is it too steep or will it work?

[rookie]

i am trying to make sure my incline is not too steep for my train. I know (from you guys) it takes 12 feet to get 3 inches on a 2% grade. That works out to 1/4 inch per foot. I need to get down in 10 feet from 3 and 1/4 inches which i don"t think will be a problem. But, will that be enough to go back up? It would seem to me that i could allow 5/16 per foot and do it in 10 feet. Could i? thanks, david

[Jake]

Here is how the math to calculate the grade works out:

Grade = Rise/Run x 100

10 feet is 120 inches, and this is our run, 3 1/4 (3.25) inches is our rise.

Rise/Run = 3.25/120 = 0.02708333...

0.02708333... x 100 = 2.708333...

So therefore the grade is just a little bit under 2.8%, which is steep, but not extreme. Preparations for helpers should be made for weak and/or light engines.

[ABC]

For best results stay below 2% unless, you are only running short non-NMRA weighted trains, or plan on running 3 or 4 loco consists.

[jward]

your grade will work fine. those in my family have been using 3% grades for probably 50 years, and we've had no problems with them.

the steeper the grade the less your locomotives will pull, so you are not going to be able to pull 30 cars behind a single unit on this grade. you'll either have to run shorter trains or add a second locomotive.

by way of example, on my previous layout i had 3% grades and my son would put 15-20 cars behind his bachmann gp50. the train was longer than the grade, so not all of it was on the hill at one time. it pulled the train just fine. over on my dad's layout, he runs 20-25 car trains behind atlas gp7s. to get them up over his mountain, which is a sustained climb of between 3 and 4%, he uses4 units, 2 on the front and 2 on the back.

please note that if you plan on using a helper on the rear, your track should be very well laid. helpers can push cars off the track on bad track.

[davidgettle]

I'm running a 4-8-4 J type (American Freedom Engine) on a 4% grade pulling 13 Old-time Pullman cars (scale weighted), without the need for a helper engine, and planning a shay mountain track at 7% (I'm still building) but the shay will only be pulling 4 50' old-time Pullman cars. I also have a 43 car freight train that I am planning to double head with a 2-8-0 consolidation and another engine (haven't made a choice on the second engine yet) that will also be going up that 4% grade. Years ago I was in a model railroad club, and tested the 4-8-4 Lionel HO J class I had at the time with my freight cars + my passenger cars on a 2% grade and it was able to pull all of that without an issue (all of my cars are scale weight 1 ounce per inch of length)

[ABC]

Just as a side note for clarification Southern Pacific's 4-8-4's were GS-4s, N&W had J's.

[Jim Banner]

I find it adds a lot of fun to the railroad to have some relatively steep grades.  The ruling grade on my H0 layout is about 3-1/2% up two turns of an 18" radius helix.  I usually figure 10 cars per diesel locomotive although some will pull a lot more.  Just in case it doesn't work out, I keep a pusher on standby at the bottom of the hill.  The only thing that distinguishes a pusher from a normal locomotive on my layout is the front coupler is glued permanently open and painted red.  Being glued open, it is easy to drop the pusher at the top of the grade - just slow it down and let the train walk away.  Being red helps me remember which locomotives should NOT be used for switching in the yard.  My cars are mostly 40'.  All have Kadee couplers and are weighted to full NMRA specifications.  I cannot swear it will work for you but it works for me.

Jim