Graduated track with Cow Catcher Contact

I would start with a shallow approach wedge. You can get a piece of 1/4" balsa sheet, cut a six to eight inch wedge of the sheet (4" wide sheet should work), take a sanding block and put an even taper from one end to the other so you end up with a gentle slope and that should end the problem. Same thing happens in HO (been there done that) good to know that the same thing happens in O gauge now that I've arrived at the larger scale.

Good luck and keep the slope even with no bumps or dips.

Gradual means just that, gradual. One must consider the height of the locomotives under features such as the cow catcher so as to not cause any mishaps or accidents.

 

If she is so close in tolerance, I would shallow the grade as much as possible. In other words, take the track out even further and let her have more room to negotiate up the grade. I once had this problem, but with a diesel engine. My solution? Well, lets just say for the record, I doubt many would shave the plow up a few specs so she can run the track smoothly, but hey, it worked and actually the plow looked great as well.

 

PS I am not suggesting you do this to your loco's cow catcher.

 

Pete

This graduated trestle set uses about 12 ft.   There is additional grade around the one end of the layout.

Grade continues around an O54 end of the layout.

Somewhere I saw a layout in progress where the approach 'wedge' was in fact standard shims used in the building industry. You can get them in plastics or wood for about a buck a pack at HD. Two of them placed side by side should be plenty wide.

 

quik fix, tape under the cow catcher.

"keep your stick on the ice".

As mentioned above, you need to reduce the gradient where you have the problem with that locomotive.  Mark's idea of using the wedges appears to be worth a shot.  Alternatively, you can place the first pier/trestle farther back from its present location (provided the track remains stable) resulting in reduced gradient.

 

How did you decide where to place the piers/trestles; i.e. how did you determine the distance from the beginning of the ascent and for succeeding piers/trestles?

Popi's idea if electrical tape under the cow catcher will work but what I have done in the past (before I did my own 2% incline) was to file a bit of the underside of cow catcher away and re-paint it black.  No one see's the underside anyway and it is a permanent fix to the problem.

 

Steve, Lady and Tex

That's my recommendation as well.  Carpenter's shims!!!

 

George

I don't know.  That look like 2 minutes for interference to me. 

 

 

George

All great responses, thanks.  My track is already laid down and I can't add any any, shims might work however I really like the idea of tape or filing.  I am reluctant to file even if it is not noticeable although a good thought.

 

Paul Edgar