Model railroad layouts plans

Here’s a thorny issue that comes up quite a lot in my inbox – model train incline construction.

A big thanks to Bruce for the below. (His last post is here.)

“Al,

Some time ago, I sent a graphic with explanation on selecting the minimum radius for two parallel sets of rails. Some appreciative comments were added.

I have noted that in several viewer responses that there may be some difficulty determining rail length for various %slopes.

I thought perhaps that some users might have an easier solution by using a graph. Therefore, I am providing the following with example of usage.

Rise and Run

%slope (percent slope) is determined by using the formula

RISE X 100 = %slope

RUN

The graph is graduated in UNITs. One unit may be any length measure base.

This would be determined by the measure the user decides to use; mm (millimeters), cm (centimeters) or inches.

Of course one could use Yards, Miles, Light Years or any other.

On the graph are lines representing typical %slopes plotted for determining either RISE or RUN.

Or, knowing the RISE and RUN, the %slope may be found.

Assume the user is into HO scale. Then on both the vertical (RISE) and horizontal (RUN), the Unit 1, 2, 50, 100, etc, might be labeled as cm (centimeters).

First one must determine the minimum height to be used for clearances of one track over or under another.

Select the tallest Locomotive or Car and measure its height in the cm.

Add additional measure for assurance of clearance.

I.e., tallest item might be 5.0 cm.

Then add to this using this measure, the height of roadbed and rails; 0.5 cm is assumed for example.

Then 5.5 cm would represent the minimum amount of RISE to be used with the desired %slope to determine the amount of RUN required.

Now one can determine whether he has enough real estate to accomplish the desired percentage slope.

Example referring to the accompanying graph for model train incline construction:

Note that the RISE graph values range from 0 – 2.0 and the RUN values range from 0 – 100 UNITs.

Note also that the graph is linear for both RISE and RUN.

Minimum clearance height of 5.5 cm. This value is then equal to 1 UNIT on both RISE and RUN.

Example #1: Determine amount of RISE for given RUN and any %slope.

Select the desired RUN based of available real estate.

Assume RUN available to be 440 cm.

440 cm divided by 5.5 cm equals 80 UNITs.

Assume maximum clearance RISE allowed to be 11 cm or 2 UNITs.

Then search RISE value for each crossing value on the %slope values vertical to the 80 cm RUN value.

For this example, the 1.5 %slope provides a 1.2 UNIT RISE for the 80 UNIT RUN., or 5.5 X 1.2 = 6.6 cm minimum.

Also, using the 80 UNITs RUN, find the %slope value using the 11 cm RISE line. The crossing is found to be the 2.5 %slope line. One might consider this to be the steepest grade for his train to successfully climb with a desired number of cars coupled.

Example #2, the 3 %slope is desired for the 80 UNIT RUN. Find the required RISE (height) for this %slope.

The graph is linear; thus, the 3 %slope RISE would equal 2 X 1.5% RISE = 2.4 UNIT RISE or 2.4 UNITs X 5.5 cm = 13.2 cm.

Example #2: Determine amount of RUN for given RISE and SLOPE.

Assume RISE = 1.2 UNITs and SLOPE = 2%.

Search the 1.2 UNIT RISE value horizontal to the intersection of the 2% SLOPE line.

The RUN would be down from this intersect to the value of 60 UNITs.

The amount real estate required would be 60 UNIT RUN X 5.5 cm = 330 cm.

In like manner, one could determine %sLOPE by locating the intersect of the given RISE versus the given RUN.

Of course not all measurements will coincide with any graph interest, but the use can then eyeball the desired value between any two intersects.

Al, I certainly hope this is of value to your viewers. I certainly, enjoy all the posts and comments. I also have gained some insight from many of the posts as I continue my future layout. I have a lot of work ahead. Many comments have assisted to reduce some of the work load.

Bruce”

(Image is clickable)

A huge thanks to Bruce for sharing his model train incline construction. What a clever lot you all are.

That’s all for today folks.

Please do keep ’em coming.

And if today is the day you get started on your layout, the Beginner’s Guide is here.

Best

Al

PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.

PPS More HO scale train layouts here if that’s your thing.

Dale has been in touch with his HO scale diner that looks fantastic:

“When I first started my layout, before I had made my design decisions, I saw this combination passenger/baggage car at a train show. For the exorbitant price of $5.00US I thought it might be useful.

When I got it home and put it on my layout, a few problems came evident.

First off, it had a tendency to derail on anything that wasn’t straight track.

Second, it had a light inside that was so bright it made the top and sides of the car glow. The pickups for the light were putting enough drag on the wheelsets that the car barely rolled if I pushed it down the track.

Fixing it wasn’t hard. First, I took out the light and the pickup wipers entirely.

Then I removed, disassembled and cleaned the trucks.

Finally, I readjusted the wheelsets so they were in scale. Now the car rolled properly and I was left to decide what to do with it. Since by this time I had determined that I wasn’t going to be running passenger service, the car sat on my bookshelf.

Now skip ahead about 4 months and I needed a restaurant for the town. None of the kits I saw were quite right for what I wanted for the locale I was modeling. Then my eye caught the combine on the shelf and I thought it might make a fine diner. So, I pulled it apart again, painted it, installed a couple of low power LEDs in the roof (with enough resistance in the line to make them pretty dim), and reassembled it leaving off the trucks and couplers.

Addition of steps and a handicap ramp, some ground cover, bushes, trees, a picnic bench, a sign on top (it’s named for a very special lady in my life) and we have a diner in town.

There are other pieces of rolling stock that can easily be repurposed: cabooses make good yard boss offices, old box cars make industrial storage sheds, a flat car makes a stage for performances in a park. The only limit is your imagination. Go wild and have fun.

Dale”

A huge thanks to Dale for sharing his HO scale diner – a wonderful example of being creative and using what you already have.

You can do the same with box cars too: Model train box cars.

Hope you can see why I love seeing what’s in my inbox each morning.

That’s all this time folks.

Please do keep ’em coming. There wouldn’t be a blog without you lovely lot.

And if today is the day you start laying track, the Beginner’s Guide is here.

Best

Al

PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.

PPS More HO scale train layouts here if that’s your thing.

Lawrence has been in touch, adding to the HO scale train layouts 16 x 8. He’s been a busy man, and he has some sage advice too.

(His last post is here).

“AL

An update to my layout.

I started last summer a complete novice. And now I am paying for that lack of knowledge. I did not know to solder all the track joints. So now I am going back and soldering them, and in most cases, means repositioning the track itself a little bit.

Slowly as I can afford it I am getting autos, people, and animals. I have made all the trees, about 400 of them. If a lot of the buildings look familiar, yup they are from Al’s gallery. I used 0.04 styrene sheet for all of them. Including dividing the inside of the buildings for future lighting.

In my previous set of pictures, I had put the track down and then redid a lot of the track to work with steam engines. Well until two weeks ago I only had one steam engine. It was a passenger engine and coal car. I had both tracks working 100% both ways.

Two weeks ago, I got my second steam, freight engine and coal car. The new one is four inches longer, so guess what! Sixty percent of the curves are marginal off for the new engine. As you can see with one of the pictures I lifted one full curve and realigned it to allow my new engine to run.

Most of the scenery is pretty much done (ya sure thing?). The farm layout has wheat, and corn fields, cattle and horse grazing. The mountain pass has a motorcycle club riding in. The group fits the time era of this layout as the are the Boozefighters MC which is the first motorcycle club established, in 1946. Have included an area for camping and hunting. Unhappy the hunters I could get only used guns as I hunt with a longbow.

The lake is two layers of about five eight inches deep of deep water. I did it that way so I could use a trick I learned on here. After the first layer of deep water had hardened I added the rice for the fish, glued in. then added the second layer of deep water. The fish are inside the water and with the light they have a shadow on the bottom. The boat also has its shadow. And for those that watch Doctor Who you will find a Tardis.

I added the basic drawing of the layout. A couple of future plans to add this coming summer. I did not add the electrical design for the lights. I have a long way to go before I get there. But the power supply has been build from a computer power supply. From left to right is 12V at 32 Amps, 12 V at 0.5 Amps, 5V at 18 Amps, 3.3 V at 18 Amps and ground. Then there is the power on switch, and power light. The three-position switch if for front of buildings, sides or back of buildings, and street lights respectively.

I learned a LOT both by doing and reading all the stuff sent out by Al. I want to thank Al and all the rest of you for passing on the great layouts and knowledge.

Lawrence”

ho scale train layouts 16 x 8:

A huge thank you to Lawrence for adding to the HO scale train layouts 16 x 8 on the site. It’s wonderful to see a layout come to life, and even better when we all get to learn from the odd mistake too.

That’s all for today folks.

Please do keep ’em coming.

And if today is the day you stop dreaming and start doing, the Beginner’s Guide is here.

Remember, Lawrence was a complete beginner – look at him now!

Best

Al

PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.

PPS More HO scale train layouts here if that’s your thing.