Jump to content
 

Will my gradient work?


Recommended Posts

2 minutes ago, RobinofLoxley said:

Right up to a point, no pun intended, you follow your 'loop' and see where it goes, and whether you can work out where to isolate. Better to do all the track revisions first then see whats left at the end


Yeah I’ve got a printout of the plan which I have studiously highlighted to check what connects to what. 

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi James, don't be discouraged.  And don't be tempted to rush ahead, 'regret at leisure' and all that.

 

You could try what I tried....  Lay out a length of track on a board and run trains up and down it whilst propping up one end with books etc.  See what impact the gradient has on speed and pulling power.  I found for a Hornby tender loco and three carriages, that I could go up to 1 in 30 before the impact was 'significant'.  This is a subjective thing, only you can decide where that point is for you.

However, this gradient may only be acceptable for short inclines.  The longer the incline, the greater the effect, also the longer/heavier the load being pulled.  Decide on what gradient you can accept for a sustained straight run and then decrease it by 10%.  For a curve, that gradient must be at least halved, so for example, a straight 1:40 becomes < 1:80 on a curve.

 

After doing all this, I decided to abandon thoughts of gradients completely and put all the track on the level.  Have fun and don't stop considering other options.  All the best,  Alan

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...