Automatic program?

Sorry, no such thing as an automated program. If SCARM is not to your liking, you might find AnyRail a bit easier.

Be that as it may, here's a version for an 8'x12' space done with SCARM. The Lionel trestle set rises to 5.5" and the purple grade is 2.5%. Your engines should have no problem with such a grade using DCS or any other control system, unless you have a problem with track connections or something. This is not a design for a single terminal track though. With DCS, I'd probably have 6, one for each color and possibly 3 for the blue.

No automatic program, Dave has the answer.  If you want a layout designed, there are folks, including Dave, that will help you with that task.

That's exactly The Big Climb layout I have ... https://ogrforum.com/...7#167966364603132897 thanks Dave.. So can you tell me how the grade will work on that pink section there? I mean I know I will start near that switch (along the pink section) but how high should each section of track to to the next one? So for instance, would I go up 1/4" per foot for the approximate length at 150" to get to the final height, I'm just guesstimating there.

And what did you mean by this.. With DCS, I'd probably have 6, one for each color and possibly 3 for the blue.

Oh and wait... I didnt do three levels there... I only have the purple section going up (rising)..

Heres a pic of the work in progress to show I only have the two levels and its steep lol

@D123M posted:

Oh and wait... I didnt do three levels there... I only have the purple section going up (rising)..

The purple section is the only one that goes up. The green is on the upper level, the gold and blue are on the main level.

@D123M posted:

And what did you mean by this.. With DCS, I'd probably have 6, one for each color and possibly 3 for the blue.

The red rectangles show where I'd have power runs from the transformer to the track sections, 6 in all. You might be able to get by with less, but DCS likes tracks being separated into sections for more consistent transmission of its signals.

@D123M posted:

That's exactly The Big Climb layout I have ... https://ogrforum.com/...7#167966364603132897 thanks Dave.. So can you tell me how the grade will work on that pink section there? I mean I know I will start near that switch (along the pink section) but how high should each section of track to to the next one? So for instance, would I go up 1/4" per foot for the approximate length at 150" to get to the final height, I'm just guesstimating there.

The best I can do is offer a photo showing elevations at various points along the purple grade. This might help you decide where to place risers and how high to make them. I believe Lionel's graduated trestle set is designed for a grade of 5%, so there may not be enough pieces to support the longer distance and you may have to improvise with pieces of wood or something.

You can try placing the pieces that come with the set along the grade. Divide the grade in half and place the middle height piece there. Then divide each half in half again and place the corresponding middle pieces, and so on. I have no experience with the set of FasTrack, but I think ideally the set is designed so a trestle piece with be under each track joint for maximum. In order to show more elevation points, I replaced the 30" tracks with 10" tracks in the drawing, but you can still use the 30" tracks. HTH

Ok thank you.. I will work on the layout some more. I actually have that Lionel trestle set but didn't use it on the layout because it was too short a distance, but I'll use it for the measurements from what you had said.

So going back from earlier about the terminal block connector, I will order the terminal block made by MTH. The star pattern is a great idea considering right now I only have one wire connected to run it all. So with my DCS system and using the transformer I have (and using the MTH block connector) I just run a single wire from the transformer to the terminal block and then I send out the feeder wires to the track, right. Do I have to do anything else for the wiring? ... Because if I have to start making actual block sections of track, that will get a little more complicated for me :/

You don’t have to use the Lionel set, I was just using its height because I thought that’s what you were using. You can use any support you want.

All the added feeders should do is distribute power more evenly around the layout. Just make sure you don’t cross any feeders.

One question, are the red blocks just power (18v, whatever), or is that DCS signal as well (ie output from the fixed DCS TIU output). If that is DCS, won't the segments need to be isolated from each other? I haven't done dcs on a layout yet, but from what I know if you feed multiple DCS signal to the layout, there needs to be districts to keep the signals from bouncing against each other.

Just chiming in - I use the MTH graduated trestle set with cut wooden pieces to augment the weight/span. Dave is correct in that the trestles are designed to support where two pieces of FT meet, but you may need to add additional cut wood pieces for extra support. You can also use the Woodland Scenics graduated incline set which comes in 2% and 4% grades.

You can search this Forum for formulas on length/distance and grades.

I'm assuming you have a TIU for your DCS system. My transformer inputs into the TIU and then the TIU outputs to the MTH block. You would then send feeders from the MTH block every 6-8 track pieces or as needed. Although MTH recommends separating your layout into blocks, many layouts do not need to do that (mine didn't and DCS runs fine) and I would try it and see if the DCS operates okay. If it does, you're all set. If not, separating into blocks is not difficult. At that point, just cut a thin slot in your center rail (Dremel with cut-off wheel works well) about 3-4 track pieces on either side of the track piece that has the feeder wires attached and you've made a block - simply continue all around the layout.   

Attached is a picture of the set-up. I have wireless installed but you don't need the two devices on the left side of the photo (the SER-2 and the WIU).

@bigkid posted:

One question, are the red blocks just power (18v, whatever), or is that DCS signal as well (ie output from the fixed DCS TIU output). If that is DCS, won't the segments need to be isolated from each other? I haven't done dcs on a layout yet, but from what I know if you feed multiple DCS signal to the layout, there needs to be districts to keep the signals from bouncing against each other.

Both power and signal connections. If you plan to park engines on spurs when not running them, you should isolate those and add on/off switches to kill power. In this design, 1 of the 2 lower blue lines could be isolated to park a train when not running. You want to turn off power so you don’t run up engine runtime going nowhere.