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[quote user="caldreamer"]What constitutes a ruling grade. the total grade from level to the highest point (on my railroad for example 2.54 percent) or the highest grade, even for a short stretch of track (In my case 2.93 percent)?[/quote] The ruling grade eeds the largest tractive or braking effort on a subdivision. It is not necessarily the steepest grade. When the steepest grade is shorter than the trains part of them is on level or less steep grade. A less steep grade longer than the trains then might become the ruling grade. In your case the 2.93% might not the ruling grade if the trains are longer than the grade. It isn't the lesser grade before the 2.93% either as a train can be partly on both grades at the same time. It would be somewhere in-between. In case the 2.93% grade is longer than your trains it is the ruling grade. In helper times railroads would often declare your lesser grade as ruling grade and add helpers for the 2.93%. Regards, Volker
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