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Railways on a sloping plot
Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2014 2:45 pm
by only1avro
Hello, Iv'e been following the progress of the Apple Valley project with interest. Fortunately the accounts dept is the big rail fan and I enjoy making things. Th 32 mm layout is now scraped out and the base concreted with some steel mesh "well have a great many active moles". The block-work comes next, the garden has a bit of a slope 940 mm so the track will be almost ground level at the top and waist height for the fiddle yard. The 71/4 track however is going to have to climb 10.4 meters from the bottom of the garden to the top in 150 meters. We have drawn out a route to get there( a bit like an alps road) some short parts will be 1-15 but in the main 1-30 and 215 meters long, does anyone have any experience with a gradient line please? I have taken the curves out to 7 meter radii and been advised to use only steel rail as it has more grip than alloy rail.
John.
Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2014 8:26 pm
by laalratty
I have actually visited a 5 inch gauge line with a grade of around 1 in 15, and would back up what you say about only using steel rail (there was some alloy track on the hill which the steam loco kept slipping on), otherwise another major consideration is braking (the battery loco at the above mentioned line had to be put into reverse to keep speed in check). I would make sure that you have done everything possible to reduce the gradient, every little does help I think with a line this steep.
Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2014 8:16 pm
by jim@NAL
sounds like a challenge im sure you could build some wonderfull bridges and viaducts to get over this problem
Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2014 12:22 am
by MDLR
I knew a modeller in Nottingham, who "came up" to our scale from 4mm. He had a garden with a slope approaching 45 degrees. His layout was around 5' above ground level on the "low" side (plank on stick, using fence posts with Metposts at the bottom, and B-I-G fences) and around 18" below ground level in a cutting on the "high" side. The line was dead level.........................
Railways on a sloping plot
Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2014 12:30 pm
by only1avro
Thank you for the replies.
Finance- head gardener-etc has forbade the crossing of the sunken bog garden, so no bridge there, I will however try to use the excuse elsewhere. There are planned several bridges on the 32 mm layout. it is a kidney-horse shoe type of layout and the concrete base is 87 meters with a crossover in both directions. The rail is for the most part tenmille brass with some of the similar Pico to make up a quarry section running inside the main layout. Its a bog out there at the moment so blockwork will resume when the weather perks up a bit, hopefully before the frosts. We are eager to get the little quarry Hunslets out there and I hope to get back to the Dave Watkins IDRIS inspired loco. Meantime I have a couple of Victory projects to make. all go this retirement you know!
contentment is keeping going.
John.
Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2014 4:16 pm
by jim@NAL
Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2014 4:50 pm
by andymctractor
After that, no one can convince me that their garden is sloping too much for a garden railway. Brilliant railway in a stunning location.
Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2014 6:11 pm
by Dr. Bond of the DVLR
Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2014 8:14 pm
by Soar Valley Light
andymctractor:105722 wrote:
After that, no one can convince me that their garden is sloping too much for a garden railway. Brilliant railway in a stunning location.
I'm with you all the way there Andy. all I can add is WOW!
I'm not sure what live steam would make of those gradients but I'd love another run round it when it's finished.
Andrew