Thank you, Bob and Pete!
Bob, The grade against the wall is 4%. The SCARM plan showed it at 3.7%, so I used Woodland Scenics foam risers. Then I tapered the grade at the top and bottom for a smooth transition, making the grade less there. You should be good to go in 12 feet. One engine can pull a normal train up the 4%. I needed a helper only when I ran a 10-car hopper train up the grade, but extra engines was the whole point of the exercise. I wanted to double head on the point and have a rear pusher for fun! The other grade was a little less on SCARM, then I lengthened the tangent tracks making for a slightly longer run over the trestles lessening the grade slightly.
Pete, I knew right away from your profile name "Little Giant" that you are interested in the P&LE and this area. Yes 1035 miles is a little far to go railfanning. I have only watched trains at the Bessemer yard on video. Thank you for joining in on the discussion!!!
Since we moved back to the area in '95, we first lived close to the Bessemer & Lake Erie yard and Buffalo & Pittsburgh shops north of Butler, then bought my wife's grandparents' house on the hill south of town almost overlooking the Armco/AK Steel/Cliffs plant. They do a lot of switching there too.
