Curve In A 3% Grade

[riogrande5761]

To me, 22" radius is a very sharp curve.  As others said, it depends.  If you are running short trains with short rolling stock, you can probably get away with it and be ok.  Long rolling stock and longer trains might not like your plans too much, so it depends.

[MisterBeasley]

How long are the trains you plan to run?  Long trains on curves, any curves even on flats, may sometimes "stringline" and fall to the inside of the curve.  This is a much worse problem when you throw in a grade.

[RR_Mel]

I agree with Terry.

 

I have two curves like your description both on a 3½% grade.  One is a 24 inch radius the other is 32 inch.  All of my locomotives negotiate the grade easily, including Rivarossi Cab Forwards & Y6Bs.  Most of my diesels are six axle Athearn, Model Power & Proto 2000s.

 

My locomotive test train consists of 13 MOW cars, each with 8 ounces of added weight and a CMX track cleaning car with a caboose dragger.  All of my heavy locomotives will pull my test train up my grades easily without any derailing, that’s 6 pounds of added weight.

 

I have remotored my locomotives and added 8 to 10 ounces to most of them.  I don’t think you would have any problems at 22” and 3%.

 

 

 

Mel

 

Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951

 

My Model Railroad   

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

Bakersfield, California

 

I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

[PennCentral99]

Depends....Total track length of the grade? How many locos? How much/how heavy rolling stock those locos pulling? How long are the rolling stock? Longer rolling stock or 6 axle diesels might have more of an issue with the 22" radius and not much of an issue with the 3% grade.

Terry

[starman]

I am going to add a 3% grade to my HO layout.  I would like to have my track enter a 22” radius curve before the grade ends.  Is this going to be a problem?  If not, fine.  If so, how big of a problem?