This is a follow-on to my earlier post about my Baldwin Class 10-12-D not pulling very much.
http://www.009society.com/forum/index.php?topic=3727.msg25529#msg5529 (http://www.009society.com/forum/index.php?topic=3727.msg25529#msg5529)
I haven't tried weighting any of my three locos yet but straight slope tests have been discouraging - and I haven't even introduced curves.
I'm now building the helix which will link my two baseboard levels and I can still adjust the rise per lap, which I'm trying to minimize to increase the chances of my locos pulling my goal of three Peco coaches around and up it. The design constraint is, of course, vertical clearance. My tallest locos are my Fourdees Bagnal and Fourdees St. George, both of which stand 41 mm above the rail-head. (My Baldwin is only about 38 mm tall and none of my coaches or wagons are taller.)
41 mm + 4 mm of track + 10 mm of wafer-board + 5 mm of clearance = 60 mm.
60 mm / 3,136 mm circumference yields about a 1.9% slope - more than I'd hoped for.
Now for my actual question: are there any attractive locos I might be at risk of buying that stand taller than 41 mm?
Sir D (the Austrain 0-8-0) from the Welshpool may be higher in 4mm and that's attractive(!). I know it sounds like you've already made up your mind but as it's the curves that cause most of the haulage issues is there any chance you could modify the plan and have the grade on a straight behind the layout along it's length?
At the Wigan Show we had three Bachmann Baldwin locos that performed really well for two days .
The layout is flat, but at both ends there are curves of 10 inch radius.
The locos pulled round bogie stock without a problem.
I am not sure whether this is your first time building an 009 layout, but I come across so many people who decide to build a layout and they want to incorporate steep gradients very sharp curves and large bogie coaches.
Even the most experienced layout builder would struggle with the above.
Most beginners then give up, my advice is start easy and then progress as you gain more knowledge and ability.
You can see Tan Yr Allt/Dwffyr Uchaf if you click on the Wigan Finescale Website and view David Hennesseys superb photos of the Wigan Show.
Stan.
Had a similar problem with my current project and have come to the conclusion that a 2% gradient is ideal and I have also used DCC's Powertrack with magnets under the loco's. Works well and a Baldwin can easily pull 3 Peco L&B coaches plus attached wagon.
Quote from: Stan Williams on October 18, 2018, 09:44
I am not sure whether this is your first time building an 009 layout, but I come across so many people who decide to build a layout and they want to incorporate steep gradients very sharp curves and large bogie coaches.
I don't think that a 1.9% grade (less steep than 1-in-50) and curves of almost 20" radius are particularly onerous, even in combination. I have planned a helix of similar grade and radius myself, but the layout hasn't progressed that far as yet. Tom is not talking about 9" settrack curves and grades of 1-in-15.
The main problem with a helix on a layout is that in most cases the track is in a tunnel. The trick and the difficult part is to design such a layout so that there is more track visible than there is in tunnels but keeping the appearance as believable as possible. This is not at all easy and requires considerable effort at the planning stage.
Brian Meldon
Since originally posting I actually built three laps of my helix track and test results seem strangely a bit better than on my straight test track. Nonetheless, my Baldwin can only comfortably haul two coaches up my 1.9%.
Thanks 'Hobby'. I'm afraid I do need to use the helix approach. I've got to climb 50 cm and doing it on straights would require a lot more room than I've got. Yes, any 0-8-0 is bound to be tempting but since starting this thread I've told myself to be content with the designs I've got (so far a Fourdees Bagnall 0-6-2, a Fourdees St. George 0-6-0 and the Baldwin).
Thanks, John Murrell. I think you've but me on to something good with the PowerBase (not PowerTrack). Obviously you used their N gauge kit. Did you use the standard magnet for your Baldwin or did you need the thin ones? There doesn't look as if there's very much clearance - but I have not yet seen what the magnets are like.
Thanks, 'Duttonbay' too!
I'll only be able to get the PowerBase stuff here to Ukraine at Christmas so I probably won't have more to say on climbing inclines until next year.
Tom, you are right - not much room! I have glued a small round magnet to the front on the coupling stud. Seems to work ok!