Woodland scenecs grades

[jlcjrbal]

Hey guys... When I had my 4x8 HO I used WS 4" grade incline set... I am about to begin my new layout which is about a 12 X 6... I have been reading alont on grades and keep coming up with 1" per 100. Now I know my WS set was not that big. I have looked on the web site to get some better measurements but not to see or I am just not seeing it.. ANy info would be great as I want to get my sub roadbed started by next week.. Joseph

[DSchmitt]

Woodland Scenics calls their grades "inclines"

http://www.woodlandscenics.com/

They make 2%, 3% and 4%. They do not make a 1%.

From the prototype perspective the ideal railroad would have no grades, but of course this is imposible. A 1% maximum grade became the "ideal" that railroads strive for but often don't achieve particularly in rugged country.

Since their space is limited and their trains generally shorter than the prototype, model railroaders have traditionally used steeper grades than the prototype does for the situations being modeled. Hence a 2% grade on a model railroad may be used to represent a 1% prototype grade.

[jlcjrbal]

Mabey I just did not look hard enough... 4" in 8' so @ 4' it is 2" and so on.. J

[Anonymous]

I don't know what you're asking but here are the grades..

1%= 1" rise in 100"
2%= 2" rise in 100"
3%= 3" rise in 100"
4%= 4" rise in 100"

As I found out by asking, grade is not to scale. Grade is the same for model railroading as it is for prototypical. One mile rise in 100 miles of track is a one percent grade. That cleared it up for me.

QUOTE: Originally posted by jlcjrbal

Mabey I just did not look hard enough... 4" in 8' so @ 4' it is 2" and so on.. J

[rrinker]

Yes, the 4" rise in 8' length is the 4% incline. That's 4" in 96", close enough to 4 in 100.