O-Scale Climb Rate

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

What is an acceptable rate of climb (inches per feet of track) for o-scale 3-rail?

2

Right church…wrong pew.

Try Your question on the Classic Toy Trains forums:

http://cs.trains.com/ctt/f/95.aspx

Take Care! [:D]

Frank

3

Percent grade is not scale dependent. 3% is probably a good maximum. That’s 3 inches in 100 inches of travel.

–Randy

4

I’m sure the differance in weight plays a part in the equation.

Take Care! [:D]

Frank

5

Well, and Lionel has Magna-Traction wheels, which is completely cheating. But while it might climb a steeper slope, too steep just looks silly even with no train sitting on it.

In fact they have to - a figure 8 with O-27 track, the curves are only 27" in diameter. That’s less than HO 18" radius. And an over/under 18" radius HO layout is already approaching maximum grade to get minimal clearance. You need even more clearance with O scale, and you have less track length to get there.

–Randy

6

But running our steam locomotives with electricity is just fine.

[(-D] [(-D] [(-D] [(-D]

Paul

7

Of course, MagneTraction only works with tubular/tinplate track…which Lionel doesn’t make anymore; not sure how many recent engines from Lionel (if any) have MagneTraction. A lot of three-railers now are “hi-railers”, using 1:48 scale equipment and track like Atlas or MTH that looks much more realistic.

But anyway, that aside, gravity and physics works the same big or small - generally. A 2% grade will reduce a real engine’s ability to pull a train about the same as it will a model O, HO, N or Z engine.

8

True, but their new FasTrack is steel.

Paul

9

The word in bold requires some consideration. What does that term mean? To you, I mean. If you had to have 3.4% grades to complete your dream loop of tracks, would you do it? If your dream rolling stock and locomotive would only manage 2.8%, would you discard your dream track plan?

The question, as you ask it, is undefined, or somewhat open to interpretation. Unless you set some criteria for ‘acceptable’, none of us can offer you much of a useful answer.

10

No way, I only run those Hornby live steam HO locos for steam!

–Randy