richrua Posted January 16, 2014 Posted January 16, 2014 Been experimenting with an incline. It is amazing how much more steep it is than you think at the planning stage. I will have to have a rethink because it just dosent look right.
Broithe Posted January 16, 2014 Posted January 16, 2014 About an inch a yard seems just about OK. There is the DCConcepts magnetic traction enhancer available now - if you do require a steep slope. http://www.gaugemaster.com/item_details.asp?code=DCDCX-PBVP
richrua Posted January 17, 2014 Author Posted January 17, 2014 That is an interesting thing. I think I will drop the track that passes under by a cm as well. That way the incline itself on the other track wont need to be so steep. Bit more work involved though - cutting the base board and all that.
Broithe Posted January 17, 2014 Posted January 17, 2014 Do remember that, if the slope is on a curve that will add to the resistance, you can have a steeper straight slope than a curved one. I made a couple of slopes using the full eight feet of a piece of hardboard to make the 'boxes' - with a 2½ inch rise we had no real problems, running all sorts of stuff - but, they were dead straight.
BosKonay Posted January 17, 2014 Posted January 17, 2014 I've used a few bits of http://woodlandscenics.woodlandscenics.com/show/item/ST1410 on my layout, and they present no issues to anything I've tried. At 2%, it's basically a 1 inch drop or climb in every 2 feet of gradient. To clear 4 inches (about 10cm) will take 16 feet of riser.
jhb171achill Posted January 17, 2014 Posted January 17, 2014 (edited) The very steepest gradients in Ireland were the quarter mile just short of Hillsborough station in the Knockmore Junction side and the cutting just south of Downpatrick station, through which it will one day become possible to travel again by train. These were 1 in sixty-ish - I'd have to look it up. One in sixty - for example - would be one inch rise per sixty inches (or five feet / about 1.5m) length. A model railway will comfortably cope with gradients three times this steep. Edited January 17, 2014 by jhb171achill
BosKonay Posted January 17, 2014 Posted January 17, 2014 Also, bear in mind what you want to run. Steamers with full length trains will have trouble on much more than a 2%, some older models may not even handle that, most modern diesels should manage 2-4% depending on their weight and traction
irishthump Posted January 17, 2014 Posted January 17, 2014 The very steepest gradients in Ireland were the quarter mile just short of Hillsborough station in the Knockmore Junction side and the cutting just south of Downpatrick station, through which it will one day become possible to travel again by train. These were 1 in sixty-ish - I'd have to look it up. One in sixty - for example - would be one inch rise per sixty inches (or five feet / about 1.5m) length. A model railway will comfortably cope with gradients three times this steep. What about Killarney station, the bank always looked savage steep to me! Around about the 6 min mark the you'll see the driver having to rev the bejesus out of 147!
richrua Posted January 17, 2014 Author Posted January 17, 2014 I built my gradient. Tested and working fine with the weakest of my engines. I know my railway looks a bit train set like - all the old hornby buildings - but I dont want to get rid of them being 30 odd years old... Perhaps I am more of a railway modeller who lives in Ireland than an Irish railway modeller ! But I am getting great enjoyment once again. Thanks for all the help.
irishthump Posted January 17, 2014 Posted January 17, 2014 That's a hell of gradient, looks nearly vertical!
burnthebox Posted January 17, 2014 Posted January 17, 2014 Bloody hell, nearly fell out my chair on that gradient
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