Maximum Track Length for Ascent/Descent?

[Brickey34]

I'm looking at the new Disney train pretty seriously, but I don't have any room for it in my layout. I was considering putting the station on the table, and then using wall-mounted track pieces, have it ascend until it's suspended a foot or so below the ceiling. Suspended trains is something I've seen done a lot before, however, they usually run their entire length at the ceiling level track without returning to table based display and then ascending again. I guess my question is, has anyone experimented with altitude climbs of 6-7 feet, and would the descent basically be just too steep for the train to handle, speed wise. Would it just crash off the track at the slightest turn? Plan B would be to just keep everything suspended from the ceiling and then do a shelf to hold the station. 

This would be my first train, so appreciate any help. Thank you! 

[Pdaitabird]

I've done some inclines with 9v trains before. The generally accepted guideline is a grade of 2 plates per 16-stud piece of track. I've gotten away with one brick per section of track, but it's unstable in curves and hard on the motor. Since a plate is 3.2mm thick, you're looking at around 286 pieces of track to ascend 6 feet.

[Brickey34]

Oh wow, that's so helpful, super specific! Thank you. Can I assume there aren't any elevation pieces like this one for the size track that the Disney train is running on? 

https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=85977&name=Train, Track Plastic, Narrow, Ramp, 5 Bricks Elevation&category=[Train, Track]#T=S&O={"iconly":0}

[Pdaitabird]

You're welcome! Unfortunately, there are no ramp pieces for the standard-size Lego track, but page 50 of Lego's 1980s-era 7777 Ideas Book includes a helpful tutorial for building incline supports.

[dr_spock]

Flex track works for making ramps.   Whether the train can make it up, that's another matter. 

 

[zephyr1934]

I've heard only one plate per 16 studs of track, but that would just double the number of track segments you need. While there is no particular limit on how high you can climb, e.g., this extreme layout, usually the limitation is the distance necessary to make that climb. Several folks have built spirals out of strictly curve pieces, so that is probably two plates per track segment... but it would have a larger footprint than the station itself.

If your layout is full with little chance to expand in the near future, maybe start swapping things in and out.

[Roadmonkeytj]

As much as I hate them I think a helix would be your best bet for 7 foot of vertical climb.  They are quite common in scale model rr but ask anyone thats ever used them they work great but are a real pita if you derail in the helix.  A vertical traverser might be something you could develop.  Ive thought of this myself with some of the GBC technology thats out there just a matter of adapting it to your needs!

Of course a super long ramp is the simple obvious solution, but you may find space to become an issue.

(Ps the link that zephyr1934 included uses a helix system)

[Brickey34]

Thank you all so much! This is really helpful. I think I'm going to rethink my plan. Perhaps put the whole thing suspended with the station on a shelf. 

[Despicable Dru]

I'm looking at putting an include (10cm down on one track and 10cm up on the other) to create two levels (one for fiddle yard and one for goods yard).

Trixbrix do include pillars which are in 3.2mm (1 plate) inclines so that seems to be the accepted norm.

https://www.trixbrix.eu/en_US/c/Supports-Pillars/30

[Vilhelm22]

Haddock 51 posted this topic in this forum a couple of years ago

Anyway, good luck!