Inclines/Grades

Lately I've been hard at work (when I have free time) developing further into my route modification. However, I've hit a serious brick wall. In the route, i have a grade, going from the default height, up to..... well what that hieght is I'm unsure.
But with the handy ruler, the grade is a total of 4512 feet, give or take a little. Real Scale.
My benchmark is if one SD40-2 can pull 7 hoppers behind it up this grade (with some degree of ease) then it's good. However, all too often i find it's too steep. Any suggestions?

http://i.imgur.com/Z1oVyTP.jpg <Grade
http://i.imgur.com/tytk40T.jpg <Locomotive w/ Consist
http://i.imgur.com/EBrRIsB.jpg <End height w/ locomotive for size comparison

Extend the grade. Make it more gradual

The Get Track Height tool (or called something similar) in the Track Tool will tell you the heights of the two ends. Divide the difference (the rise) into the run (4512 ft) and it will give you the grade. Eg. a rise of 100ft in that run will give you a grade of 1:45 - which would be getting close to the normal max grade of 1:40 for most trains.

didn't even know that was a tool. I'll have to mess with that a little. Watch it be like 1:99 lol.

The Mini Map has an option to display grades of track segments. I have my doubts about its accuracy, but it is useful as a general guide.

From your first screenshot, you're crossing 38 baseboards on a diagonal that appears to cross the boards at about a 45 degree angle. To keep the arithmetic simple, your run is about 35 x 30 x 1.414, or approximately 1500 feet. The difference in elevation is about 150 feet, so I estimate that the grade is on the order of one in ten, or 10 %. This is more than twice the grade of the steepest mainline railroad in the US, the Saluda grade on NS (not presently in use) at 4.7 percent, and three times the grade of the current steepest grade in regular use, Raton Pass (3.3%). I suspect that, if the grade was uniform from one end to the other, your SD40-2 may be doing well to get itself up the hill, and might, at best manage a couple of cars.

However, your grade as pictured does most of its rise in about half the run, so your effective grade is closer to 1 in 5 or 1 in 7, and I suspect that it would take a highly skilled engine operator to get the engine up the grade by itself.

ns

Most RR mainline grades are well below 2.00%, and 1.00% is pretty steep for a mainline ... I forget what Saluda was, but it was ridiculously steep.

A backwoods Shay could go up 4.00% easily, and the Mt Washington COG Rwy is hugely steep !

Lots more math in this than I expected. While I'm not very good at math, the numbers set out there sound about right. I think what I'll have to do is add another section and do it in a gradual half loop over a longer distance, from the sound of it.

The math is very simple, as is using the metric system, and gradient % are a ratio ... it's all easy to learn.

Using Skype I could teach you everything about entering in % numerals, and entering in and spline point height numerals.

I appreciate the offer, but I already know the equations. May take a few tries to get it right but, I can still get 'er done. :hehe:

Why not make it a loop with a tunnel like Rollings pass? Just make the circle bigger so you don't have the crazy Grades Rollins did.

Also, in that screenshot, your "Grade" is all over the map. One can clearly see the unevenness in it.... Near the middle it actually seems to flatten out some and then get ridiculously steep right near the top....

Is that layout meant to be prototypical? Or? If you don't want to spend a crazy amount of space just on a grade, why not just use the "Set Height Tool" in the Terrain Menu and lower all the higher altitude stuff to the Default (zero)?

Falcus

the flat area was intentional, and, I'll be the first to admit that I'm not the best at creating grades.... which should be plain to see. It's also been a year or two since I've had it installed.

WELL, you could also lower that heightened area by some fraction. Half or so.

You never did answer if this was attempting to be prototypical or not. The answer to that will help determine what you want to do with it... Do you want to surround it with Mountains? Do you want to leave it as is and make it appear to be a Plywood Ramp? And answering this will as well Make it easier to grade. I'm used to working with DEM Maps, and honestly I prefer grading things that are surrounded by land because then I can see how everything "Flows together" as it were. Sure I've done Ramps before, but they're not my thing.

Probably my next suggestion would be to try to eyeball a more even grade, and then check it with the Grade Tool in Track menu. Expect it to be off, but honestly, even grading in this game isn't something I think anybody can do by eyeball first time around.... So just keep working at it. Pick one End, top or bottom, and grade from there. Id suggest starting at the top since you already have so much work done up there already.

Good Luck,
Falcus