N Scale Tight Curve into 4% Grade Incline
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 6 сен 2024
- Live and learn! ...That's always OUR motto/excuse, anyway!
Be careful curving into an incline! All of physics goes against your locomotives!
But here's what we did to help out our locomotives a bit. But we still get some locomotive slippage when hauling around 6 or more cars, depending on the cars and locomotive being used.
Small N scale layout (4' x 6'5")
Kato Unitrack
DC power
Woodland Scenics Plaster Cloth
Woodland Scenics Foam Putty
Woodland Scenics 4% Inclines
Woodland Scenics 1" Risers under the 4% Inclines
1-2-3 Machinist Blocks
Locomotives seen in this video:
Minnesota Commercial Atlas Master Line Dash 8-40B
Amtrak P42 & Superliner (from Kato Starter Set)
that is why you double head your trains. Depending on who the locomotive is from, Kato/BLI/Atlas ect your milage will vary oh how many cars a single locomotive can pull even on flat track. I have 3% grades on my layout with the top leveling off at 2%, a single AC4400 can pull about 10ish cars alone up the hill with no issue. Double headed with 2 AC4400's can easily get 20-25 cars up the hill and I have a curve at the top (11" atlas curve). So 4% grade isn't bad, it just makes more of a fun challenge for your trains to try and tackle, if you go DCC you can have some fun speed matching your locomotives and have a pusher on the back of the train to help it up the hill, even on a small layout you can do some fun stuff like that.
It's so nice to see Dads and kids working on model trains together. Back in my day they were just electric trains.
Spraying water on plaster cloth to make it wet enough to be flexible to form, but not making a disastourous mess everywhere.
Excellent! Thank-you.
Three things:
I love that your son can join in as you work and that you had one train circling through-out.
Secondly: when, about thirty years' ago I made an OO Gauge train layout it, too had a street car leading up from a Station to the town.
Third: I much enjoyed RUclips videos on the History, Geography and Demographics of Minnesota ('Flour Power', pbs, North Aspect, population demographics). Nothing yet on Minnesota's Co-operative history, it will come) so St Anthony's Falls, Pillsbry Dough Boy, Betty Crocker etc!
I model in On30 and I use Peco flex track. I do not know if you can do what I do for super elevation with Kato track. However, it is cheap to try and you can easily remove it if it doesn’t work. I have a smooth 16” floor tile that I lay out a strip of wide masking tape on. Then with a steel yard stick and a sharp blade I cut the masking tape into thin strips. I layout a thin strip through the entire outer edge of the curve where the track lays. Then I come in about an inch from the start of the first strip and lay another thin strip on top of the first strip. I end it about inch before the end of the first strip. Then I do it again starting an inch from the beginning of the second strip and end it an inch from the other end, I gradually build layer upon layer until I get the super elevation I want. Give it a try. If you put too much you can pull it off by layers. I also use the masking tape for the first layer covering my inclines and risers.
Looking nice 👍🏼. Looking forward to seeing how you do your rivers
Thanks. The rivers will be a bit. We have a couple of things to do before we dive into that. It will be the first time doing water!
Fighting the same battles as real railroads. I used tooth picks for super elevation. Looks 👍
That plaster cloth reminds of the old computer programming cards. I guess nowadays 77% of those reading this have no idea what I'm talking about :)
😂😂
Great demo video. I used the Woodland Scenic grades on my layout too. I ran 3% which was just a bit more than prototypical where I was modeling. I also used the plaster roll. When I super-elevated my grade/curve I cut out small strips of cardboard and placed them under one side of the track. That worked for me. Nice work. There must be a cheaper way to buy or make the sculpting foam you used. I imagine it’s not cheap, but works great. I’ll keep watching for updates.
Thanks! And thanks for commenting and sharing your process for those reading through these comments!!
A term for "leaning into the curve" is "super elevation". With N scale is is possible to get too much elevation causing end of trains to come off the track. Being a naturally lazy person myself (I prefer to call it efficient") it appears to me you made constructing the incline wore complicated than needed. But experimentation is the way we discover new ways and possibly better ways of doing things. Looks like you're having fun and that's the main thing.
Ah, thanks for the terminology! I had seen "super elevation" but it wasn't to me what I know it to be, now! Thanks!
The "pitch" you refer too is called(in RR talk) as "Super Elevation"... Looking good and I look forward to your future updates...
Yeah, thanks! I looked that up right after this video and learned something new!
Very nice layout, Kato does make a super elevated double track that might save you bunch of time. I use the all over my home layout. I have a 4% incline and have no problems. Great video
Thanks!
Good job, nice train 👍🙋🏻♂️
Greetings Gert
Nice job Making it Smooth on the Curves.
Looks good... Looking forward to watching it grow..
Nice work! With a 4% grade you have to expect that you will be limited in the number of cars a single locomotive can pull up it. I model Ho scale, and I have 4% and 5% grades on my branch line. We run locomotive lash ups of 2 locomotives. This will allow me to pull 12 cars up the branch line. But the locomotives are just screaming. Some times humidity plays a part and we get a train that stalls out. So we call for a pusher. We should also note that my model railroad is run as close to a real railroad as possible, or I should maybe say for the most part.
Hi there, interesting Video. A couple of comments. When I've used the plaster cloth I soak it in water first (I use a pan), then put it down, it conforms really well when I do that and, I can smooth out the plaster so that there aren't any holes visible meaning I don't have to cover it up with additional material after.
"Super Elevation" in real life is pretty small, there isn't really that much of a sideways tilt to the track. I think you have more than enough. The problem with having too much is an effect called "String Lining". With really long trains, the force exerted on the inside part of the curve is strong enough to pull the cars towards the inside, causing them to topple off the track. You do need to have a pretty long train for this (likely 2 or more engines pulling). If you have cars that don't roll quite as well and they are near the back it'll magnify the effect. This problem becomes more of an issue when you run long trains and put a couple of engines up front, one in the middle and say one at the end. If the engines aren't well speed matched, they'll push and pull against the cars in front of them.
In any case, I enjoyed the video, thanks. Oh, and 4% is pretty steep in RR terms, better to try for a max of about 2% if you can.
Thanks for all this!!
Using wax paper to put the glue on so it won't stick until it's put on the wood.Great idea!
Thanks!
I have to say that this is the best video I've seen related to this stuff "BRILLIANT." Looking forward to any other video's you might make. Keep them coming!
Hey, thanks! Much appreciated!
Hi a very interesting video,i will subscribe and watch your progress.I love your little wooden bridge,i to have used tooth picks to hold sections of walls up.
What you call pitch is called superelevation.
Bank, you're banking the curve
I love your wooden trestle.You said that you scratchbuilt it. Share the plans. It seems to me that you could have used the graduated Woodland Scenic foam risers and just added a certain degree pitch to that and you could have save some steps, but then again, we all have to make things work for us our own way, in that way you get exactly what you need. Interesting track plan, please share that as well. Happy modeling.
Thanks for the comment! 1. I will try and gather up footage and pics of our trestle bridge and walk through what we did. 2. If we are talking about the same Woodland Scenics, we DID use them. We use their 4% grade inclines. What we learned is that we want to stay away from 4% as much as possible and go to using Woodland Scenics 2%, or maybe even their 3%, inclines when possible. Live and learn! ...Happy modeling to you, too!
Hi from England. I just came across your channel while researching Kato track. Nice work and some good ideas. I have subbed and look forward to your progress.
Thanks! And good luck with the research! Have fun!
Very cool, thanks for sharing
Good Job, and Good Luck.
Looking good so far
Once again nice video guys!
good work👍
oh i been there........best of luck remember foam is cheap and kato track is awesome.
very cool. that track plan is growing on me. and that plaster technique for the incline- that's new to me.
Thanks! I made it up! I have more criticism of how we did it, though, if you are about to do it.
@@minnesotaeerailroad8471 no i've already done my roadbed with plaster over cut foam using the "edge of my hand" technique and eye-balling it, then sanding it down. it was ok but will be looking for a better technique on my next layout.
I am returning to this hobby after quite a long hiatus. Your tips are excellent. So much appreciate your time and effort sharing this. Would you be willing to share a plan for your trestle? It's wonderful!
Here the video we did for that. It’s not complete, but it might help 👍😊 ruclips.net/video/Zfk-jDj3XS4/видео.html
Super 👍👍👍👍👍😜
Very good. Great. You have the layout with Kato tracks? Thanks
Yup. We happen to use Kato Unitrack and it works great for us!
I’m about to start cramming12 lengths of on30 flextrack into a 30”x48” layout that’s 2 levels with a 4+%grade and I doubt there will be more than 5” of straight track total.
Phew! Sounds good! We’ll be watching!
@@minnesotaeerailroad8471 I’ll try to make some videos as I go, I always forget, I’m more of a watcher in that regard. The theme is a renegade logging operation by a fence and decking company, starring the General Sherman Tree :)
Still think that Layout is Gonna look good.
That's awesome! why don't you use hot glue?
We use hot glue, too. Why not here? Who knows. We were beginners 😊
How did the super elevated curve work out?
2 percent on mains.
Just fine, we think. We haven’t lost any trains even when the little one has ran the trains at full speed 👍
Small layout ? Big compared to mine so far 🙄
He he, yeah, and it’s gotten bigger 😊