[moondoggy]

hey all, ok i cut luan to make my decline, and it looks wicked steep.
it starts 4" off the table on some foam, rises another 4" and then over a 34-36" run it declines the full 8" .
i checked here, saw the 3% info (great stuff) according to 'things' i think I'm ok, but man does it look steep. i'm afraid the cars will 'railroad' into eachother and uncouple....
feelings please...?

 

[stationmaster]

As you said, "wicked steep". Think of a train going the other way......

 

[Boston&Maine]

Grade is the same as slope, which is equal to rise over run... So 8" / 36" is equal to a 22.22% grade!

To get an 8" change in elevation you will need a 267" run for a 3% grade...

 

[stationmaster]

In order to make that descent at 2%, you need 200", 3% would be 133".

I think you need some more luaun.

Bob

 

[moondoggy]

ah dang.
ok, well it will never be going UP.. but that seems like a moot point.
been in the garage this AM..i got it down to 6.75" from the 8...again seems like a moot point.
guess i didnt quiet get that incline sheet i found here.

It will have problems going down??

 

[stationmaster]

Uhhhhh, dunno. Wouldn't look quite right. And going down at any speed may be treacherous.

Bob

 

[moondoggy]

it doesnt look quiet right going under a volcano and having 25ft of slot cars runnig with it but it looks awesome to a 9yr old...and when he saw the slope it was wow'd.
'course the key word there is treacherous....well, i think i'll try, as you said a little more luan, and try to drop it a tad more, then give it a rough trial run.
getting a bad feeling

 

[tkruger]

Defiantly go slow down that hill. If the kids have fun though it is all worth it. If nothing eles it is a good excuse to buy a train to use just as a crash test dummy.

 

[T-Man]

I calculate a 14 degree slope. 8/34=.235 sine .24 is 14 degrees? Using a reverse read on a trig table.

 

[Boston&Maine]

I calculate a 14 degree slope. 8/34=.235 sine .24 is 14 degrees? Using a reverse read on a trig table.

No T-Man... To calculate the percent slope (percent grade) all you need to do is take the change in Y (rise) and divide it by the change in X (run)... You just went a step too far and tried to calculate the angle of the grade...

EDIT: Just for clarification, grade (G) is expressed in a percentage because it tells you that over a distance (X) the elevation will change by G percent of X...

 

[T-Man]

Thanks for the explanation.

 

[moondoggy]

Defiantly go slow down that hill. If the kids have fun though it is all worth it. If nothing eles it is a good excuse to buy a train to use just as a crash test dummy.

hum, i was thinking of going fast as possible to out run the freight cars and keep the couplers tought.

t-man & boston - sorry you lost me on the math...think thats what you call it:laugh:

 

[glgraphix]

Now you guys are making my head hurt, lol, Just too much to think about.
Kevin