O boy

[sd75i]

  I bought a layout about 3 years ago.  I am finally getting around to piecing it back together.  It's multilevel and with some of my adjustments,  I knew it wasn't going to lineup.  Any and all suggestions would be Great.  I've got quite a difference to make up.
Thanks

[sd75i]

  Kinda blurry but closer shot!

[up1950s]

So it is a model of the San Andreas ? There is either a missing section , or 2 sections in the wrong place , or those were dead ends covered by a mountain and tunnels .

[Rasputen]

That's a pretty big difference to make up by simply re-grading a transition.  It's a little hard to tell what's at the other end of the upper level along the wall, but I would seriously consider lowering the upper level so that you can make the sections line up again.

You're off to a good start!

[tom mann]

If the upper level right side was brought down to match the left side that would make for a pretty steep grade (I'm guessing 10%). I would start by raising the left section, since it looks like the upper level is at a good height. It isn't clear where the lower section against the wall goes, but that looks really low.

[sd75i]

  I wanted a bigger gap between the bottom and the top and I knew it was gonna be off but it's really off.  I think the top is gonna make a left and maybe another 40ft to work with.  Maybe another loop as well.

[jagged ben]

Wow, another walong.  Looks pretty well done too, is the track in good shape?

[Cajonpassfan]

Wow, another walong.  Looks pretty well done too, is the track in good shape?

.... and it looks wahigh, too

Okay, now that I had my fun, what does the peninsula in lower left hand corner look like? Is it a turnback loop?
If so, inserting a two turn helix might work, and of course redoing one of its approaches.
Hard to make suggestions without seeing the whole...

Otto

[sd75i]

A little bit of progress!

[mighalpern]

wow:
the bottom looks like a quick line up.  I would start there.
 the upper section has got to be off.  any way to lower upper section on the right side of the layout.
hard to tell from those 2 pictures.  must have lined up 3 years ago.  the cuts look straight forward.

[up1950s]

Ok , the high wall section should not be level and maybe not the far wall section that leads into it also . I would demount the high wall sections , support them with sticks to the lower level .Find the two ends of the grade , then align the whole high line to match both ends . Once that is in whack fasten the run with the ledger boards to the studs .

[eric220]

Not to bring math into this, but...

Measure the difference between the rail height of the two levels in inches. Multiply that number by four. That's how many feet of mainline run you need to make up the difference with just over a 2% grade (1 inch vertical in 48 inches horizontal). If you want exactly a 2% grade, multiply the difference by 50 and divide by 12. Either way, I'd estimate you've got at least 18 to 24 vertical inches there, which means finding between 72 to 100 horizontal feet to make up the difference.

Could you raise up the graded peninsula half of the distance and split the rest between the upper and lower levels? In other words, start the grade up from the lower level and down from the upper level back about 10 to 15 feet? That would add 20 to 30 horizontal feet to whatever you already have in the peninsula.

[jmlaboda - RIP]

Not to bring math into this, but...

Measure the difference between the rail height of the two levels in inches. Multiply that number by four. That's how many feet of mainline run you need to make up the difference with just over a 2% grade (1 inch vertical in 48 inches horizontal). If you want exactly a 2% grade, multiply the difference by 50 and divide by 12. Either way, I'd estimate you've got at least 18 to 24 vertical inches there, which means finding between 72 to 100 horizontal feet to make up the difference.

Could you raise up the graded peninsula half of the distance and split the rest between the upper and lower levels? In other words, start the grade up from the lower level and down from the upper level back about 10 to 15 feet? That would add 20 to 30 horizontal feet to whatever you already have in the peninsula.

Wow...  This is great information that I have never seen before.  While I am not facing a design of a layout right now it is great to have this information if I ever do face such a challenge.  Thanks so much!!!

[wcfn100]

Not to bring math into this, but...

Measure the difference between the rail height of the two levels in inches. Multiply that number by four. That's how many feet of mainline run you need to make up the difference with just over a 2% grade (1 inch vertical in 48 inches horizontal). If you want exactly a 2% grade, multiply the difference by 50 and divide by 12. Either way, I'd estimate you've got at least 18 to 24 vertical inches there, which means finding between 72 to 100 horizontal feet to make up the difference.

I think you forgot the chicken sacrifice.

Difference in levels in inches ÷ .02 = run in inches at 2%.

Change .02 to whatever grade you want, divide by 12 for feet.


Jason

[eric220]

Wow...  This is great information that I have never seen before.  While I am not facing a design of a layout right now it is great to have this information if I ever do face such a challenge.  Thanks so much!!!

Thanks! I can't take credit for the "48 inches is close enough" trick. That's the max allowable grade in the Free-mo standard. It does make for a dang handy guesstimate tool, though! Similarly, you could use one inch in six feet to get roughly a 1.5% grade, or one inch in eight feet for one percent.