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How do I calculate the space needed for an incline on my model railway layout?

The first thing you need to know when calculating gradients is that it doesn't matter which unit of measurement you use. If you prefer inches, use those, if you prefer centimetres, that's fine too. The only rule is that you use the same unit throughout your calculation. For this article, we will be using inches, but as we said, it could just as easily have been centimetres.
If you're planning an incline on your model railway layout, you will need to know two things - What is possible? and How much space is needed to accommodate it?
The former is easy. The advised maximum gradient for a model railway is 1 in 30. That means for every 1 inch your track rises, it should take 30 inches to get there. Don't forget, that is the maximum advised, 1 in 50 is much better!
Next, you need to work out how much you want your track to rise. If you decide you would like to raise your track from a lower baseboard to a framework that is 6 inches higher, then multiply 6 (height to be raised) by 30 (the maximum gradient). The answer (180 inches or 15ft) is how long your hill will need to be from start to finish to achieve a gradient of 1 in 30.
Let's look at it again, this time using a more desirable 1 in 50 gradient. For a rise in the track of 6 inches, multiply 6 (height to be raised) by 50 (the desired gradient). The answer this time is a much longer 300 inches (25ft) to the top of the hill, but of course, the hill will be less steep.
This formula works for planning any incline: (Height track is to be raised) X (Desired gradient) = Length your hill should be.
Now let's look at the situation the other way round. Let's say you have limited space and you're wondering what height of incline can be achieved within it.
To work out the amount of rise possible within a given space, first, take the length of baseboard you have available for the incline. Then, divide that number by the gradient to give you the achievable height. This is how that equation would look if you had 60 inches (5ft) of baseboard to play with and was prepared to install a 1 in 30 gradient: 60 (inches of baseboard available) divided by 30 (maximum gradient). The answer (2 inches) is how much your track would rise within that distance.
Here is the equation again using the same available distance but the more desirable 1 in 50 gradient: 60 (inches of available baseboard) divided by 50 (desired gradient) equals the track being raised by 1.2 inches.

When planning an incline, working out what is possible (or the space you should put aside for the project) is vital if your trains are to run up it smoothly. If you underestimate the amount of space required, your gradient will be too steep and your trains will stall. On the other hand, it could be fun having to use bank engines!

Posted in: Tracks

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