Planning for Steam

[Anonymous]

It's been many years since I was involved with model railroading. Now I'm thinking about it again my thoughts lead me to large scale & the outdoors. I have enough space to go nuts with it - almost 4 acres. The top acre, where the houses sits is the likely location for a railway. It varies from flat to moderately sloped & this leads to my question. I am interested in running live steam. For planning purposes, what are the recommended gradient limits I should consider for this type? Also, with live steam operation, are moderate shunting activities practical? Again, using either manual or radio control.

I understand the practicalities of operating manually vs radio control (I'm interested in both) & also the need to adjust a live steamers throttle on grades. I will be considering lococs at the lower price & capability ranges (not Asters). I am not interested in a greatly raised roadbed - ground level to a foot or so mostly, with appropriate allowance for a steaming bay. I'm sure I'll need to accomodate some cuttings also in the 'upper slopes' of the property.

[kstrong]

If you've got the ability to keep things flat, by all means that's the way to go. Failing that, try to keep the grades to 2% or less for good live steam operation. While it is possible to run steam on steeper grades, you use a lot of steam doing so (just like the prototype), and need to stop more frequently to build up pressure in the boiler. On the prototype, the fireman would stoke the fire prior to steep grades to make sure pressure was maintained. Practically speaking, we don't really have that ability, and cranking the burners full-tilt is wasteful of good butane.

Switching operations are most certainly possible, provided the individual loco is capable of slow speed operation. Some excel at this, some don't. Jack Verducci's famous railroad runs grades around 4%, and does prototype switching--everything common beliefs say "can't be done" in live steam.

Later,

K

[two tone]

Hi Burma, to a great hobby nice to have you on board, if you feel you want to give us an idea where you are as you can see i`m in the UK to help others to advise on some of the posts. Plus you may have a contact close to you that can if you wished give a hand