Is there a roiugh rule of thumb for the amount of distance is needed in HO for a given track to be ablt to rise above and clear another? I am planning a layout with a partially hidden main and I am trying to figure out how much space is needed.
Rise length in HO
- Thread starter Stu McGee
- Start date
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The rule of thumb is to never exceed 4% grade. Personally, 2% grade is as steep as I care to go. (2 inches vertical rise for 100 inches of horizontal travel). Any steeper than that, you might find slippage/stall problems with your engine unless you are pulling a very short train.
Hope this helps.
Hope this helps.
The NMRA (www.nmra.org) has all kinds of standards, including overhead clearances. Check with them to see how high you should climb, and use Tom's calculation above to figure out how much track you'll need to do it.
Standard S-7 (Clearances) from the NMRA says 3" is required from the top of the lower rail to the bottom of whatever is overhead (bridge, tunnel entrance, etc). So at 2%, you will need 150" of track or 12'6".
Andrew
Standard S-7 (Clearances) from the NMRA says 3" is required from the top of the lower rail to the bottom of whatever is overhead (bridge, tunnel entrance, etc). So at 2%, you will need 150" of track or 12'6".
Andrew
Are you running steam or diesel? I ask because the prototype does run as much as a 3% grade, and with diesel it works because you just add more power to get up the grade. With steam it is more complicated because some ho steam engines don't readily accept front couplers to allow multiple unit operation.
This is getting very cool. The more I read of ohn Allen's work, and his hidden staging, easments, etc. Well I have scrapped one plan and actually am going to start building my hidden trackwork first to get something running and build the yards and terminal on top.