My Incline

[duncan1_9_8_4]

having got an idea on the length over which to do it, what are your ideas for getting to the top of the incline. I dont want it laying on boards, i would like it to look ralistic with ballast eventually. Over to you???

 

[whizzo]

HI Duncan , i had the same problem some time back - i found the main pitfall was ,making sure your locos pulling the amount of stock that you want -does in fact go up the gradient you have in mind -for this i used a piece of decking -jacked up at one end with a brick/s i found that lgb locos with stock went up 1/36 but best to make as gental as possible 1/48 or 1/60 anyway when you have sorted this part out i then knocked in some pegs at the same levels = 0 then at 36" a peg +1" at 6 FT a peg at +2" and so on == to required height .-- then put in another row of pegs along side the first, i went 6" apart until you get to the height you want then get 2 pieces of hard board / thin ply fix them to the outside of the pegs -then hunt for all the old bits of brick , mix with sand and cement pour between the wood sides , and leval as you go with a long piece of STRAIGHT wood, that spanes at least 2 of the blocks at a time -when dry pull off the hard board /ply etc then you can bank up the sides with earth / or lose in a rockery i use silicon to hold down the track (as used on windows ) easy to get up when dry cover with ballast etc if you are laying a curve use the shape of the track as a line and do the same =every 36" -or more if you can, these are only for single track,-- you would have to make the width wider for over hang, if using double track hope this helps regards Dave - if i can help more pm me

 

[MR SPOCK]

[align=center]I experimented wiv a few blocks of wood and worked out the gradient as I needed nine inches over nine yards,

it works pretty good, saved having to make it twice,

after working it out I cut the foambard and glued it all together, and it works brill

this will re-connect the old abandonned Cornwall branch line again, after the big wash out
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[MR SPOCK]

[align=center] A big sheet of foamboard is about thirty smackers and is five foot by ten foot is easy cut wiva wood saw and the plastic shop that sells it will cut it to width, you can roll it up to bring home and itstick with plastic glue for plastic pipework, I have had this outside for over a year now and it has not degraded, I put roofing felt down under the track and the track is not even pinned down,

it is also good for making buildings with, I think its used for forsale signs but not anything like corroflute

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[duncan1_9_8_4]

it great been able to se how other people do it. mine been a ground level railway, i think il get my grade using wood stake type things, then shutter it up and make the grade by layers of post crete. hmmmmmmmm

 

[pugwash]

So you are going to shut up and post? Kind of diametrically opposed....

 

[beavercreek]

Ahhh inclines....mighty ones now that is something that I have had to contend with on Beaver Creek. Ended up double, triple and even quadruple heading. A lot of amps but looks good!

A lot of wheel slip here

 

[Bram]

I find that some more weight in the loco and take the incline at a slower speed then there's no problem. Mind you I don't clean the track and that certainly helps

 

[Rhinochugger]

I did the opposite - looked at my sloping garden, remembered my previous experiences with a bog standard Mamod (that wouldn't drive over a feather) and decided to set my railway more or less level.

So it runs from some low cuttings at the top of the garden, to being on a 2 ft high struture at the bottom end of the circuit. Like this (if I can find the pictures) 8|

 

[bobg]

Check out "Problems on the T.V.B.L." to see how I dealt with mine. Like all this stuff it's "horses for courses". Gather the ideas and pick what suits you and your situation, but above all.....HAVE FUN.

 

[Rhinochugger]

.......it's "horses for courses".

Absolutely. I reckon Mike (Beavercreek) just tilted the camera a bit

 

[duncan1_9_8_4]

as much as i try, i cannot have fun building, i like laying the track, but cant stand the build aspect. i have got a plan, and i know it will go tits up, make a mess, il scream at the garden, then it will rain, followed by partial collapse, then il wish i never started. humph lol:crying:

 

[CoggesRailway]

Duncan1984 according to my granddad you can do anything practical if you do it patiently enough lots of cups of tea and thought. What you describe happens to me when I want to get to the end point too quick- definately one of my failings I think shuttering and postcrete sounds a good idea. If the shuttering is the right grade you just need to scrape it level.

Also a small amount of lead in any loco will make a huge difference to climbing adhesion. They just come too light out of the box (in general of course)

 

[Rhinochugger]

as much as i try, i cannot have fun building, i like laying the track, but cant stand the build aspect. i have got a plan, and i know it will go tits up, make a mess, il scream at the garden, then it will rain, followed by partial collapse, then il wish i never started. humph lol:crying:

Actually, that's why I went for the sleeper construction - done in about three weekends with help from two sons (one for each of the first two weekends and the last one on my own).

My plan was that the tracklaying had to be instant. My experience with most of my other model railway projects was that they got about halfway, too difficult, and then limped along and never got really finished, because, at the end of the day, you want to run trains.

Quick and dirty was the answer, and it's not turned out too badly. While it lacks Tag Gorton type realism at close quarters, it sits very comfortably in the garden, and helps to shape it in some way.

 

[beavercreek]

Absolutely. I reckon Mike (Beavercreek) just tilted the camera a bit

Hey Ian :bleh: ..... if you look closely at the telephone post it is vertical (one of the few that are on my payout!) . Honestly the gradient is worse farther up the slope...all those who have seen BeaverCreek in the flesh (the layout ) have commented on the steepness and how the hell that a train with a string of 13 cars or 6 streamline coaches can get up it let alon keep a string of cars from concertinering when on the down grade . That's why I have to have multiple locos (with lots of weight, rubber traction tyres where available and the ability to brake). The Accucraft K27 just gets up (with a little wheel spin on the way) and with the help of the Bachmann K27 will pull about 4 or 5 1:20.3 scale cars. It does tend to 'roll' down the other side.
The Shays are better and can pull three on their own.
I am going to try three shays and see what can be dragged up the slope

I too had thought of cuttings but the roots from a large fir would have cause great problems if cut, the fact that it would have to be a cutting of about 30 feet and the fact that cuttings gather debris made me come to the conclusion that that method was not for me. I also could not lift the other side of the layout some three feet or so with trestles (although I really want to build a large one) as it would have blocked access (even with a 'lift-up', 'swing-up' or other device) to the lawn, decking and other garden areas....so...I have a very steep climb both ways around.

It does make for some excellent shots and has certainly put all types of couplings through their paces!

 

[steven large]

mine is waist above so i can mainatene it aslo clean the tracks.....didnt want to use on the flat ground ,,,,,,save my time and hassle tht i can do it while im progress on it...so my layout is up to my stomach waist..been using a decking plank with bracket on the fence post while i did all the claddin on it all the way round....

but didnt realised it tht i have been doing all the work on the track inside the shed and out of the shed....so i re-check the tracks and it was way off like a slope...lol...but it well running.....

will take a photos later.....cheers///
p.s.no offence to these peoples about flat surface....do they want...up to them...

 

[Rhinochugger]

p.s.no offence to these peoples about flat surface....do they want...up to them...

Yeah, join up the the Flat Earth Society

 

[duncan1_9_8_4]

really greatful for all your replies and ideas. i think i shall defonately go for the shuttering idea, and cement......... lots of it. All this came about because i dont want a totally flat railway, i thought it would be interesting to have a branch line, that climbs steadily, crosses the main line, through the rockery/garden to the other side, dropping down quite steeply (as its going to be a one way line- i cant fit a steady grade at both sides) to then join up with the main line again. this will create a exagerated one way loop. il be posying on the forum my progress with pics. when i buy some board and cement.

 

[spike]

really greatful for all your replies and ideas. i think i shall defonately go for the shuttering idea, and cement......... lots of it. All this came about because i dont want a totally flat railway, i thought it would be interesting to have a branch line, that climbs steadily, crosses the main line, through the rockery/garden to the other side, dropping down quite steeply (as its going to be a one way line- i cant fit a steady grade at both sides) to then join up with the main line again. this will create a exagerated one way loop. il be posying on the forum my progress with pics. when i buy some board and cement.

Same here.
I wanted a diverse line with some ups and downs.
I was making a pond at the same time as the railway was underway so piled up the unwanted spoil to
give gradients where needed.
Luckily here the soil is very thick clay and made excellent grades.
I made sure all the grades did'nt exceed 2.5%, which allows me to run some hefty trains with less locos.

 

[Rhinochugger]

Absolutely. I reckon Mike (Beavercreek) just tilted the camera a bit

Hey Ian :bleh: ..... if you look closely at the telephone post it is vertical (one of the few that are on my payout!)

Doh, I've been sussed :'(
Actually, I imagine it makes for interesting running - whereas, having made mine dead flat.........................

But, as we said earlier, horses for courses. I like to sit, hands off, and just watch, but that's not everybody's cup of tea (or glass of Pimms) :admire: