Ok heres one for you old timers pardon the expresion but you guys have the know how to make the grades with out useing woodland scenics risers. im looking to go up to a 4inch hill top in a 8ft span.
Thanks for your input to a now day modler

Atlas (and others) used to make little plastic piers to go under the track.

I assume you have a table top of some sort. The simplest method for this is called "cookie-cutter". You cut the tabletop along the sides of the track, far enough out for roadbed, and then put risers underneath it. The cuts can follow the various curves of the track. If you have a single piece of material (plywood or Homasote) it will usually form a nice vertical curve at the top and bottom. If it crosses over another track you need to put a bridge in.

Heres what i have a foam base and road will climb to the left near the EN&W machine shop in the back ground there.

Harry, your grade is going to be pretty steep - over 4%. If it's to be part of your mainline, your trains will need to be fairly short or you'll have a good excuse to buy more locos.

As David notes, the usual method is "cookie cutter" style, but you can cut a separate piece of plywood and graft it into your foam-topped layout, too. You may also be able to cut the foam and use it in the same manner, as long as it's not already glued in place.

For plywood, I'd suggest 3/8" or thicker - the thinner the plywood, the more risers will be required. At the bottom of the proposed grade, notch out the foam, for about 6", to a depth that will place the top surface of the plywood flush with the top surface of the foam. Hopefully, there's something solid beneath the foam, such as a plywood tabletop or a wooden framing member. Drive some screws through the plywood and foam and into the solid base, anchoring the plywood firmly over the entire 6" length. Next, raise what will be the upper end of the grade to the desired height, using either blocks of wood or a riser, as shown in the photos below. Attach the riser firmly to the layout, then screw the plywood subroadbed firmly to the top of the riser. Depending on the thickness of the plywood, you'll need additional risers to even-out and secure the grade. At the mid-point, add a 2" riser, then, at the mid-point between that and the bottom of the grade, a 1" riser and between the mid-point and the top of the grade, a 3" riser. Continue to place additional risers in a similar manner until any apparent sagging is eliminated. The advantage to using relatively thin plywood is that it will give you natural vertical easements (transitions between the grade and the level areas at the top and bottom of the grade). Thicker plywood works, too, but the easements are not as apparent and can be altered by inappropriately-placed risers.







The grade shown is about 2.5%, fairly steep for a mainline. Most trains require doubleheading, as the grades are mostly on curves, which increases the effect of the grade. Here's a chart showing that effect:

RADIUS
24” - 32.0 degrees - percentage of compensation to be added - 1.60%
25” - 31.2 degrees ---------------------------------------------------- 1.56%
26” - 30.4 degrees ---------------------------------------------------- 1.52%
27” - 29.7 degrees ---------------------------------------------------- 1.49%
28” - 28.9 degrees ---------------------------------------------------- 1.45%
29” - 28.2 degrees ---------------------------------------------------- 1.41%
30” - 27.4 degrees ---------------------------------------------------- 1.37%
30” - 27.4 degrees ---------------------------------------------------- 1.37%
31” - 26.6 degrees ---------------------------------------------------- 1.33%
32” - 25.9 degrees ---------------------------------------------------- 1.30%
33” - 25.1 degrees* - 1.25%*
34” - 24.3 degrees ---------------------------------------------------- 1.22%
35” - 23.6 degrees ---------------------------------------------------- 1.18%
36” - 22.8 degrees ---------------------------------------------------- 1.14%
37” - 22.1 degrees ---------------------------------------------------- 1.11%
38” - 21.3 degrees ---------------------------------------------------- 1.07%
39” - 20.5 degrees ---------------------------------------------------- 1.03%
40” - 19.8 degrees ---------------------------------------------------- 0.99%
41” - 19.0 degrees ---------------------------------------------------- 0.95%

Compensated, my grades equal about 3.77% over most of the 3/4 mile climb, a real test for locos. Your grade, on a 24" radius curve, would equal one of about 5.76% on straight track.

Wayne

I have a just under 3% grade on the down slope toward the float transfer slip on my layout. I installed a 1/4 strip of plywood for the decking to support the road bed with enough material at each end to allow a gentle bend into and out of the slope. I then used plywood blocking to keep the sloped section flat and level. I also glue and screw all my joints for added strength.

If you're trying to do this over existing foam tabletop, the Woodland Scenics risers are going to be the easiest option for you. An 8' 4" run will get you up to 4" with the 4% grade, and you can curve it any way you need to. What you won't get are easements into and out of the grade at the top and bottom.

You can try and cookie-cutter your foam and brace it from underneath with risers as others have suggested, but I suspect given your construction (as viewed from the picture) this is going to be a lot more work than just sucking it up, dropping the dough and gluing the WS risers down.

Ok thanks for all the input guys. Today i tried out the cookie method and decided that a 2inch climb looks nice as ill post pics in the EN&W thred under layouts. Back to the basement!!!

Heres my attempt First photo looking up grade and second looking down grade. Need to name the cut here also any idea for a name?

The Agony Hill Cut...

Before you go too far, run a train over the new grade in both directions with your longest locomotives pulling your longest cars. If you haven't given it enough vertical transition at either the top or bottom, you may have problems with equipment uncoupling. Longer equipment is more prone to problems than shorter equipment. You want to test it thoroughly in both directions before you put in a lot of scenery and then find out that it all needs to be ripped out and redone.

Great advice Russ! I learned that the hard way a few years ago! :oops:
Ralph

Ralph Wrote:Great advice Russ! I learned that the hard way a few years ago! :oops:
Ralph

That is one of the many lessons I learned the hard way on my first layout!