whats the best riser hight?

Agatheron

Member
I'm eagerly awaiting a similar answer... Woodland Scenics themselves suggest a 2" riser... but I think that's normally associated with HO scale. I'm thinking of doing a 2" myself, but I can't really make up my mind at this point... so I'd be glad to hear what others say.
 

CCT70

Member
About 3 scale feet higher than an N Scale stack car if modeling modern day so that way when you decide to cross over another track with a bridge, it isn't a problem.

Just *my* opinion though.
 

billgee-n-scale

New Member
I use 1 7/8" minimum above track for N scale (2' would be better). This seems clear twin stack container cars and automobile cars. Pay attention to track cleaning cars, not sure of thier hieght.
Remember a 1% grade is a rise of 1' in 100 inches. A 2% grade is 2' in 100 inches. Depending how many cars/loco's you have per train will determine which grade you should select. Experiment with some test grades.
 

ozzy

Active Member
hight of the track from the base, WS risers come anywhere from 1/2" to 3" tall i think. then you can put the inclines on top of them if you want inclines, WS inclines come in 2, 3, and 4 % grades.

i want to know how hight to put the track from the base.
 

nolatron

Member
I still don't get the question either.

Are you trying to raise the track to a particular level (ie: for a bridge, or a crossover)?

Or are you just running track on a flat surface and need something for roadbed? If so, jsut use their foam roadbed surface.

It all really depends on what you're trying to accomplish, so we'll need more details.
 

ozzy

Active Member
WS says to use risers under all the track, even if no crossover or bridge on the layout. but all plans i can find that talk about it is HO, not N scale. if i dont use anything under the track but the base and the WS roadbed it will be alfull flat. if you put all the track up off the base, then you can make low spots, for whatever you want, pond, valley, whatever. you can do it with out going below the base/table.

if i was to put up a bridge, id use the inclines on top of the risers to get to whatever hight i need to clear whatever im going above,


i guess i dont know how to explain it.


look at a set or tracks in the real world, there not flat with the ground around them all the time, some are just a few feet higher then the ground around, (the hight of the roadbed), and some sopts are 10 to 15 feet higher. like theres a low spot in the ground , maybe the low spot lasts for a mile or more, to keep the track level, or atleast to keep the track from having a big dip, or to steep of grade, they build up the ground. like a damn on a farm pond, steep bank on both sides of the track/roadbed.
 

nolatron

Member
Ok, I think I see what you're talking about. Like you said, you can raise the "Terrain" (track level), in order to create dips in the terrain, water-ways, etc... So depending how deep you want that stuff to be will determine how high a riser you need.

There's no real answer to give you here (at least not from me ;)) because it's jsut dependent on your layout needs. If you wanna create a 5" deep cavern under a bridge, or as a cliff side, you'll need your track up 5".

Make sense?
 

ozzy

Active Member
the thing is, i want it to be to scale, if i make lets say a cliff, that is 20 feet up in real life, and i have a 3" riser, that surly is way higher then 20 scale feet. but i dont want to but in an 1/2" riser to find out latter after i got it all done, track in, that its not tall enough.


i guess it would help to know how many scale feet an inch is in N scale., im new to N, i was in HO, and nothing looks big enough to me in N, as it was all bigger in HO. and i never was this detailed in HO as im trying for on this N layout. and throw in the fact that between HO and N scale i was in O scale,,,, so nothing looks right, or to scale to me.:curse:
 

ozzy

Active Member
another thing i have trouble with, i look at stuff to order, say a bridge, it gives how long it is in scale feet, but not in inches, so i dont know if it will fit in the space i want, or have.
 

eightyeightfan1

Now I'm AMP'd
A good useful tool for any scale modeller to have is one of those multi-scale rulers, that have the scale feet already marked on the ruler. The one I have has O, HO, and N scales. General makes a good cheap one, you can order from Micro-Mart, or your LHS usually has them in stock.
I'd be lost scratchbuilding without mine.
Plus, a couple of months ago someone posted a conversion table that would help.
 

billgee-n-scale

New Member
1 foot = .078 inches is n scale. Purchased cork roadbed would be perfect for a scaled gravel roadbed. Now you must put in rolling landscape. Keep the track as level as possible by increasing the depth of gravel under the existing cork roadbed to conform with the landscape. This can be achieved by using 2 inch foam on top of your benchwork. At the top the width should be the same as the bottom of the cork roadbed (better yet make it your road bed). Continue carving down at the same angle as the cork roadbed till you reach the base. That will be about a 25 foot high embankment. You add your rolling hillside to this embankment, about .2 inches (2 1/2 scale feet) down to the 2 inches to create a deep ravine. Also don,t forget to raise the 2 inch thick foam occasionally when your terain gets higher, such as a hill (not all of the roadway is level).

P. S. I paint my roadbed the color of the gravel. I then apply a generous coating of Elmers white glue. Next I lay the track. Then I sprinkle the gravel, pressing it down. Next vacuum when dry, scraping any gravel stuck to the ties. Dont forget the gravel will be a heavier grade of gravel as it gets further down the slope. After 4 or 5 scale feet.
 

ozzy

Active Member
so if i did the math right,,,,,,,, theres 12 or 13 scale feet in an inch, (12.82) i took 1 devided by .078 to get to that number.
 

ozzy

Active Member
ok, im going with an 1" riser hight, or 12 scale feet. and where i want it to be less then 12 scale feet high i will build up the srounding ground.
 

cidchase

Active Member
Ozzy, are you building on a foam base? One of the advantages is the ability to
cut out or shape sections, so it's not required to raise the roadbed as much above
the base. I just think you might have a lot of "building up" to get the ground level where
you want it. Just my thoughts, you know what you want better than I do!! :D :D
 

ozzy

Active Member
its on a 1" pink foam base. and i had thought of that, where i need a big area to be built up, i will use inclines to go from the 1" riser to the base. then back up to the 1" riser where need be. otherwise, ill just need little "built up" places for trackside structures, like a depot.
 

cidchase

Active Member
Reading the above thread, I'm wondering how n scale got to be other than 1:160!
Have I been under a misconception? :eek:ops: I get 160"/12=13'4" Tell me if I'm
all wet again!!:D :D
 

cidchase

Active Member
Ozzy, if you are already on 1" foam, and you feel that it doesn't provide enough relief,
then why not add another inch of foam?

My apologies to billgee, he already posted these suggestions:eek:ops: !!
 
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