2.5% grade question

Does anyone run their trains on a 2.5 grade? If so, how do you like it? Does it impede the train and how many cars are you running? I have heard lots of discussion on 3 and 4 % grades, but very little on 2.5.

 

Paul
Thanks for the reply. I think I can do what I want to do in 2% plus a smidgeon, but I have been toying with 2.5. However, I don't want to learn another lesson the hard way. I would rather listen to words of wisdom from others on this one.

 

I'm running with two grades on my Layout. On the main up-grade it is 2.6% and on a 19" curve to-boot. At the other grade it is 2.3% also on a curve. Normally it works out to two Diesels (Atlas FM's) or one Steam (Kato Mikado with traction) for between twenty to twenty-five cars.
If I'd had the space I would have tried for an even 2% but it has worked out quite well any way.

 

I have run lots of HO stuff on grade, but very little N stuff so I don't know what the effect will be. If you can believe it, we have an 11% grade on our small N scale layout, and it seems to work not to badly. I know this goes counter to all reasoning.

The only way I can explain this performance is that the grade itself is very short, about two feet in lenght, and the trains we run are only about 6 cars. BUT, I sure don't recommend this, if newbies are reading this post. Lower grades are better. I know an HO layout running an 11% grade as well, and because it runs only about 5 cars seems to do okay. Again the lenght of the grade is fairly short.

But I have nothing to judge the difference between a 2 and a 2.5 grade in N scale. All my friends run HO.

 

The only reason I think the grade works at 11% is that is because it is short, part of the train lenght is still on the flats. By the time the engine is pulling the last cars up the grade (remember only about 2 feet long or less), part of the consist is on the flat area on the upper track; so part of the train is always on flat track.