Jump to content

Maximum grades on garden railways


traingeekboy
 Share

Recommended Posts

As I contemplate the new layout I am already designing for a low shelf that is about 26-28 inches of the shed floor. Add the extra 4-6 inches where the trains will poke their heads through the walls and I am around 32-34 inches off the ground already.

Part of me wants some semi ground running areas with natural rocks, so I am pondering how long a run I need to get down to a Raised Ground level.

I was thinking I could build some raised flower beds with rock and brick walls and run my trains along the edges of them. Us modelers are we're completely nuts I know.

So a two foot tall flower bed edging may be sort of nice if made from natural stone and that would leave me a small drop of a mere 8-10 inches! I am also willing to add some turn-back tracks for some over under curvy track. That way I can increase my runs for my grades.

Distances you would risk trying for that much of a drop?

Any thoughts on this? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Griff, that sounds like a great plan , have you measured the length from your shed to back of the yard, to get the  train lower down you need a 48 foot ramp, that will get you down low enough to yard level  or if you are keen a spiral giving  you a longer run., have you run a string line across to get the heights.

It will depend on how high  your gardens will be, two foot will need a lot of soil and rocks, with 00 scale I would stay at a foot off the ground level , have seen some pretty good 00 scale garden railway layout  do you remember Trevor  from FR  forum South Australia that is what he did had a ramp from his garden shed looked pretty good, my layout is 12 inches at one end and car port is only a couple of inches.

Be great to see what plan you come up with .

Tony from down under keeping on moving ahead

 

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I belive the rule of thumb is 1 in 60 for OO gauge so thats one hell of a length to get to near ground level!  

To me the guide would be can your weakest loco haul a resonable length train up the slope, thats then your maximum gradient.

Summer Hampton has a video on you tube on how he has improved the problem on his line.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mick has a nice incline in his garden that allows for a slight ramping up as well as having the shed on the low end. I've been looking at my garden and thinking about how to go about the incline. Not sure if it will work out at all. Still have lots of options on the table/benchwork.

old layout needs to come down. I am thinking of some kind of temporary running area inside the shed so I can go play trains over the winter.

Jimbob, I am thinking maybe 3% max grade so for every 100 inches distance you drop down only 3 inches. Clearly that would require a lot of distance to get to ground level.

Tony, yeah I would need to raise some areas with stone and soil about 2 feet.

I suppose I need to rethink this whole new garden railway concept. In the meantime, I am adding some newer stock to my collection: 

 

Edited by traingeekboy
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Griff, that is going to be a lot of fill then 2 feet and the rocks , good if you can get them cheaply .

I like the  Lima Passenger train, not a bad price $108 US, at least you don't have to pay for that exchange rate on top of the price, you also bought a red Roco  loco,they are very good loco .

I am working on modelling  Santa Fe's super chief  F7/A-B-B-A  locos have to paint the two B locos though., all are powered be an awesome site indeed  pulling  coaches behind  the locos.

Tony from down under keeping on moving ahead

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am working on track plans and reviewing things. I may end up building a railway inside my shed. I know it isn't a garden railway and thus smaller, but time is an issue. I am trying to figure out how to get trains running and have fun fairly quickly.

 

SO maybe all this discussion is a waste of time. :)

 

Man it's been dead in here lately. I spend more time on train board these days. 

Edited by traingeekboy
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Afternoon Griff, I thought I replied to you last night my time, didn't upload to the post, yeah good idea to get a layout up and running in your garden shed, maybe later venture outside at a later date , there is a indoor layout thread you can go in .

I am same with time don't know how long we be staying where we are, 2 years max enough time to finish  the layout and have some fun running them, have cut the layout back as well sadly,thinking of two spirals one each end of the layout, will depend on the height of the model ship I am building to sit passing under the bridge, working on it today , will start up a new thread modelling boats  and railway..

Not much work today outside hot already 36 degrees and storms predicted, now the heat  will slow me down.

Looking forward to seeing progress of you layout.

Tony from down under keeping on moving ahead.

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...