Turnouts on grade?

[NP01]

I am sure this has been asked before: can I do turnouts on a 2% grade? I feel like this should not be a problem as long as I am able to maintain uniformity of the surface. Flattening out a grade for the turnout sounds more dangerous as the grade transition will increase the likelyhood of "coupler catch"

NP.

[tomikawaTT]

Using commercial products, installing a turnout on a continuous grade is no different than installing it on a dead level.  Just make sure there's no change of grade within the footprint of the turnout, plus a couple of inches on each route .

One of my turnouts is on a continuous 2% grade, curved route 24 inch radius, 'less-curved' route to 24 inch radius with a displaced center point (the connection is a spiral transition, not straight.)  The curves are superelevated.  It's been in operation for some years now, and the only problem was caused by inadvertently backing a freight trailing point into a closed point...  (My bad...)

Of course it wasn't bought in a box or bubble pack .

Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - on hand-laid specialwork)

[wickman]

I've had a turnout on a 2% grade as well  as on a 3% grade. You just have to spend a bit more time and mustar up some patience to do  an extra special job on lining up.

[RR_Mel]

I also have a turnout on a grade, 3½%.  I eroded by doing probably the worst No No in model railroading, it was at a grade transition.  I fought it for years, my Proto 2000 six wheel trucks didn’t like it.  Athearn six wheel trucks did OK as did my Rivarossi articulateds.  I also have a sack full of GS4s, the 4-8-4s did OK going through the outside of the turnout but inside was worse than the Protos.

 

After many tries to “fix” it I gave up and did a total redo using a single piece plywood base for the entire section and moving the transition 8”.  Since the redo I’ve never had another derail so a turnout on a curve will work but not at a transition!

 

The turnout is a Pico curved 30”/60” in a 30” radius approach and it works great when properly installed.

 

I need to add some additional information, derails only happened down hill into the frog, never uphill.

 

 

Mel

 

 

Modeling the SP in HO scale since 1951

 

My Model Railroad   

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

Bakersfield, California

[peahrens]

I've got a couple of curved crossovers on my consistent 2.4% grade.  No issues a it's all on one piece of plywood.

[BroadwayLion]

A Turnout on a grade is quite acceptable, but there should be a full car length between the turnout and any change in the grade. It is the same idea as applies to an "S" curve, except this time the curve is vertical. A train may be able to negotiate a poor grade shift on a straight track, perhaps even on a curved track, but it will be rare to negotiate an aprupt change of elevation adjacent to a set of switch points or the frog.

Now where is that frog. I want to fry his legs.

ROAR

[tgindy]

Guide to helix and staging design has an instructive cover photo.

[mlehman]

I agree in general with the cautions and encouragements.

I follow those suggestions myseelf, for the most part. I recently built a switchback track going up to a mine that really pushed those limits. The grades in both directions start right past the frog on the diverging end. This branch is limited to short wheelbase cars and small locos, so I can get away with it. Not recommended, but wkith care and awareness of its limitations, you can squeeze things more than normal and get away with it.

Before trees

After trees

The key is making sure the vertical curve isn't too severe and testing with the equipment to be used as you build.