Curves and gradients... again!

[JST]

Sorry to re-visit this topic yet again but I am looking for some views on what is or is not possible with what I am building.

 

I have completed the main line track work for my layout and am now building the branch line which has undergone some planning "revisions"   . The branch line will now be about 15metres long finishing in a terminus which will be on a higher level. And so to the issue. The line starts with a 1 in 68 straight climb (00 peck code 100 track) for 1.7 metres, then goes into a semicircle 3rd radius (Peco setrack dimensions) curve on the flat (couldn't do it with 4th radius - and it will be hidden) and then climbs straight at 1 in 90 for 7 metres and finishes with a quarter circle of 4th radius on the flat before entering the station.

 

The question is what will climb it. The toughest task would be for my decent running Bachman 57xx pannier (DCC converted) to pull 4 free running coaches up it - is this realistic? 

 

Cheers

[Rowsley17D]

Your 57XX might baulk a little at the 1 in 68. Try in on a test plank first. The rest should be okay. Whenever I have had gradients 1 in 80 has been the steepest used and 4-4-0s can manage that.

Edited January 9, 2018 by Rowsley17D

[HLT 0109]

There is really no substitute for a test piece but I should have thought you couold ease the 1:68 by continuing the gradient through the first curve.  I have a rather unprotypical gradient with a minimum of 1:30, through 1:20 on a semi-circle to 1:15 at the top!  Obviously I can only negotiate this (with steamers) by double/triple heading but, if your semicircle were all within the steepest part of your gradient, the whole gradient could be about 1:.90 - perhaps less as you would omit two transitions.

 

Harold..

[DCB]

Bachmann Panniers vary, the older ones pull better than the DCC compatible ones.  However I find the newest DCC compatible Bachmann 57XX (and 45XX) are happy enough with 4 Bachmann BR non Corridors on a 1 in 36 including a 3rd radius curve over a distance of about 20 feet.   

[newbryford]

Have you considered using DCC Concepts Powerbase?

 

 

Cheers,

Mick

[JST]

Thanks for the input. All very useful.

 

Well, I set up the 1 in 68 bank and the 57xx (about 22 years old which I converted to DCC) trundled up with 5 coaches with no problem - at shunt speed! I have not set up the flat curve at the end of the first bank section yet but my guess is that if it can manage 5 coaches at shunt speed, it will cope with 4 coaches round the curve at cruise speed with a run up.