DARNIT!!

My basement has french drains and, as such, the floor slopes gently towards the corner where the sump pump is, meaning it is not level everywhere. This has created problems, because  my standard is to have the layout elevated 48 inches above the floor, which is as noted, uneven. So, I compensate by adjusting the Right-of-Way (tracks) to keep them as level as possible. Adjustments are needed. I could have used a level to make sure the R-O-W was even, but I did not think of it until much later. With O scale, it is not a big deal, but would be if I had HO.

I wouldn't worry about it too much, the real RRs had the same issues

Just remember, use that throttle!

Just what do you mean by "not level"? How far off is it, and does it REALLY matter? I mean, do the trains "roll off the table top", not level?

Wow!  I'd hold those horses.  How not level?  The world isn't level either, so it is possible it is really prototypical.  

When I completed my layout I discovered that one 22 foot section I thought was level was in fact slightly more than 1/2 percent sloped, and another section was off by about as much.  It just does not matter, really.  

If it looks good, I'd go with it.

Yeah, what Lee and HW said.

If you're not having derailments don't sweat it.  You can always use a wheel chock so a car doesn't slide downhill, just like the real RRs do

(so, has anyone install operating brakes on a piece of rolling stock yet?)

There are also ways to make it level. Probably easier than starting over.

I'm not sure, but it almost sounds like he needed a reason to redo it!  Ha ha.  

"Oh look honey!  My layout is not level so I MUST redo it!"

So does model rail layouts - some times

WHAT!!!!!!! who said the world is not flat.  OOOPS! I mean level.

Rick

Well the layout is on the floor.The house is over 40 years old and at the bottom of a hill.I should have taken into account the fact.That the house has sunk a little but you can,t tell by loooking at it.Any way my locomotives seem to be working as if going up a hill.They get to a certain spot and take off at warp factor 5.I thought it my have been the certian locomotive.But they all do it that means its not level.

just a thought here, but if your house & floors are THAT far off from level, I think you might just have much bigger problems than your floor layout!

You guys are something else.I like your replys cause it gets me to look on the brighter side.Keep them coming guys and thanks for the advise.

No like I said before.The house is settled and its done as far as sinking.You can,tell by looking at the floors.Theres is something esle I didn,t take into account.The layout frame work may not be level.Any way I am glad I didn,t any big time scenery done.

Never a good idea to drink beer and try to use a level.

Well you have a good excuse for a winter project or might even be able to find an easy solution. Then again you have your grades automatically built in.

My house was built in 1846, so things have shifted in all of those years. The basement is not even close to level but then again the basement is dug into the bedrock so if they hit a hard spot that is all the deeper they went.

I wouldn't be surprised if one day with a couple packages of shims, a level and a rubber mallet wouldn't save several weeks of rebuilding 

Agreed Matt.

Shim it as needed.

OR you could just add a few pairs of diodes to the power lines on the downhill side to slow the trains there. A lot easier than Rebuilding. 5 Pairs will drop 3 Volts, that will make a big difference in speed. (Use 10 Watt Diodes, A pair is a diode facing each way wired in parallel, this passes AC but drops 0.6V for each pair, make a series string of pairs to drop power)

My old layout was off by a couple inches over 23 feet, but I run DCS so it never mattered at all.

Have you measured how unlevel things are.  Are you sure the rocketing is due to downward angle and not maybe a poor feed (it goes fast near where the power is fed, slow when it gets to the other end for the feed point, etc.).  It takes around 3% of more to make a long train zip fast down and slow a lot up. That's enough you generally see it even in an unlevel room, etc.

Hey you never know.So body out there may be trying to make that happen.After all I never in my wildest dreams.Did I ever think o gauge steam locomotives with steam coming out of their whistles.

When I built my upstairs layout everything was fairly flat.  Then came the "BIG" 5.8 quake of 2011.  Now I'm seeing cracks in the walls and a slight shift in elevation of part of my layout

Now, I just live with it (unless I can convince the insurance company into a remodel).

I'm confused. First you said your layout was on the floor, then you mentioned the "layout framework".  Is the track on the floor or not?

.....

Dennis

I would just jack up one side of the house, you might just level it at the same time.

Steve, Lady and Tex

Hi "Seaboard Streak", You are right on when you said this type of thing happened to most of us, it has.

Not to worry, just start over. "Tackindy" may of hit on something, sometimes when we come up with a new vision for our platform we tend to pick the old idea apart.

No big deal it's always fun to make changes, that's part of the hobby.

What I would suggest is for you to make a drawing of what you wont to do and post that. We all would love to pitch our two cents into the mix and maybe help you come up with something you really like.

As for the floor issue I never saw a basement that did not have a fall down to the drains. If they dont you would have a real problem when a pipe breaks.

Good luck and keep us posted.