Max grade for conventional Lionel

I think I'd stick with 2-2.5% for that mix.  With modern locomotives, you can get away with steeper grades.  You also have to consider how the grade will look.

Easy: use a set of Lionel graduated trestles. They're pretty much the max grade for postwar.

Max grade for postwar on "O"/"O-27" anyway.  There's a lot more iron in Lionel track than in GarGraves.  And it's still too steep.

 

Not to mention, the Lionel trestle set grade changes depending on which track you use.

So Rob, what would be your limit for that environment?

It's too subjective.  It really depends on a lot of factors - equipment, space, layout design, more. 

 

The recommended grade is the most gradual, least steep, that you have space for.

It depends on whether the engines have magnetraction or not, also.  On the last layout that I had with grades (Lionel trestle) the Magnetraction ones would go up them fine.  Steamers without it would pretty much spin hopelessly with any kind of load behind.

TrainsRMe,

   You make a good point, in reality the original Lionel Trestle was engineered for trains with Magna-Traction, if you run the old steamers you need to keep the rolling stock light

or you will develope Trestle Spin.  The longer more gradual your trestle incline, the better for the old steamers.  On our FasTrack layout it covered the entire back of a

18' platform.  It was eventually removed and re-engineered with different seperated level design, seperating the levels completely.

PCRR/Dave

 

If you wont your trains to run smoothly and look right see GRJohn's post above.

That said I have run Post War steamers on a five percent grade but with no more then a six car tail and make sure you lower the power on the way down, or have a crash net at the bottom.

Here's a 3.5 in O/O-27 track, 144" to get to 5" height-what do you need to pass under?

 

Frank, actually it's somewhat less than 3/8" per foot. A 1% grade is an inch of rise per every 100" of length. At 3/8" per foot, the rise would be around 3-1/8" which would work out to be a little over a 3% grade.

The ruling grade on my family's layout is 3% on a 66 inch diameter curve laid with Gargrave phantom track.  A 1990 Lionel scale Hudson without magnetraction will just pull four postwar aluminum passenger cars and one box car, after everything was lubed.  Starting from a stop on that curve requires a small amount of finesse with the throttle, just like the real thing.  Our Postwar Texas Special was unable to pull those same cars until we added a second powered truck.  A 1992 Lionel Frisco mike with traction tires will pull a coal drag of 10 modern hopper on 10 volts up and down the hills with no need for adjusting the throttle.  A Postwar Trainmaster maxes out at 12 postwar (lead wheel) cars.  Free wheeling engines do run away on 3%.  On those engines I throw the e-unit lever so I don't have to worry about accidentally changing direction because I will inevitably reduce track power to zero while trying to slow them down.  Super-elevated curves change from academic to providing peace of mind.  While all this make 3% sound really steep, I feel more like I am running trains and not toys because by approaching their physical limits they mimic the stories and videos I have seen of the real thing.  I hope my experience helps you chose your grade.  

Nathan