I’m working in my new 9.5 x 9’ area, (Sorry, have yet to post pics), and I want to put some under table staging on it.
Question #1: How low does the staging have to be. I initially wanted to do 6 inches but under estimated the 3.75 inch table framing. So then I thought maybe 8 inches. But at 8 inches I’m at 4.2% grade.
Question #2: Is 8 inches enough and can I get away with 4.2% grade for staging or more?
Oh yeah, any other suggestions would be appreciated too. [:D]
My current layout is 11/15 with lower level staging. My previous layout was similar, and both used a solid 2 percent grade. IMHO, 2 percent is about the best you can do and still have typical trains make the grade. In my case, I had to wind the track down and around to accomplish a final 13 inches below the upper level at the end of the staging tracks. With you having less room to play with, you are going to have a difficult time to put in a staging area and still be able to reach the stock on those tracks. I’m not saying it can’t be done, but it could be more trouble than its worth.
Just my thoughts, but hopefully others may know something that will meet your needs.
The grade you can get away with depends on how long your trains are going to be. I have a 5% grade to my upper level. I usually pull 8 or 9 cars but I have to double head to do it.
One way to see what works is to set up a board longer than your average train, put some track on it and elevate one end. Put a train on it and see what you can pull. Adjust the elevation of the board until you get what you want, then perform some measurements and calculate the grade.
The real solution is NOT to put your staging under your benchwork, you put your benchwork under the staging.
Visible level
Riser
Staging
Benchwork
8 inches is really only about 4 inches clearance since the benchwork occupies the top 4 inches of that 8 inches.
IMHO 4.2% is very very steep and I think that it would be a mistake to have that steep of a grade that will probably be hidden for all or part of its length.
I built a simple L-girder/joist system to provide the basis for the main benchwork. the staging yard reaches the upper, scenic portion via a 3/4 turn helix that exits this section, then crosses the aisle on a drop leaf bridge to reach the opposite side of the room. The grade here works out to less than 3%, with a roughly 36" diameter loop (it has a flat spot to avoid a switch machine around where the yellow reefers are.) It rises about 2.75" rail head to rail head, which is plenty for N scale. The plywood is 1/2".
I ripped some 1x down to 1", and made a frame that supports a 1/4" luaun plywood deck, glued and screwed at 12" centers. On top of the luaun is a 3/4" blue foam sub roadbed. The overall clearance between the top of the staging yard rails and the bottom of the luaun is around 6"
The loop out of staging is the lowest pair of tracks, and the two loops above it are part of the scenery level, although both of these are now buried in a mountain.
Here’s the bridge across the aisle. You can see the staging level, the loop, and the scenery level above in the finished arrangement. The
8" is the bare minimum. If you have a derailment and have to reach in there to rerail any cars, you’ll understand why. My experience from a previous layout.
Thanks Gandy. I think I’ll try your method with a long board. These are all calculations from my XTrkCad program. And even at a 8" drop over 18’ I’m still showing a 4.2% grade.
Thanks everyone, you’ve given me food for thought. Perhaps I should just make a storage/staging under the table for extra trains. That’s a bummer, but I do have druthers.
Here is a screen shot of my “idea”. this is a 10" drop over 19’ taking Larry’s advice on an 8" miniumum and I have large hands. I’m still at 4.3% grade, but I’m not a long train operator, especially in the space I have. Hmmmm, is there a way to boost more than normal power to the decline/incline that the staging will be?
I think this will work and perhaps it’ll work out in reality better than what XTrkCad is telling me.
Boost more power? I’m not sure what you mean. Increasing the Voltage to the track (if that’s what you mean) won’t gain you anything.
There comes a point where, if the locomotive won’t pull the train up the grade, the wheels will slip. The correction for that is to add weight to the locomotives. The down side to that is that the locos will draw more current. If they are DCC, you may exceed the current specifications of the decoder and fry it. You do want the loco wheels to slip with an overload rather than locking up.