Layout Help Needed

Is it possible to raise your existing benchwork ?   If it's on legs to the floor, I would think about using blocks or shims and raise it 1.5 inches at a time.   2 x 6's are inexpensive and you can cut them into 5.5 x 5.5 shims.... Raise one end and work your way to the other end, then do the same procedure 3 or 4 times.  You could get the benchwork up 6 inches with the blocks, then come back and extend the existing legs.    

The constant incline that both the engine and cars have to climb will caused slippage.  Not only is the weight of the cars a factor but the engine itself is at the highest part of the incline regardless of where it is because of its position at the front.  As it goes up, the force is being magnified to draw it backward.  One approach is to create a series of steps: you start with a small tolerable incline, then transition it to make it level for awhile until the engine and some cars can ride on the level, then another small incline, etc. until you get to your desired height.  You might want to experiment with this by just making temporary inclines with strips of scrap wood with blocks underneath interposed with level sections.  Place your tracks on it and run your engine and consist to see exactly how much incline can be tolerated before you have to make a level section.  The transition between inclines and level, obviously, cannot be abrupt like real steps--it has to be gradual.  Again it also depends how much space you have before the train goes out of the building at the desired height.  The inclines and level spots can be calculated mathematically for the height and distance, but the amount of pull the engine has is a factor, too.  That is why I would just experiment if you have the room.

Just another suggestion:  Obviously, if you don't have the distance or space to do a step method to reach your exit out of the building, you might be able to use some curves on the level sections to compress that distance a bit.  Essentially this is almost like a helix (spiral staircase) but in a more gradual fashion.  This, plus maybe raising the entire platform a bit might enable your tracks to meet the exit point.

34 ft X 12"/ft = 408"  39"/408"= .095 X 100 or 9.5 % grade.

An elevation loop or helix adds distance.

Lets say that:

One loop doubles the run distance. 39"/816"=.0477 or 4.77% grade

Two loops triples the run distance.    39"/1,224" = .0328 or 3.28% grade.

Three loops quadruples the run distance   39"/1,632" = .0238 or 2.38% grade 

 

34 ft would be a 10.28 ft diameter circle.

My thought is to dig a tunnel outside your house and extend the grade outside.

 

An excellent suggestion, assuming that your exit point will permit it.  I assume you can tap in the wall at a point level with your existing platform to get outside.  If so, then it is probably much easier to extend the grade outside.

Instead of connecting the outside tracks to your main layout, why not build in reverse?  Make the garden area tracks it's own separate loop, and where the tracks would enter the train room build a stretch of track at that 39" height to serve as a siding to store the train inside when it's not running.  Or even continue the loop at that 39" height inside if you want it running inside too.

 

Just a thought.

Reply By Traindiesel: Layout Help NeededFirst off I would like to thank everyone for there ideas! Some of them I have thought of but wasn’t sure if they would work and some were new. But I think I have found the one I can work with. Traindiesel, You have came up with a brilliant idea! I love it, plus it saves me money on buying more track! I think that will be my plan! Thanks again Mike! GO SEAHAWKS~~!!