Unitrack/Other Brands Of Track And Woodland Scenic Risers

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Many track plans incorporate grades in the plan. This isn't a hard problem to solve if you use Woodland Scenic Risers. the Risers come in 2%, 3% and 4% grades.

Have planned and set up many layouts in all scales in over sixty years of model railroading, I found that its best to keep grades limited to 2% or less. If you choose a steeper grade this causes limitations on the performance of your locomotives as they work their way up the grade. It also limits the number of cars locomotives can pull up the grade. To solve this problem you add multi-consist locomotives together or provide a "helper" to assist the lead locomotive pull the consist of cars up the grade.

For helpers, I used a "Cheater Boxcar" that is powered on the "Original" JJJ&E. This will be discussed in another post.

But for now, lets stick to the topic of WS Risers and Unitrack/other brands of track. After the track work is laid out on your bench work, you can trace the outline of the track where the grade occurs. For a true 2% grade you will need sixteen feet of track. It will take about eight feet to go up 2% (100 inches) and about eight feet to go back down to level track. After the outline of the track is marked, you lay out the WS Risers. To secure the Risers in place use a hot glue gun and place a dab of the hot glue every twelve to eighteen inches until the grade is completely finished. Then you can lay the Unitrack on top of the Risers. You can use a dab of hot glue under the Unitrack roadbed to secure the Unitrack to the Riser. If you have a turnout in the grade do not secure the turnout to the riser. Let it "float" freely.

After the track work is securely in place on the risers, test the grade with all your locomotives and see how each locomotive performs on the grade.

WS sells a 2% grade kit that rises four inches. In this case you need 16 feet to reach the four inch height and sixteen feet to get back down to level track. You don't have to use the entire kit to get the 2% grade. You can go up two inches which is a little over eight feet and then go back down to level track in eight feet.

You can reduce the grade to less than 2% by using individual risers that keep the grade at a certain level for a longer run. You can use Risers that keep the grade height at two inches and increase the grade to 24 feet ( 12 feet up and 12 feet down) This reduces the stress on each locomotive up the grade which is now reduced to less than 2%. Thats what I'm doing on the "new" JJJ&E.

On the "original" JJJ&E, the grade was 2% and rose over 7 1/2 inches at the high point on the grade. In that case it took over 36 feet to go up the grade and over 36 feet to go down the grade. In effect, the "original" JJJ&E was a long nolix. Wiking (Alan) who uses Unitrack saw the "original" JJJ&E in person and saw the effect of this long grade on many of my locomotives. As a matter of fact, he ran several of his locomotives up the long 2% grades on the "original" JJJ&E. Alan uses grades on his Unitrack layout. Many other members of different forums have seen the "Original" JJJ&E in action over the nine plus years it was in operation.

On the "New" JJJ&E which is 95% scenicked and fully operational, I have a  1 1/2% grade on the outer mainline track starting in the turnaround area east of San Marino. The grade winds through the Monterrey Mountains and continues down to the town of San Marino behind the San Marino freight yard. I modified the Woodland Scenic Risers so the maximum grade would be 1 1/2%. The length of this 1 1/2% grade is  about 30 feet.

Photo  # 1 Woodland Scenic Risers hot glued in place on the outer mainline track of the "New" JJJ&E

Photo  # 2 Another view of the Woodland Scenic Risers at the start of the 1 1/2% grade in San Marino

Photo  # 3  The 1 1/2% grade as it declines back to level track behind San Marino

Photo  #  4  The 1 1/2%  grade descends behind the town of San Marino

Photo  # 5  All locomotives on the roster must be tested on the 1 1/2% grade.

All locomotives on the roster of the "new" JJJ&E were tested on this 1 1/2% grade to make sure each locomotive could handle this grade with a full consist of freight/passenger cars. In the event some locomotives can't handle the grade There is another route for these locomotives to follow on a flat passing siding which is seen in Photo # 5.

The next few photo's show the graded mainline tracks completely weathered and ballasted.

        Photo  # 6  Denver & Rio Grande F-7's on the outer mainline track with the 1 1/2% grade. A Milwaukee Hiawatha # 1 is on the inner passing siding that is level.

        Photo  # 7  A PRR GG-1 with its heavyweight consist of passenger cars is on the graded outer mainline track. A Milwaukee Hiawatha # 1 is on the inner passing siding that is level.

Photo  # 8  Completely weathered and ballasted  graded outer mainline track. The two inner mainline tracks in this turnaround area are level. These tracks are for locomotives that can't negotiate the 1/2% grade on the outer mainline.

Photo  # 9  A closer look at the outer mainline track which has the 1 1/2% grade.

Photo # 10 This the highest point on the graded outer mainline track heading back to San Marino.

 If you do decide to add grades to your layout, it requires careful planning. By adding grades with Woodland Scenic Risers, you also enhance the scenic possibilities on your layout with changes in elevation. These grades will changes the dynamics of any layout and will make it more interesting to operate.