I'm new to the hobby. I built a hill with 4% grade using Woodland Scenic risers. Engine does fine by itself. I added 4 box cars to the back, and it start's slipping going up the hill. Even at full blast once it hits the grade, itll get almost all the way up before the wheels start slipping. The engine is Spectrum 83405 if that help's any. Ive read about adding weight to the engine etc, but really don't know how/what to use etc. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks! Here is a link to the engine: http://www.¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤.com/Bachmann-HO-Richmond-4-4-0-MAPA-p/bac-83405.htm (from woo woo woo)
Yeah, you really don't want a grade over 2.5%. You might be able to get away with a 3% but nothing over that. If your incline is finalized, then consider adding Bullfrog Snot to your locomotive wheels for added traction.
I have a video uploading of it. I have seen video's of 4% grade and they seemed to do fine pulling, which is one reason I went with 4%. The engine is a rather small one, 4-4-0. Debating if buying a larger engine would help any?
If 4% is the only way to accomplish what you've planned, then do anything possible otherwise. As already suggested, add weight, ease curves, double head your trains....
Unfortunately, physics is working against you here. My layout has 2% grades and 20" radius curves, and even then the smaller engines won't pull much of a train uphill. And there just isn't much room in a 4-4-0 to add weight.
A couple of points: First, like you, I have had to learn all this the hard way. I understood it from reading, but I got suckered by my own notions that others had something else working against them, something I could avoid. I was wrong. The physics is the same, but not the scaling. That's important...scale. For example, our models don't have the same momentum. Real trains can take a run at grades and manage to get over the top because of that run. Our models can't. Secondly, it isn't power so much, at least not at slower tractive speeds, but it's the tractive effort that counts in getting your train from point A to point B. Tractive effort is only as good as your power application. By that I mean the power that can be applied to keep the train moving without spinning the drivers. The more drivers and the higher the weight on them, the more adhesion the locomotive has. The traction tires help a lot, probably at least doubling what a locomotive can do on a given grade. There comes a time when the grade is so steep that the power plant will make the tires spin rather than keep them in 100% traction. Only more weight on the drivers would help because clearly power is not the limiting factor if the wheels spin. I learned that the practical limit, without having to resort to helper locomotives, is about a 3% grade. Even 3.2% made my locomotives spin where 3% would not. As others have already stated, you have three choices, and only you can decide which is the most practical or appealing: reduce trailing tonnage, reduce the grade, or add a helper.
If that steamer doesn't have traction tires already, I would Bullfrog Snot the drivers and see what happens. After that, everyone else has already laid out your more involved alternatives. Sent from the magical mystery box
* just thought of this and too late to edit, snot two drivers at a time. Not a lot of electrical pick up on a 4-4-0 to begin with. Sent from the magical mystery box
May just rip it all down and go with N scale. This is on a 4x6 layout so not really alot of room for HO. I was debating on going with N to begin with, but I already had HO stuff that I had bought a long time ago.
... Unless you 'drop' one end and 'raise' the other end. But then the entire run would be up or down a 2% grade. Sounds like a good project for an open-grid design to me. Also, in such a short distance to transition from a plus or minus grade to a short level or down grade can produce a vertical 'kink' causing momentary loss of equilibrium of weight distrubuted on the drivers. It is crucial the rail be flat, especially on a grade. Eighteen inch curves and 4% grade a tough nut to crack by any measure.
Gravity always works. Not enough locomotive for the weight. I purposely built a 2 percent grade in on my mainline to limit the length of a train that could be pulled by a four axle diesel wich worked out to be about 14 cars, which ended up being the length of my passing sidings. Steam locomotives unfortunately usually don't pull anywhere as good as a diesel. My best pulling steam engine, a 2-8-0 can only handle 9 cars on the same grade, other steamers 2 or so cars less. With your limited space, N scale may be your best bet.
Well, keep us posted as you progress. If you have any questions, plenty of good folks with knowledge in our N scale forum.
Good for you for seeing things realistically and 'getting on with it." Life is short. Just, please, don't plan any grades, especially with tight S curves or any other curves, higher than about 2.5%. Better yet, keep them closer to 2%. If you need more separation from what's below, but don't really have the room for a full grade run near 2%, someone above suggested splitting the difference with a descending grade to an overpass. If something like a figure 8 where you want a higher track crossing overhead, make the nether track descend an inch and a bit, and make the higher track have to rise less by doing so. Win-win.
Yeah I sat down last night and drew up some plan's for the N scale. No grades here. Going to have a couple levels but won't connect.
