Prototypical grades
- Thread starter 0099
- Start date
stagecoach
75377
I think you need to convert the grades into percentages then use the gradient tool.
Doesnt the gradient tool work on a 1 in 100 rule?? This is what i gathered from other posts.
That Gradient tool is still beyond me, I set it all up and click the track. Its moves to where i think its suppose to go then i clickt the next park and it shoots up in the air.
Anyway dotn mean to hijack the thread.
Cheers,
Brownie
That Gradient tool is still beyond me, I set it all up and click the track. Its moves to where i think its suppose to go then i clickt the next park and it shoots up in the air.
Anyway dotn mean to hijack the thread.
Cheers,
Brownie
Capt_Haddock
New member
Anthony,
To convert grades expressed as a ratio into percentages; divide 100 by the grade.
For example, for a 1-50 grade, divide 100 by 50 giving 2. This is the number that you type into Surveyor.
For a 1-100 grade type 1 into Surveyor and for 1-200, type 0.5.
The gradient profiles for mainlines running through Gloucestershire, here in the West of England show that, generally the lines are laid to gradients much less than 1-100 and more often in the range 1-200 to 1-400. The most famous exception being the notorious Sapperton Bank, which is laid at 1-60 and, in the Steam era, necessitated the frequent use of banking engines.
Hope this helps.
Chris
To convert grades expressed as a ratio into percentages; divide 100 by the grade.
For example, for a 1-50 grade, divide 100 by 50 giving 2. This is the number that you type into Surveyor.
For a 1-100 grade type 1 into Surveyor and for 1-200, type 0.5.
The gradient profiles for mainlines running through Gloucestershire, here in the West of England show that, generally the lines are laid to gradients much less than 1-100 and more often in the range 1-200 to 1-400. The most famous exception being the notorious Sapperton Bank, which is laid at 1-60 and, in the Steam era, necessitated the frequent use of banking engines.
Hope this helps.
Chris
Here is how I do it:
Lay the track from the bottom of the grade to the top, including all curves, spline points etc. At this stage ignore the actual grade, just get the alignment right. Use wire frame view and look at it straight down. It's only the alignment that counts at this stage. Get it right. Tweaking the alignment later will wreck the grade. Most importantly do NOT use the 'Apply Height' tool at any stage.
Use the 'Get Height' track tool on the spline point at the foot of the grade and also at the top of the grade. Use a calculator to calculate the height difference.
Now you need the length of the track between the two points. Straight track is easy, use a ruler, but then if it was straight track the grade is easy too! User sforget has a track scanner tool on the DLS (get it here) which will give the exact distance between two points. You need the metric length in meters. (Move the km decimal point three places to the right.)
For the arithmetically challenged use a calculator to subtract the lower elevation from the higher. Divide the answer by the distance you got from the scanner - hit the % key, not the = key and the number on the calc screen is the number to enter into the grade tool in Surveyor.
Here is one I did just half an hour ago:
Bottom Elevation: 1865.68
Top Elevation: 1890.08
Distance 5.928Km = 5928 meters.
1890.08 - 1865.68 = 24.4 Divided by 5928 = 0.41%
Apply the grade tool close to the uphill side of every track spline point in turn, working along the track from the bottom to the top. STOP applying the gradient tool after the second spline point from the top. Use the 'Get gradient' tool immediately after the last spline point on the grade. If everything has worked, the gradient of the last section should be the same (or at least very close to) the grade on the rest of the slope. It probably won't be exact, there are too many variables - if it is fairly close let it be.
Andy
Lay the track from the bottom of the grade to the top, including all curves, spline points etc. At this stage ignore the actual grade, just get the alignment right. Use wire frame view and look at it straight down. It's only the alignment that counts at this stage. Get it right. Tweaking the alignment later will wreck the grade. Most importantly do NOT use the 'Apply Height' tool at any stage.
Use the 'Get Height' track tool on the spline point at the foot of the grade and also at the top of the grade. Use a calculator to calculate the height difference.
Now you need the length of the track between the two points. Straight track is easy, use a ruler, but then if it was straight track the grade is easy too! User sforget has a track scanner tool on the DLS (get it here) which will give the exact distance between two points. You need the metric length in meters. (Move the km decimal point three places to the right.)
For the arithmetically challenged use a calculator to subtract the lower elevation from the higher. Divide the answer by the distance you got from the scanner - hit the % key, not the = key and the number on the calc screen is the number to enter into the grade tool in Surveyor.
Here is one I did just half an hour ago:
Bottom Elevation: 1865.68
Top Elevation: 1890.08
Distance 5.928Km = 5928 meters.
1890.08 - 1865.68 = 24.4 Divided by 5928 = 0.41%
Apply the grade tool close to the uphill side of every track spline point in turn, working along the track from the bottom to the top. STOP applying the gradient tool after the second spline point from the top. Use the 'Get gradient' tool immediately after the last spline point on the grade. If everything has worked, the gradient of the last section should be the same (or at least very close to) the grade on the rest of the slope. It probably won't be exact, there are too many variables - if it is fairly close let it be.
Andy
Last edited:
Harry_James_Potter
General Thrash
Does anyone know how to convert to percentage.Im not the smartest at maths
http://www.railpage.org.au/trainman/grade.htm
will convert Percentages to 1 in x and back...
enjoy!
regards
Harry
Thanks dermmy for a clear explanation of how to make a steady grade. The icing on the cake was your mentioning the Track Scanner. Brilliant, I've counted baseboard squares before getting Track Scanner, with obvious loss of accuracy on curves. Unlike the AI drivers, Track Scanner even obeys the turnouts set for or against it.