My backyard consists of a ravine with slopes as steep as one in two. I want to construct a layout and I think with a couple of spirals and a zig-zag I can manage a line with a one in ten slope. Is this feasible? Has anyone any experience with garden railroading with a one in ten slope?
Mike- You haven’t listed the area you live in.
Might make a difference.
I had a 10% logging line, built when the Bachmann Shay was announced.
3 years later we tore it up and re-laid the track elsewhere.
Rod locomotives, DRY weather, one car safely, two if you feel lucky.
WET weather, start down the grade, full stop, drivers not turning, slid all the way to the bottom.
Once we got geared logging locos, yes, several cars depending upon curvature.
Rod locos, probably not, geared yes, with severe limitations, wet weather, no.
ADDENDUM: Best decide early on about couplers. With enough load even Kadees will climb over each other unless the faces are dead vertical. Probably want to mandate by rule PUSHING trains up grade…
TOC
2 words: Switch Back
JR
Or maybe one word, “rack.”
The ravine is is St. Catharines, Ontario.
Thanks for the comments. I was thinking of running short solid couped trains with double or triple heading. Possibly one pulling and two pushing.
I do not like the idea of the switch back J.R. as the site is not very wide.
Tom Ruby said:I thought about rack as well. something using a bicycle sprocket and chain perhaps. ANyone done that?
Or maybe one word, "rack."
LGB makes rack rail and engines. Probably only in European prototypes, but I’m not certain.
Don’t knock the switch back until you give it some thought. Gives you tons of operating opportunity - run a few yards, stop & throw, move through points, stop and throw back, run a few yards more, repeat as needed.
However if you would rather have continuous running then rack might be a good idea. I think your ravine is an opportunity to do some very nice mountain prototype railroading. Just choose yer country and go!
JR
I don’t know anything about your ravine, but…
Maybe a long line along the ravine with turnarounds at the ends?
Take some pictures so we can confuse you with some more suggestions!
My mountain climbing friend flaunted conventional wisdom and went straight up his ravine with his track. Ended up with an 18% ruling grade. He crammed lead into whatever space was left in his r/c battery powered Bachman shay (definitely top heavy now). He amazed me by pulling about 6 four wheel cars up the grade in good dry conditions. Slight rain means “slip slidin away.”
Not the way I would have done it or recomended. Much more fun if you can keep it to 5% or so.
However it did get me to thinking. Besides LGB’s rack, how about using the tracks rails as a rack. Might get away with it with commercial track which has regular tie spacing. Might need to custom build a helper engine verses the modification to a normal engine. Also considered a cable system down the center of the track, either with a moving cable or some kind of windlass on the engine. Both systems used in real world.
Have a supply of water at the top? Hook a cable to the train at the bottom. Fill some tank cars with some water at the top. Pulley at the top allows the counterweighted train to easily go up hill. Probably use two parallel tracks for up and down motion. Drain or add water for the down trip. Repeat. Might be interesting to watch and operate.
Terl
Terl, did you say 18% that is 1 in 5.5! That is quite encouraging. I shall try an experiment adding lead and rubber tires and see what happens.
Actually I quite like your water tanks. However you can only go in a straight line with that system.
using the ties as a rack is an interesting idea except that I cannot visualize the sprocket you would need to engage the ties. Also, what do you do when you come to a turnout?
I keep thinking about a bicycle chain fastened to the center of the track and a sprocket drive on a locomotive.
Tom Ruby said:
I don't know anything about your ravine, but...Maybe a long line along the ravine with turnarounds at the ends?
Take some pictures so we can confuse you with some more suggestions!
I am working on some photos Tom.
LGB makes a rack system for just what you want to do.
10212 Rack Rails 12 pieces
10220 Rail Rail Holders 24 pieces
Dennis Cherry said:I am taking a second look at LGB equipment. The little electric locomotive is quite ruged, it might do the trick.
LGb make a rack system for just what you want to do.