O-Gauge and Steep Grade Advice and Layout help

Most of the old Lionel #110 Graduated Trestle Set piers increased by 1/2" increments. When used with O-27 straight track sections 8 7/8" long, this worked out to a 5.6% grade. This is steep, and even with the old Magne-Traction, it limited train lengths and noticeably impacted speed. Your 6 1/2" climb in 10' (120") is a 5.4% grade, which is about comparable. And don't forget that a curve on a grade adds to the resistance against the train, effectively making the grade even steeper. I think you will see it in operation. Have you measured your maximum car and loco heights - do you need the full 6 1/2" to provide clearance? Again recalling the old #110 set, the tallest pier was 4 3/4" high, which Lionel considered adequate clearance. Your Atlas track is thicker, so you may need some more rise, but reducing the top elevation even a little will help the grade. GQ

6.5 / 120 = 5%

Your loco should be able to handle that with short trains.

6.5/120+ = about 1:20 or 5%. That's steep by model standards! If your train manages that without any troubles and you don't try to pull too many wagons then go for it. You could try to reduce the total rise to around 5.5" and ensure the grade starts imediately either side of the bridge.

Thanks everyone for the advice!

It sounds like the grade I was planning is possible but not optimal. I think I'll add a few more track lengths and try to get the grade down to something like 4% or maybe even less. The job only calls for pulling either two passenger cars or four box cars up hill at a time.

Thanks again.

Dunty

My local shop has an 8'x8' layout that has an up and over using MTH's trestles, the grade is 5.3%. They run a 10-12 car train on the up & over with no problems using MTH or Lionel engines. The MTH curves are O31, so all i can say is try it, see how long a train you can run-.

Should not be a problem. Lionel's trestle set was designed to that sized grade. Lionel trains are not supposed to perform like the prototype.