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3% grade question?
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You probably find that sometimes a coupler will pull out of one of the lead cars going up long steep grades and pile up at the bottom of the hill, or the cement floor, in pieces. The Geeps will need extra weight added, which will aid in reducing the life of the motor. And if you are thinking of pulling 20 to 30 cars up a long steep grade, figure about five or six locomotives. <br /> <br /> You can get away with a short steep grade, say a few car lengths, but pulling such a long train up a long steady steep grade with just a couple geeps in the front probably will end in disaster or stalled locomotives (which isn't good for the motors either). <br /> <br /> There are ways around this, if you can not avoid steep long grades (3%-5%), which involves prototype practices. <br /> <br /> One is a helper loco on the rear. That solution has its draw backs in modeling, unlike the prototype, if you are NOT using DCC control. If you can't control the helper locomotive speed in coordnation with the lead locomotives, you most likely end up derailing the train. However, DCC is perfect for pusher service. You can control the speed independently of the helper locomotive or match up the performance of the helper loco with the lead units. <br />You would need a spur at the bottom of the hill to park the helper engine, waiting for the next train. <br /> <br /> Another is mid-train slave engine (about 2/3 back in the consist). However with conventional DC control, the problem is with speed control of the slave engine just as with the pusher. <br /> <br /> A third solution is called humping the cars. Stop laughing, it's not what you think. It involves splitting the train, at the bottom of the hill, into consist short enough for the locomotives to haul the train safely up the hill. The engines cut off at the top of the hill (after setting the brakes on the consist) and use a run-a-round track to get around the upper consist and return to the bottom of the hill and start again with part or the rest of the consist. Each haul will use the run-a-round track until the consist is complete. <br /> <br /> Still another prototype practice would be to split the train into two or three shorter trains. The trains following the first trains are called extras. <br /> <br /> Going down a steep grade is also dangerous. You will need more locomotives in front and/or hump the cars as you would going up the hill. <br />
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