How many of you like super-elevated curves

I super-elevate curves on my 072 elevated section.  Only the width of a Popsicle stick though.  In fact, that is what I use.

Super elevation. Is that another name for adding banking to a track's curve?

...I just read where its used to load both rails equally.  When running mine on flat curves at near full speed on 72" curve one  loco bounces back & forth off curved rail repeatedly.  Banking would help in that case I would expect.

We have all elevated curves at our club. (Central Operating Lines, Long Island NY). They work great, and the proof was in the pudding when I ran my childhood 027 engine recently. That bugger used to tip over at higher turn speeds all the time. Not at the club; flew around them. *Spark, Ozone, spark, spark spark spark.*

There have been some forum comments in the past that there is a greater chance of long toy trains pulling off the track to the inside of the curve when using super-elevation.  Is this really a problem?  Can it be mitigated when the cars are properly weighted?

I might try the popscile stick.But just to test it out.

The Trackers sometimes borrow a set of corners that are super-elevated. I think with the scale length or tall rolling stock it really adds a lot to the scene. I know at the last show where the Trackers used them there were some real railroaders that commented on the realistic lean of the train.

The big issue with modeling the super-elevation  is the transition from flat to banking and back. It must be accomplished in a gradual manner. Done correctly there is not an issue with trains derailing, uncoupling, or stringlining. Remember, you are trying to model a railroad, not Daytona.  I know those borrowed corners have a scale 6" super elevation (.125") the transitions are 6" long with .020" height increments, each increment is 2" long.

Steve

All my mainline curves are super elevated I pull 100' long trains.

Clem k

I superelevate my curves on my 6'X12' layout.   I agree with Steve that the transition from flat to superelevated is important to manage.   I am using Fastrack, and my superelevated curve starts on the tangent leading to the curve - a short distance.

Love em. Look great on curves over O90 and above.

We have super elevated curves at the NJ Hirailers club out of necessity. The helix on our layout is the perfect example. www.njhirailers.com

Definitely in favor of the superelevation. And easements, if you can do them. The trains just gliiiiiide into the curves that way. Looks so cool.

CAPPilot posted:

There have been some forum comments in the past that there is a greater chance of long toy trains pulling off the track to the inside of the curve when using super-elevation.  Is this really a problem?  Can it be mitigated when the cars are properly weighted?

Look nice with well done rise in the tangent. Not sure you'd want some of those Atlas 70 ton hoppers behind new Lionel 89' boxcars, the reverse would be OK!

Perhaps someone that has done them on their layout, with the transition, could make a tutorial for the rest of us so we can add them to out layouts, please.

I have couple of o54 curves on hills and at higher speeds (just passenger train speed not racing speed) the leading truck of my Berkshire likes to go straight.  This is after fixing the manufacturing issue with the bushings not being locked in properly.  I added super elevation to the curves and now the Berkshire tracks around the curves just fine.

Sure. And accurate where appropriate. Easy to do (on a layout), also.

I like the looks   but also  have had problems with large articulated locomotives derailing occasionally   using the pop cycle  method or a roll of wire under the cork  road bed along the outside tie.  Anyway  we eventually banked the whole road bed (cookie cutter method) and most of the problems went away... 

We have super elevation on our standard modular curves (inside track 072) and it works just fine. We run thirty + car trains including 21 inch passenger and long freight cars (Weaver TOFCs and longer) without straight lining.

It is interesting on how many comments we receive from visitors, even the less knowledgeable,  who notice the elevation. 

Earl Trygar

Anthracite HiRailers

My main line curves are superelevated.

I super elevated my O72 curves 1/4".  It sounds like alot, but I was able to run my GG1 pulling passenger or freight trains at higher speeds, under catenary, without an issue.  As some others have said, the superelevation actually improved tracking.

I super-elevate @ 1/16"  which works out to a scale 3". From what I could glean, railroads super elevate between 0-6". I figured that 3" was a nice point to start. I also stagger my curves. The "tight" curves on my inside mainline are 081-072-081. The outer mainline is 089-081-089. This tends to breakup the symmetrical look of a 0-72-072-072 curve.

My big curves are in the unfinished are of the attic. These are out of sight and are 0138, 0128, and 0120. I just cannot risk a derailment in this area.

The corners referenced above have compound radius curves 112-104-104-112 for an overall 108" diameter curve. Each of the three tracks has the same dimensions however the starting point for each is staggered which gives the same effect.

Steve

I remember reading a posting here some time ago about how much to bank a curve.  The poster said that 1/8" was a good height which would represent a 6 inch protype banking.  When I built my present layout, I added small blocks of .125" thk. styrene under the outer rail.  The banked curves are hardly noticeable unless you are looking for it.  It saved my runaway GP-40 from crashing to the floor, as it took an .054 curve at probably 80 or 90 smph until I got it stopped.  Some parts of my track are elevated that come down into the curves.  I can drift rolling stock through there at a fast clip and they don't show any signs of leaving the track.

Mike 

I use N scale cork roadbed under the outside rail to super elevate my mainline curves. It looks right to me.                                                                 I think it is a benefit only in apperance however in our scale world as the train may tend to "stringline" and derail if the train is long or the grade too steep. Despite the possible shortcomings, I love the look of a long train snaking through an "S" curve with super elevated track.

TJ

Number 90 posted:

My main line curves are superelevated.

Great video! The trains look really good on the elevated curves. 

Your track plan looks very interesting. Any chance you could post the plan? Thanks!

When I ran N Scale, I loved the look of the trains on the super elevated curves. 

Unless I missed something, I notice all of the above posts referencing to using banked curves are all for track of O54 and above.  What about for the sharper curve set (O31, O36, O42) of which I'm I a member of?  Can banked curved work on those or does it need to be wide radii?

If I wanted elevated curves, I'd use wooden chop-stix (I use them, cut into segments, for fence posts) which are sturdy and would raise the curve just a tad. Good idea?

 I've encountered issues with super elevations when using soft foam roadbed on curved sectional track.  The natural tendency for the track to lay flat will kink the inner rails ends because the foam has too much give.  For this reason it's wise to use a stiffer roadbed such as cork or homasote.  Other than that, I've developed an eye for super elevated curves and anything else looks unatural.

Bruce

It's rare I see layouts "do" superelevation at all or to any degree. It's fascinating to hands-on see the prototype do it, and how it might be replicated on a layout. In this case was a speeder ride on the Stewartstown RR in Pennsylvania, a old shortline with some considerable grades and curves...some of which felt akin to a roller coaster ride.

I tried creating them on our layout some years ago but encountered the 'humping' problem using sectional track and discarded it. Thanks Bruce for the possible explanation for what happened! I had cork roadbed on top of a soft foam sub-bed as well.

I highly recommend super-elevated mainlines - its a nice effect. Here's pictures of super-elevated curves on my former layout and one under construction. The under construction shows an easy method - note thin cardboard strips cut out to shape (not corrugated).

Number 90.. report to your own office . Train 17 has run a stop and proceed signal at the very beginning of the video...  The insulated section drops the signal before the train actually passes the signal.     

TonkaNut posted:

Awesome, let's see more of that beautiful layout!

PatKelly posted:

It's rare I see layouts "do" superelevation at all or to any degree. It's fascinating to hands-on see the prototype do it, and how it might be replicated on a layout. In this case was a speeder ride on the Stewartstown RR in Pennsylvania, a old shortline with some considerable grades and curves...some of which felt akin to a roller coaster ride.

Very nice to see that very pertinent photos of a real-life elevation. I'm not sure I ever saw one.

FrankM.

Amfleet25124 posted:

When I ran N Scale, I loved the look of the trains on the super elevated curves. 

Unless I missed something, I notice all of the above posts referencing to using banked curves are all for track of O54 and above.  What about for the sharper curve set (O31, O36, O42) of which I'm I a member of?  Can banked curved work on those or does it need to be wide radii?

O31 might be a problem.  Although if you follow the rules and make the transition gradual enough, say at least two track sections going in and coming out of the curve it could work.  The best way to determine if indeed it's possible is to experiment with some track and your locos and rolling stock.