Superelevating Track

[nkalanaga]

Superelevation works much better with easements.  Trying to transition into elevation at a direct straight to circular curve location can do strange things to some locos.

[LV LOU]

Superelevation works much better with easements.  Trying to transition into elevation at a direct straight to circular curve location can do strange things to some locos.

Putting in too much superellevation,or transitioning too fast can bring some locos to a dead stop..Con Cor Pa,E's,Kato SW,early Atlas RS11,RS3,MANY steam locos with pickup issues,etc,simply can't cope with severe transition changes.You simply can't run 9" radius curves with 10 degrees of superellevation..

[rsn48]

Tim, you might want to look at this:

http://www.rgwrail.com/SuperElev.pdf

Rick N

[BCR 570]

Rick:

Interesting in that they are superelevating the roadbed rather than the track.  My roadbed is now secured down so I will be superelevating the track.


Tim

[keeper]

I tried 1.5 mm balsa wood on the outside of the Unitrack balast. It looks alright to me.

Thomas

[CSXDixieLine - RIP 1/27/2013]

Here is the link to my superelevation post that has been referenced a few times previously (thanks, BTW!):

http://csxdixieline.blogspot.com/2009/04/howto-superelevate-track.html

Before/after photo showing improved appearance from superelevation:



I have been quite happy with the results and have continued to use this approach as I lay additional track. My method comes from combining lots of research on the web along with trying out several options on my test layout. It should be noted that my superelevation is a bit exaggerated above what I have seen on other layouts, mostly HO. When I tried "normal" superelevation, it was hardly noticeable at all either in person or in photos/videos. My guess is that the effect of superelevation is more subtle on smaller N-scale models than it is in HO. However, when I bumped the height just a bit (a couple extra layers of tape) it immediately passed the eye test. I can also report that I have had no operational difficulties with my exaggerated superelevation, although I pretty much exclusively use the latest & greatest locomotives and rolling stock from manufacturers such as Kato, Atlas, FVM, BLMA, ExactRail, etc.

Jamie

[rsn48]

A friend of mine (modelling HO) recently told me that using super elevation on our layouts was falling out of favour but I forgot to ask him why.  Has anyone else heard this, I googled that topic but came up with nothing.  Tim for your info it was Graham.

[BCRail_FSJ]

Tim..

I used .020" styrene shims glued to underneath the outer edges of the ties on the approach curve to the Peace River bridge.   I used .010" to ease in to the full superelevation.    See photos below.. It looks 'just about right" to me.

[coosvalley]

Tim, was the line you are modelling superelevated? I thought I read this was a secondary line, which would have little superelevation unless it was built as mainly a passenger route, or a high speed line.

The real railroads are using less superelevation, from what I have learned as a trackman/track inspector. As older "mainline routes" have fallen into secondary status, the superelevation becomes more of a ploblem when repairing track, as the "high" rail kinda stays put, the "low" rail gets pounded into the earth/ballast, especially at the joints.  If i'm not mistaken, the FRA guy I spoke to about this said that about 1 1/2 to 2 inches is pretty much standard now, not much more.(this ,of course, depends on the intended use) The track I work on was built as a secondary passenger route, and in some spots I have found as much as 4 inches of superelevation. But it was a 50 mph line back then. At 20 mph there isn't much need for superelevation.

Food for thought....
'

[Kisatchie]

Dee must think she's in Chicago...


Hmm... my track has been
superelevated six inches
above the benchwork...

[BCR 570]

Jamie:

Good to see your work again!


Andy:

Yes, your superelevation looks right to me.  I am now fairly settled on .020" with ..005"/010"/.015" graduated approaches.


Coos:

Your question is a valid one and prompted me to check a few photos from a walk on the line in 2009:






I seem to recall from my line walk that it was.


Tim

[Lemosteam]

Tim, I was wondering this on the former forum some time ago.  Since most have to cut the masking tape to a smaller width so to avoid that step, I was toying around with the idea of using 1/8" wide pinstriping and graduating the thickensses as you suggest.  The pinstriping takes curves really well without bunching and adheres to raw wood really well too.  It is a little more expensive but 16 feet goes a long way.  I'm sure longer rolls are available (jcwhitney?), I got mine from the local auto store.

I used it to lay out a logging line (pardon my son's smiling face!):


 

[Ian MacMillan]

Tim, was the line you are modelling superelevated? I thought I read this was a secondary line, which would have little superelevation unless it was built as mainly a passenger route, or a high speed line.

The real railroads are using less superelevation, from what I have learned as a trackman/track inspector. As older "mainline routes" have fallen into secondary status, the superelevation becomes more of a ploblem when repairing track, as the "high" rail kinda stays put, the "low" rail gets pounded into the earth/ballast, especially at the joints.  If i'm not mistaken, the FRA guy I spoke to about this said that about 1 1/2 to 2 inches is pretty much standard now, not much more.(this ,of course, depends on the intended use) The track I work on was built as a secondary passenger route, and in some spots I have found as much as 4 inches of superelevation. But it was a 50 mph line back then. At 20 mph there isn't much need for superelevation.

Food for thought....
'

Spot on. When we do tie and ballast projects on curves on our line we end up removing the superelevation. For 25mph track its just not needed.

[coosvalley]

Tim, those pics definately show a good amount of superelevation,BUT, a pic from your era would convince me .I, however, do not need to be convinced, you do ! 
A tamper can change track structure very quickly. The track might have looked even better in your era, or possibly worse....

There would be some superelevation on the curves in any case,the question is how much........

BTW, I am VERY impressed by your trackwork......... code 40 wood ties 

[randgust]

For some reason I can't post, either.... expiriment...

There's some kind of phantom no-error-message timeout.  Must be a new member thing.  Oh well.  I can't post anything with a picture in it, or apparently anything over about 20 words.... still expirimenting....