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I'm try'n to design a layout use'n Scarm but I don't understand the track height.
This is a sample of what I don't understand.
The track is ten feet long and the end that you can't see is at ground level (0).
The end in the pic says 1.02 with 8% grade.
What is the actual height of the track on the end that says 1.02?
I gave this program a quick shot and didn't like it. Huge learning curving for me and I don't have the time for it right now. I did however like the choices of track that you can use.
As for your number; my guess that would be inches off the ground.
Mixy (the owner and writer of SCARM) may have missed this thread, but I've used SCARM a lot since he released it here and on other forums, so I'm happy to assist when I can.
SCARM still in development and being constantly improved by Mixy, mainly due to requests for features from various forums and there respective members, so perhaps this thread could also be made a 'sticky' and utilised for any future questions about SCARM? That way all the questions and answered are kept in one place? Just a thought
So the 1.02 is 1" above the baseboard it has an 8% grade in a ten foot span
I tried it again and raised it to 2.01 which should be 2" and it had a 17% grade.
How steep of a grade can a train go up without having trouble?
I'm not sure what the max could be, but I've seen a few layouts with a 8% grade.
Not to thread jack but I'm in the same boat your in right now. I have a part of my layout that I need to raise/lower but its going to be a such a sudden grade change that I'm unsure it would work. Heck, I have to add a 12"x24" section to my layout after I found a issue with my choice of freight and loco.
A grade of 8% is considered to be very steep. A grade of 17% is unheard of, at least by me.
Most modelers aim for a 2% grade (or less) for mainlines and 3-4% for the steepest grades on branch lines. However, steeper grades are reasonable for special circumstances, such as mines in mountainous terrain. But 17%? No!
I'm try'n to design a layout use'n Scarm but I don't understand the track height.
This is a sample of what I don't understand.
The track is ten feet long and the end that you can't see is at ground level (0).
The end in the pic says 1.02 with 8% grade.
What is the actual height of the track on the end that says 1.02?
OK, so on a layout I'm designing I have it going from 2" to 0" in an eight foot span and it shows 21‰.
So the grade of the incline is actually .21% which is not even a whole % right?
I actually want it to go from 3" to 0" in a ten foot span.
When I set it like that the ‰ turns yellow and says 25‰.
So how much is that exactly?
Is 25‰ a 1/4 of a percent.
And if so, then why is it yellow instead of green.
Will I have trouble climbing from 0" to 3" in ten feet?
I'm talking about n-scale BTW. So ten foot is pretty far.
OK, so on a layout I'm designing I have it going from 2" to 0" in an eight foot span and it shows 21‰.
So the grade of the incline is actually .21% which is not even a whole % right?
I actually want it to go from 3" to 0" in a ten foot span.
When I set it like that the ‰ turns yellow and says 25‰.
So how much is that exactly?
Is 25‰ a 1/4 of a percent.
And if so, then why is it yellow instead of green.
Will I have trouble climbing from 0" to 3" in ten feet?
I'm talking about n-scale BTW. So ten foot is pretty far.
Or just see the color - when the mark is colored green, gradient is OK. When the mark is yellow, it is still OK, but little steep. When the mark is colored in red, then the gradient is too steep (over 40‰ / 4%).
I will place an option in the next version, which will allow changing between thousands and percents
Don't worry about thousands and percentages - if the mark is green (that is the best) or yellow (still OK), the gradient will be normal You can see how it looks in the 3D Viewer.
Next week I will upload a new release of SCARM. In Tools > Settings > Dimensions I will put a Gradient mark selector
Good idea!..... I didn't comment initially 'cos the #'s simply weren't adding up - Now it all makes sense!.......
Any plans to port it to the Mac? [I do have Parallels and XP, but haven't booted it in *months*]. I dunno how you've written it, but a Mac version would be real nice IMHO
I have no plans to make SCARM port for Mac or Linux, because this will cost all my free time and some additional resources. But in the future, everything is possible
That number is the height value in the units you have selected. 
