Track Grade Transition Using Sectional Track

[The Parlor Car]

Hello,

I'm working up a new Chesapeake and Great Western Railway, N-Scale Layout using Kato track. It is difficult to get a vertical bend in the track, such as where an incline begins or ends. Such as what you get with Woodland Scenics inclines. I've tried using very short sections of Kato track, resulting in lots of joints, to match the roadbed/bench work arch, Anyone have satisfactory experience with this? One major problem is with an abrupt vertical curve, trains can uncoupled, resulting in a downgrade calamity.

 

[D&J RailRoad]

I would cut the plastic pieces that join the ties together on the bottom side of the track piece. That way, the track will bend vertically for ya.

 

[dave1905]

It could also mean your transition curve from level to incline is too short.

 

[Selector]

Is this sectional track with fake ballast, or just unballasted lengths of sectional track? If the former, cut a few slits into the ballast from bellow, say three or four spaced 1/2" apart, and then use a small screw to hold the curvature that you desire by driving it down through the ties. This will take some learning, but it can be done. If the latter, just use the screw, or use construction adhesive under the ties on a suitably shaped roadbed, say plywood, and weight the track until the construction adhesive sets up, probably a couple of days to fully cure. Use the adhesive sparingly; you don't want it welling up between the ties.

 

[The Parlor Car]

Is this sectional track with fake ballast, or just unballasted lengths of sectional track? If the former, cut a few slits into the ballast from bellow, say three or four spaced 1/2" apart, and then use a small screw to hold the curvature that you desire by driving it down through the ties. This will take some learning, but it can be done. If the latter, just use the screw, or use construction adhesive under the ties on a suitably shaped roadbed, say plywood, and weight the track until the construction adhesive sets up, probably a couple of days to fully cure. Use the adhesive sparingly; you don't want it welling up between the ties.

Thank you. It's Kato track with ballast, easy to cut. I'll try that, thanks.