Hi
I am on my way building my first layout (open frame etc) [:p]

Today i have build the first uphill turn, 270 degree where the tracks (double track) will cross itself 12,5 cm higher up.
The outer length of the wooden circle (15mm plywood) is 210 cm which approx. gives 0.06 cm incline per. 1 cm - which again is app. 6% incline.

Do you think that is too much?

PS: The double track is R1 and R2.
PSS: I will post pictures when I have done some more wood-work

Thx
Steen

Sounds like a good excuse to use consisting (double or even triple locos)... Isn't this mandatory in mountainous places like Switzerland?

Well - it's a Gator

John

Try running your Loks and see if they can make the grade.
If not, then worry about changing to lesser grade. If your Loks have no problems, no change needed.

To coin a phrase, trust but verify.

In my previous analog layout I fed power to the ramp through a relay. 18V when going uphill, 12V when going downhill, worked perfectly. Steen, will your layout be digital or analog ?

Gregor

I had 6.7 % slope with R2 and R3 curves in my last layout. Most locomotives had no major problems at normal speed with 3 or 4 long passenger cars, when I used R3 to go up and R2 to go down. However, if some loco had a little old rubber traction tires, it could not go up. Also some locomotives stopped at low speed. So, I recommend that if you will use long trains, it would be better to use larger curve radius.

Hmmm, not sure what you mean by "outer length". According to the good old calcs using Pi (3.141), a full R1 circle should be 226cm approx. and a full R2 circle should be 266cm.

Your 270 degree turn should then be approx. 170cm track length for R1 and 200cm track lenght for R2. A 12.5cm height difference then works out at 7.35% for R1 and 6.25% for R2.

Now that looks - admittedly on paper only - quite steep to me. Especially the 7.35% for R1, unless it will be used for downhill traffic only.

I agree with the others that testing, testing, testing will reveal potential problems. However, you will obviously only be able to test with your current rolling stock. We all know each other well enough that it is safe to say that your collection will "probably" grow in the future. So what then? OK, if you buy locally, you could ask the kind dealer if you could give the loco a little test run on your layout before you make a decision, or borrow an identical model off a friend, or take a 1:1 replica of your helix into the store, or... (You can see where this is going...).

Perhaps you can try and use a combination of the suggestions made here - reduce the height difference, use larger radii, use an oval shape. In any case, I strongly suggest you stay around the 3-4% mark.

I want to show you what im talking about - here are 3 pictures.
You are absolutely right Richard in your calculation - the way I have done it is totally wrong - thx

I will redo everything !!

Im trying to reach the left section 12 cm higher than level 0. But what I will do instead is starting goin uphill rightmost - just above the radiator and then turn left goin upwards - that way I will get a longer straight where I still can go upwards before I reach the middle section (no frame). Doin this will also keeping me from crossing the tracks again and therefor I could accept less than 12 cm.
The actual track crossing will first be on the left most section.
Therefor I have lots more track length to reach the 12 cm, and also keeping under 3-4% incline as many of you suggest.