DoubleDAZ posted:Peter, the short answer is "No". My goal was just to see what the grades were going to be like. My first try had a crossover there and the grade started after that. Unfortunately that resulted in a 10%+ grade and I knew that wasn't going to be acceptable. I wanted to see if Mark was okay with the almost 6% grade on the inside of the curved siding (which I think is still too steep) as well as what I did with the curved siding and turntables. I think there's still room to widen the Figure 8 a bit to put the connecting tracks on the same level as the switch, but GarGraves doesn't have anything less than 6.2", so I also needed to get an idea of how willing Mark is to cut and bend track. And since he's adding access hatches, I'm also wondering if he's willing to alter his bench work a bit, something like this. Trouble is he might have to use the hatches more often than he wants to.
Dave and Mark,
I went back to re-read a chapter in my layout bible (written by John Armstrong) last night before posting, and have some - hopefully - good news. Armstrong says that you can have an extreme grade and it is OK (he even mentions a 9% grade!) so long as the length of it isn't great. The rationale is that the weight of the entire train will not be on it, and therefore not affected by it, at the same time. In essence, the concept is that the locomotive wouldn't be struggling on an incline against the entire weight of the train.
For instance, it could be that the locomotive and a few cars are already on the level part past the grade by the time the last cars start up the grade. Alternatively, while the locomotive and first few cars are going up the grade, the momentum of the last few cars on the level surface are actually assisting the cars up the grade.
All this to say, one size doesn't fit all, and a 6% grade isn't necessarily a 6% grade - it depends on the situation and length of it. In this case, the steepness might be overcome by its short length.
Hope this helps,
Peter
