This is my first post and I’m excited to see what feed back I get. I am planning a logging railroad in HO scale, that is based in the Eastern US. One feature that I know some of these railroads used to get elevation is to take and use Switch backs to gain elevation. I am planning on using this principle on my layout.
I was wanting to know if anyone has ever done a switchback, along with wondering if anyone has, what type of problems i can expect with using this principle.
I used one on my last layout which was N scale. I also rode the one at Cass WV.
Good track work is a must, just like any other track work. The tail of the switchback has to be long enough to fit the complete train, and you may want that part level, not that it has to be, but you don’t gain anything if it is not. It really depends on where the grade transition is.
No special wiring is needed unless it becomes part of a loop somewhere.
As far as the scenery around it goes, the two tracks need to be separated enough that you don’t have a complete vertical separation, although you could use some log crib work if necessary.
I had one in HO on my previous layout. Give plenty of time to thinking about the grade and where it changes. Too radical of a change in grade creates problems with couplers matching up and potentially with them dragging. Making the “tail track” as level as possible is suggested - that way you can use that tail track as a potential place to spot some work cars or perhaps the log loader needs to get in there to pick up a few logs that have been left behind. If that tail track is not level, then you have to consider some type of “hill holder” device, or always keep everything coupled to the locomotive.
I have seen some switchbacks done effectively in HO, but they are not common.
Switchbacks have certainly been used on layouts, past and present. One of the most famous layouts using switchbacks is Chuck Yungkurth’s Gum Stump & Snowshoe.
My 1st caution is that switchbacks take a significant amount of planning - and space, especially length. I’m doing a version of the GS&S to climb the cliffs behind my dog hole schooner port (in HOn3). I really, really like the overpass, which drives the elevation that must be gained in the two switchbacks.
As a planning example, I have an 8ft space, 33% longer than the 6ft of the original GS&S. I wanted a train length of 3 cars - engine, 3 cars including caboose. My longer cars are typically 32ft or 5" actual. Engines to be used are Keystone Shays, also just under 5" long. Therefore, switchback tail tracks need to be at least 20" long, which is right about 33% greater than the GS&S. With 96" of length, 2 tail tracks @20", 2 turnouts @8", leaves me 40" for the actual grade.
I need 2" rise in that 40" - 5% grade. I figure I need 2 car lengths of easment at each end. My longest car is a 50ft combine - roughly 7". So 14" of easement at each end leaves 12" of max grade. If each easement can gain 1/2" of elevation, that leaves 1" in the remaining 12" - about 8% grade. I’m not sure if my Shays are going to be able to handle this.
My mitigation plans should the grades prove too much: note the max grade only exists for 12" - less than the full train will be at 8% at any given time. Using bent plywood for subroadbed, I
As Gandydancer19 said, good track-work is a given. A lot of uncut trees near the upper Terminus and lots of stumps and brush as you climb upwards where the clear-cutting was done. (Past practices.) Of necessity, your trains will be quite short and will be dependent on the steepness of your grades, the length of your switchbacks and the pulling power of your Loco’s.
There will be ample opportunity for scenic highlights such as small rough trestles over gullies, small crevasses and streams. These trestles were not built for show or to carry high speed freight or passenger service, just slow moving lumber carrying trains. Also, as GD19 mentioned, there would be lots of log cribbing to try to stop the track and trains from sliding down the cliff in narrow sections.
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Sound prototypical practice is to have the tails on a grade about half of the switchback grade. This helps the train to slow/stop on the way down, and to give it a boost on the way up. Modeling wise, be sure to have gentle vertical curves but with no grade change along the turnouts.
If you want a challenge, construct the switchbacks on trestles.
Sound prototypical practice is to have the tails on a grade about half of the switchback grade. This helps the train to slow/stop on the way down, and to give it a boost on the way up. Modeling wise, be sure to have gentle vertical curves but with no grade change along the turnouts.
If you want a challenge, construct the switchbacks on trestles.
The Crown King extension climbed a coupe of thousand feet up a mountain in central Arizona in ten steps. Grade between tail tracks was 4%, tail tracks sloped upward from switch at 2%. You can see the evidence on your favorite satellite view program - part of the ROW is now a road.
The D&RGW had a switchback on the Monarch Branch - not very long, and the total rise from the lower switch to the track above was probably only 40 feet or so. That 40 feet was the difference between crossing the pass and drilling a tunnel.
The grand champion of switchbacks is a narrow gauge tramway in Japan - 23! The tramway replaced an aerial cableway.
In the opposite direction, a backwoods tramway in Japan replaced a five-step switchback with a sidesaddle funicular - the cars rode a cable-hauled platform instead of shuttling back and forth. Of course that meant separate locos at the top and bottom levels.
There was one really odd use of the switchback concept on the JNR’s Chu-o Hon Sen. Trains making meets or passes had to switch off the main onto a double-dead-end spur on a ledge between a tall bridge across a gorge and a tunnel portal, back across the main and then take the other curved route through the double slip switch(!) to proceed. Through trains simply blasted across the double slip at speed on tangent track. I will be modeling this, at Yamamoto on the Tomikawa Tani Tetsudo (my coal-hauling short line.)
The area that I was planning for this switchback was along an 11 foot wall. This will be on a mainline run, but I am going to be using 2 & 3 Truck Heislers, Climax, and Shay locomotives (Mixture of Brass and modern).
This is only in the Planning Stages at the moment. The maximum grade i was planning on was about 4-5% with 0% tails. I am planning on having 3 switch points with a minimum tail of 30." The trains that I will be running are very short.
The basics of my future Cedar Creek Valley Railway, is as follows: It’s a freelanced route, based in Eastern Pennsylvania during the mid 1950’s, It starts in a small yard that holds the logging cars that come off the mountain, and has a connection to Pennsylvania Railroad. (Weather or not this actually existed isn’t my point.) Then uses the switch backs to go up to a logging camp on the opposite side of the room.
When you can do so, please check in Prototype Information for the Modeler section of Forum, the post on page 2, titled: ’ Learn about a UNIQUE NH Shortline Railroad '. It’s all about an actual 1:1 which ran, in years past, through my home town, here in NH. It had MAIN line switchback, used daily, except Sunday, for 50+ years. My old HO modular club modeled the line as close as we could, built 26 total modules and went to many local mrr shows with them. It was a LOT OF FUN! Maybe you might gain some useful info from my writeup. I don’t know what era, area of the Country or RR you’ll be modeling of if you’ll freelance but check it out and see if it might be of any help to you. TTFN…Old Tom aka papasmurf in NH
If you intend running your main line on a switchback, you’ll need to be very patient as most railroads eliminated them because of their tedious operation. On the other hand that may be what you want. A switchback for long trains will take up a lot of room as the ends need to be long enough to take a full train.
I set mine up as a short logging branch on one end of my small layout.
Here’s an old video of my switchback (Called Zig Zag in Australia)
I must update it as the blue foam has now been covered and I have a better camera too. Unfortunately the climax is waiting new gears.
The Hakone Tozan railway in Japan is a working tourist railroad that has 3 switchbacks, great to ride on as they have frequent 2 and 3 car electric trains on very steep grades.
CSX uses a mainline switchback today and everyday, to run 95-car unit coal trains originating in Harlan & Bell county Kentucky down onto the NS at Big Stone Gap and then onto the old Clinchfield at Frisco. Pushers run from Loyall, through Hagan’s Tunnel under Black Mountain, traverse the switchback and then shove all the way to Watkins near Gate City VA. These trains also run through Natural Tunnel and Little Tunnel near Glenita, VA while using NS trackage rights making it a nice place to go chase trains.
The L&N built the switchback as a temp fix with plans to build new ROW but never got around to it so it’s been in use since the 1930’s. CSX just extended the tail track last year to avoid doubling trains so the operation runs as smooth as can be expected these days.
Check out this link for a nice trackplan of the feature.
I use a switchback on my live steam railroad to get to a couple of industries that are located down in a valley. It is fun to operate, and adds interest to the ride for visitors. One a model railroad - especially one of a logging railroad - I think it would be an neat addition. I know it’s not for everyone, but as long as you aren’t wanting to let the trains run around a loop unattended (nothing wrong with that!) it is an unusual feature that adds length to the run and interest to the operation.
Like the suggestions before, my tail tracks run slightly uphill. On a model railroad where momentum effects are largely simulated, it might be handy to have them level, but on the live steam railroad the grades on the tail tracks do exactly as stated - it helps stop the train and makes it easy to get it moving again for the run uphill. Due to the terrain and woods, it is hard to get a decent picture of the switchback, but the picture below shows the general layout and gives and idea of the elevation changes involved. Note that the tail track in the distance actually runs out on a trestle.
While not operationally needed on the “typical” layout, having the tails on a grade will look more realistic/prototypical than if level, much like rolling stock with “separately applied” handrails look better than those molded on.
