Large Scale Central

Need to achieve a 30" drop

Track and Trestles
#21

Here’s an older picture of the area in question. The track comes out of the old door on the right side of the barn. The poor old barn is due for it’s facelift this year or next…

(http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i231/paintjockey/layout%20build/cid__downsized_0831001551.jpg)

Terry

#22

How far from the end of the wye to the door? How much elevation between thos two points?

#23

If your talking the wye in the laid track it’s about 50’ with about 27" of elevation difference.

Terry

#24

Could you flip the yard around and exit the barn through the side wall headed the other direction? This would allow use of the side yard to loop back extending your run to drop the 30".

#25

I could, but the hole is cut and track is laid in the barn.
Where I ran into problems is, at the bottom of that old door is where the floor sticks out. I measured all of my trackwork from there. Turns out, that is actually a step that is MUCH lower than the barn floor. And that my friends is where I screwed myself.
I should have put a pilot hole through to measure…
I should have checked my height before I built the table…
I should have not laid track until I got the outside figured out…
I should have planned better…

#26

TB said:
… I should have put a pilot hole through to measure… I should have checked my height before I built the table… I should have not laid track until I got the outside figured out… I should have planned better…

Terry. the 50’ and 27" elev difference works out to 4.5% grade. One long loop with passing sidings works out to 2% grade

(http:///LayoutPlans/TB_Loops2.jpg)

Flip up section to get access with the lawn mower … but even better, take out the lawn and put in ornamental gravel and a few flagstones. The height at the center of the 180º at the side door is only 15" i.e. no big deal to step over.

#27
Terry Burr said:
If your talking the wye in the laid track it's about 50' with about 27" of elevation difference.

Terry


To run straight to it from the door would be about a 5.4 % grade. I’ve seen worse on peoples layouts.
How about a graded trestle to clear the track and then fill down to the Wye. You could also raise the leg of the Wye a little to
ease the grade.

#28
John Bouck said:
............ To run straight to it from the door would be about a 5.4 % grade. I've seen worse on peoples layouts. How about a graded trestle to clear the track and then fill down to the Wye. You could also raise the leg of the Wye a little to ease the grade.
Hey JB,

I guess you know a lot of people who model logging railroads. With very short consists, even when empty.

If it’s planned as a mainline to another town keep the grade to a reasonable percentage (3% max), not only will it allow for normal size trains under crummy operating conditions - rain, dew, frost - it will also be easier on the motors and the gear train of the engines.
KISS in my book includes “as little unnecessary maintenance as possible”.

BTW the big boys in some parts of the world (with very modern equipment) have a new term: predictive maintainance. The onbord computer’s diagnostic ware reports close to or slightly out of tolerance field occurances while out on the line. Remedial action takes place during that day’s overnight layover. Preliminary results show enormous “up time” improvements (close to 100% up time) compared with the previous scheme of preventive maintainance, which of course was much better than the “we fix it when it breaks” routine.

#29

<I guess you know a lot of people who model logging railroads. With very short consists, even when empty.>

HJ,
You would be amazed of the grades I’ve seen on backyard layouts.
People cramming as much track as they can in a small space. :slight_smile: :slight_smile:
Over-unders, etc.
We have one member who runs a logging layout with a 7% grade.
I may have a 1% on mine in one spot on an approach to a thru-truss bridge.

#30

JB, Nah, I’m not amazed anymore, I have come across that species many times in any of the scales. Some call it a bowl of spaghetti, most often it looks more like a dog’s breakfast. But hey, they are perfectly happy and well adjusted.

(http:///F-PIX/TiC.jpg)

When it is a garden layout I wonder what the inside of the house looks like, that question seldom arises when it is a indoors layout. :wink: :slight_smile: :lol:

#31

Hans-Joerg Mueller said:
JB, Nah, I’m not amazed anymore, I have come across that species many times in any of the scales. Some call it a bowl of spaghetti, But hey, they are perfectly happy and well adjusted. When it is a garden layout I wonder what the inside of the house looks like :wink: :slight_smile: :lol:

I like my “spaghetti bowl layout”, and am perfectly happy and well adjusted :smiley: But my “hills” are real dirt, and not piles of rocks. But hey, we all have to make compromises :wink: And just so you don’t have to “wonder”, inside my house you can usually find happy children, and adults too. One child from Brazil. Perfectly happy to be here, and very sad to be leaving soon. Ralph

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/cabby/_forumfiles/Happy.JPG)

#32
Ralph Berg said:
.................... I like my "spaghetti bowl layout", and [b]am[/b] perfectly [b]happy[/b] and [b]well adjusted[/b] :D But my "hills" are real dirt, and not piles of rocks. But hey, we all have to make compromises ;)

…


Good for you!

Oh, we have real dirt hills, too. It’s just the more mountainous parts that require real rocks, lots of them. On that I wouldn’t want to compromise too much, just a little bit. :slight_smile:

#33

Ralph,
That’s great!
Too many families from broken homes…:frowning: :frowning:

Unfortunately, my wife and I are childless, so animals, trains and cars became our “children” :slight_smile: :slight_smile:

All layouts: Small, large, flat or filled, are layouts.
You do what you can with space and time allowed and enjoy it!
That’s the ultimate goal!

#34

Well said John.
I think I am going to go with a hybrid of HJ’s idea and mine. i’ll post pics when I get started.

Terry

#35

I saw the elevated line described in the latest GR mag. Seems simple enough and looks sound and sturdy. Think i’m gonna try that.

#36

Go for it Terry!!! Whats the worst that can happen, you take it out or try again. It’s all in having the “FUN” with our hobby. Good luck.

Chuck

#37

Well, after some time I am about done. At work today but I’ll put some pics up tomorrow. I kept the grade to slightly above 2% and spread it out enough so it doesn’t look like a pile of track.

Terry

#38
Terry Burr said:
Well, after some time I am about done. At work today but I'll put some pics up tomorrow. I kept the grade to slightly above 2% and spread it out enough so it doesn't look like a pile of track.

Terry


That’s great. It’s all I can do to keep my mainline under 5%. My end-to-end rise might be 5-6 feet; I never calculated it.

#39

Hey John,

Some things you just don’t want to know :slight_smile:

Bob C.

#40

here’s an pverview of the backside with the access hole. The deck will be for visitors to load their trains.

(http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i231/paintjockey/photobucket-14275-1349525089423.jpg)

This is the decking. I’ll trim it so it will be a smooth continuous curve.

(http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i231/paintjockey/photobucket-21389-1349525090473.jpg)

This is the framework I made. It’s ripped down 1 5/4 deck board with 2" PVC conduit for legs.

(http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i231/paintjockey/photobucket-24341-1349525088892.jpg)

Here is the opposite side of the grade.

(http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i231/paintjockey/photobucket-21949-1349525091013.jpg)

Like I said, the grade is about 2%. The structure itself is very secure. I weigh 275lbs and can walk the length of it. But, rainy dreary day here so no work… Terry