Can 2-Rail O-scale track be super-elevated?

Mine are super-elevated.  I run large steam without driver equalization.  Once in a while I run into a problem with a lead driver climbing a rail, but most - including my new 4-12-2 - seem to be ok.

My next layout will be slightly less super-elevated.  Right now the outer ties are up 1/8".  Too much.  Some passenger cars will touch ends.  Looks good, though.

Absolutley, it can be done and is often done on O scale layouts.   

Up until recently Most O Scale 2 rail trucks were equalized.    The trucks could adjust easily to rough track - o scale rough.    Athearn both plastic and diecast and Weaver plastic are/were equalized.   This means that a wheel can dip without derailing because the sideframes can adjust a little bit in the vertical direction.     I don't know about WEaver diecast.    The "plastic" in these trucks was engineering plastic by the way, a slippery material often used for bearings.   

Older trucks from Walthers and others were equalized also.   

Some of the newer mfg in O in both 2 and 3 rail have degenerated into ancient practices and started making trucks rigid again.    Rigid trucks are less forgiving but can still adjust if mounted in a 3 point manner.    Mount one truck so it swivels but stays level, and mounth the other loosely so it can wobble up a little.     the rigid truck makes 2 point points of contact on the rail and the wobbly truck can adjust around its mounting pin or screw for bumps in the track.

Realistically, what we call O Scale still has oversize flanges and tires compared to full scale such as proto 48.      

I have some super-elevated and the stuff does not derail.    My HO buddies also superelevate with no problems.    And yes, you need to enter and leave the superelevated gradually.    But then you should enter and leave all grades gradually.

The only thing I'd add is that you should ease into super-elevation over a longer distance, especially with longer and/or rigid-frame steam locomotives.

I supper elevate on the 15" RR and also the O scale ... I slid a penny under the outer edge of the curves ... and tightened the roadbed down ...   looks good and that is all that really matters in life 

I remember my G scale didn't like it much. I tried it in O and didn't see much help. I think it needs to be very subtle, and ease in and out like Matt describes. Easier to just keep it level unless your doing very fine trackwork.

 I think they do it over in Europe? I see a lot more pride and care in their trackwork of their layouts.

Carey Williams posted:

I supper elevate on the 15" RR and also the O scale ... I slid a penny under the outer edge of the curves ... and tightened the roadbed down ...   looks good and that is all that really matters in life 

Mi Loco?

Mark in Oregon

If you look up "Industrial Models" on YouTube, some of his expanded layout had super-elevated curves.

So Carey,

  You've combined coin collecting with toy train collecting/operating! 

  Yes, it looks good!

Tom 

I super-elevated a 72" radius double track reversing curve on my layout using long sections of bell wire under each track's outside ties, this is on vanilla atlas flex-track. The "trick" is too incorporate a curvature easement with a steady incremental tilt on the straight trackage entering the super-elevated portions.

I had some issue with carbodies shorting to truck frames etc. but by increasing the length of the easement and making the transition angle section even longer, they were cured.

The only downside is incidental; seeing just how scale bullet train fast my otherwise staid can-equipped portion of my roster is.

Yikes  

    

Super elevation works very well. Here are a pair of scale NYC hudsons rolling out of and into super elevated curves.

Awesome run-by video!

Banking curves is so cool looking, even just the static state of the tracks. And, just about every prototype mainline I've ever seen is super-elevated to some degree. 

Interesting information about truck equalization.

I am pretty well committed to 3-rail (Ross track/switches) but 2-rail track in O and S are very appealing. I really admire the layouts I've seen.

we super-elevated all the mainline curves on the club layout. the track is laid on homa-roadbed. we slid cardboard strips under the outer edge of the roadbed. starting with one easing into a curve, and no more than 2 layers at its highest elevation.

visually makes a big difference

Hello all ..glad to see we are all not quite level ....the Hudson is an early / mid 30's Icken Hudson .....runs like a dream ... pulls like a horse .. Cheers Carey 

I've super-elevate the mainline curves (60" min) on my railroad without any operating issues - even with long ridged wheelbase steam locomotives such as PRR Q2 (4-4-6-4, T1 (4-4-4-4) and J1 (2-10-4) models.  IMO the key to success is a smooth transition from flat to super- elevated track.  Following guidelines in John Armstrongs's Track Planning for Realistic Operation I incorporate easements into the curves and match the transition area to the length of the easement  (nominally 30").  On my previous 2 railroads I used HO cork roadbed to raise the outer edge of Homosote roadbed (cut to profile out doors)..  On the latest railroad I went with thinner N scale cork roadbed strips.   Increasing stacks of thin poster boards were used to create the transition from flat to the thickness of the cork.   The first and second photos below shows a T1 of an eased and super-elevated curve on my old railroad.  The second shot shows a roadbed cross section of a super elevated curve at a swing up lift bridge on the current railroad.  If you look closely you can see the N scale cork under the outer edge of the Homosote.  

 

 

Sure Ed. Like the rest of us can model at your level!