Deadwood Central R.R.

[CB&Q3007]

Ok you guys have got me going.  I have been toying with the idea of an outdoor railroad for a couple of years.  Well I am about to start. The Deadwood Central was a narrow gauge line purchased by the CB&Q..  This will be my vision of it, if it was converted to standard gauge and running in the late 50's.  One end of the loop will be Deadwood.  The other will be Lead ( pronused "leed").  Mostly just a big oval with a little switching here and there.

I have sketched out the plan for approval from the head of planning (read wife).  It meet with major approval, with a few add ons from her.   So now I am doing a fesability (sp?) study of this plan.

First, I Have been trying to figure how much grade my USA GP7/9 can handle with about 6-7 cars.  I plan on going with a RC system with a tag along battery car.  The grade I have witll be about 5%. ( 4 feet of rise in about 90 feet) The grade is the natural slope in my back yard.  The plan is one end of the  loop by the house (Deadwood) then running up this grade turn behind the shed, behinde the veggie garden to the other end of the loop at the back corner of my lot.   Is this something that I will be able to run??  Will I have problems with the return run back down the grade?

[cacole]

Do you know that Bachmann makes a 2-8-0 narrow gauge Spectrum steam engine decorated for the Deadwood Central?

Bachmann's catalog number for this locomotive is 81295, and it is 1:20.3 scale.

Your rise of 4 feet in 90 is 4.4 percent.  I don't know about a diesel engine, but I don't think a Bachmann steamer could pull that steep a grade with the number of cars you want to pull because the wheels would begin to slip.

[lonewoof]

% grade = Rise/Run. 4/90 = 4.444%
/Lone

[CB&Q3007]

cacole,

WOW that is cool, but a little steep (budget wise) for my empire.

The way I was figuring grade is based off this link.

I want to stick with first genaration diesels for now.

Thanks.

[CB&Q3007]

I took the time today to "shoot the grade" to make sure that I am working with real numbers.
I have 47 inches of rise in 94 feet, or 4.13% grade.  I have found that it is a .25% grade from the shed to Lead.
My question still stands.  Will a USA GP7/9 pull this grade with 6/7 cars with RC power?