" Trains aint Billy goats, son"! Ho scale model trains and a plan for an 8% grade! See two N&W SD 40's and 1 NS dash 9 trite to tackle the grade and see things go sideways or at the vary least backwards down the hill. See the rebuild project as the terrible 8% grade is lowered to 4%. See how the rebuild project not only lowered the grade to 4% but added an entire two station stops plus a new siding and nearly 40 feet of additional branch line running. All of this plus a dual track main line, two big yards and a round house with diesel shop in an 13 x 9 foot room! <youtube>
The big lesson here is listen to your friends when they tell you 1" per foot or 8% is to much, maybe I should just listen.
1" per foot ought to be OK. For 4-wheel off-road vehicles with 6-wheel drive. Maybe even cogged locomotives. Maybe. YOU try it, not me.
