measure from.
WS is manufactured for people who have a table top layout and need something they can easily mount/glue there. For folks who level-up (to use a video game term) and start going open-grid or L-girder then you’ll need to use the formulas etc and get out the calculator. It’s not hard however and you don’t need a Master of Science Degree - the only time I used calculus was for a Hydrogeology take home exam! Linear algrebra wasn’t much fun either.
Or if you don’t like the math, digital levels can tell you grade at a glance.
What they can’t do is design things so that they come out ok. For that, you’ll still need some of that ciphering Jim is talking about.[swg]
How much will one of those digital levels set you back?
Thanks for the help guys
Jim,
I bought mine 20+ years ago, near the beginning of benchwork and I wouldn’t do without it. Mine is a Macklanburg-Duncan ProSmartLevel, made to be inserted in a level body so it could be swapped to suit the job. I’ve never used anything but the level unit myself, which is about 7" long. IIRC, ~$80 back then, so I wouldn’t think too much more or perhaps less now. The main thing you want is one with a Grade mode that reads out to 0.1%.
I agree with Mike, a digital level is a very useful tool for setting grades. My layout is L-girder and I set the risers for the first grade I did “by the math”. Since then I’ve been using a digital level and find it much easier to get a smooth constant grade that way. This is the one I bought- $59. The shorter version (9") is a bit cheaper- $39. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-24-in-Digital-Laser-Level-THD9407/100653597