IronBeltKen
Lazy Daydreamer
But would you get a good grade awarded?... Good grief I could write a book.
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But would you get a good grade awarded?... Good grief I could write a book.
But would you get a good grade awarded?
To address an 'empirical' best guess about the length of a transition, my own 'formula' is to allow 6" for each 0.5% of change of grade, up or down. This would be functional for many applications, but not all of them. For example, a 2-10-4, whether in brass or plastic/diecast metal, might struggle to keep traction on that sharp a vertical curve leading into a grade. I currently have an Atlas twin track truss bridge in a single span across my river. As an imperfect model builder, the upper half of the span and the next 14 inches or so are in a exceedingly shallow of a negative curve with an average radius of maybe 150". My Sunset brass CPR Selkirk, a 2-10-4, spins far too much for my liking with a modest trailing tonnage behind it. I will have to use Bull Frog Snot on a couple of drivers...there's no help for it because no other engine spins as much as it does, not even the BLI PRR J1 2-10-4.
You would be wiser, as a general rule for most applications, to use a 8"/half percent of grade change.
Thank you, Crandell. It turns out someone has created an Excel spreadsheet to help calculate. I am going to try that out and for that go with the 8 inch/0.5% you suggest, and see if I can get to the height I need to in the more challenging segment without exceeding 2.5 percent, with 2.75% as a fall back. (of course, as noted, that will require more transitions!)
Edited to add: In fact, I now realize that the spreadsheet was linked to here on this site sometime last year!
Unfortunately, the spreadsheet's ability to add additional rows has been disabled, so after 12 segments you have to start over...
I create track plans as a job and that's way more complicated than anything I do.
No offense meant, but it seems like you might be trying to pour 10 pounds of sugar in a 5-pound sack.
Don't be afraid to acknowledge that it just doesn't fit and you have to start over -- a grade that is too steep (or deck-to-deck clearance that is too tight) is a pain that keeps on giving for the life of a layout.
it seems like you might be trying to pour 10 pounds of sugar in a 5-pound sack.
I guess I figured that planning for a constant grade of 0.05 percent starting 8 inches before and continuing 11 inches after the turnout would address that issue.Placing a turnout near a grade transition is asking for a lot of heartache.
I think you might be over thinking it at this point.
Who, ME? I *never* do that!
From the DairyStatePhone
From the DairyStatePhone