What slope can I use ?

Paul M said:
I'm with you there Jon. Obviously you have to be careful, but an incline or 2 does make for more interesting running
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Especially with live steam, you really need to drive the loco and anticipate the track :)
 
Once your train has climbed the grade and is on the bench, how is it to be turned around to return to the line to run another time. Will you have a run around loop, a turntable or simply pick the loco up and turn it by hand? If the latter I see no point in the grade/slope as that can be done probably just as easily outside your shed.
Another point is that once you are up and running you may want to increase your roster. Is there room for more track to accommodate it? Plastic storage containers and trays can serve as good methods of setting out you trains on tracks when they are stored away from the main running line. That's how I do it, but I do have more than one complete train.
Another consideration is that a shed is not always a secure place; that will, of course depend on your location and the type of shed. They can, however, also be damp places, not good for electric locomotives, so your stock may need protection from that.
 
The Devonian said:
Once your train has climbed the grade and is on the bench, how is it to be turned around to return to the line to run another time. Will you have a run around loop, a turntable or simply pick the loco up and turn it by hand? If the latter I see no point in the grade/slope as that can be done probably just as easily outside your shed.
Another point is that once you are up and running you may want to increase your roster. Is there room for more track to accommodate it? Plastic storage containers and trays can serve as good methods of setting out you trains on tracks when they are stored away from the main running line. That's how I do it, but I do have more than one complete train.
Another consideration is that a shed is not always a secure place; that will, of course depend on your location and the type of shed. They can, however, also be damp places, not good for electric locomotives, so your stock may need protection from that.
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Some valid points here, I keep all my locos in the house, not so the other stock, but I was wary of keeping them in my garage due to the damp.
 
While I do not keep locomotives in my Shed the Massoth DCC controller lives out in it. But I insulated foor, ceiling and all walls with 25mm Celtex plus the shed walls are mounted up on breeze-blocks so all is nice and dry inside. That breeze-blocks additional height gives a nice workable height to a normal Garden Shed.
 
Paul M said:
No one has mentioned spirals to gain the extra height
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Fiendishly difficult to get 'right'.. - level in both planes. Gradient on a curve, means much more drag..
Take up way too much space..

PhilP.
 
PhilP said:
Fiendishly difficult to get 'right'.. - level in both planes. Gradient on a curve, means much more drag..
Take up way too much space..

PhilP.
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Hm we do not know the site or space. Another option could be a zig zag, that would make the grade easier and be more fun to play with at the cost of a couple of points and some extra track.
 
dunnyrail said:
Hm we do not know the site or space. Another option could be a zig zag, that would make the grade easier and be more fun to play with at the cost of a couple of points and some extra track.
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...........or an Anderton Boat Lift style device which can be raised several feet by the use of a winch................
 
Back to the OP, an engine shed to run the locos up into for work and storage. Steep grades of probably up to 5% ok, since it is for locos only, per the OP's post.

Don't try to bring trains up that though.

Also, remember that you need to ease the "vertical grade" somewhat at the bottom and more at the top, otherwise a sharp breakover in grade will derail the loco, and put all this effort to waste.

Greg
 
If you run out of space and want to go something more interesting you can always go rack:

RackExtensionProject-33.jpg

but if you go spirals it takes a bit of space:

BlackBridgeSpiralFlowers-03.jpg
 
dunnyrail said:
Hm we do not know the site or space. Another option could be a zig zag, that would make the grade easier and be more fun to play with at the cost of a couple of points and some extra track.
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If the OP is only moving his locos up the slope a proper zig zag where the loco goes forward and reverses up the next leg, could get up a reasonable in a much shorter length.
 
Greg Elmassian said:
Keith, he has a shed he wants to run his locos into... I doubt he wants to sell all his non-rack locos and replace them all with rack only. (post #1 always helpful)

Greg
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Or could he use the rack loco to haul the non-rack locos up the incline? Sometimes it pays to think outside the box.
 
yeah, or a water driven turbine powered by the rain... I think the goal was convenience, not complexity! :)

Well with all the rain we have........
Besides it's more fun to think complex
 
Thank you Mr Emmett! :giggle::giggle:

The answer may be a short spur siding, and a 'Banker' to help with a push? :nerd::wondering:
 
Double heading is always good for steep grades................
I have steep grades on my layouts for this very reason.

This picture shows a goods train at Gstadt station after climbing 1 meter in 25.........

IMG_3932.JPG
 
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