Cross (super) Elevation

Bongo Boy

New Member
I'm talking about cant, or...banking the corners.

Never see it in the books, never see it discussed. Seems kinda important.

So The Newbie's questions are (and 1 gauge is the context):

1) Do we do it at all?
2) Do we wing it?
3) Do we have rules-of-thumb for setting it up?
4) If we do it and we measure it, what tools are used?

If you guys are ready to ban me from the forum, my apology. It's not that I mind re-bulding things 5 times, I just hate re-building them 10 times.
 

CalFlash

Member
Of course, it's not really necessary on model layouts other than for cosmetic looks. That being said, no need to do it in hidden or areas not viewable. But where it will be noticed, the effect is stunning. I've heard a suggestion that line from a "weed wacker" under the outer rail works well but what size? Also this dosen't lend itself to "feathering" the cant so something additional needs to be done or anther method employed. I believe my friend used strips of balsa under the outer rail and sanded them to a taper. Others' methods and results are encouraged.
 

grumbeast

Member
I've used a single piece of shirt cardboard under the outside edge of the curve (in n scale) and it looked great, no ill-effects to running either. Honestly I just went ahead an did it with no real planning and it worked.

Graham
 
I remember reading about a method I plan to try using 1/2" masking tape. Place multiple layers, along and centered under, the outside rail. The ballast will hide the tape. I think 14 layers were used in the example I read, depends on how much super-elevation you want. Extend each layer 2" more than the one above it to get a vertical taper. For roads, one third of the super-elevations is before the beggining and end of the curve. Seems easy enough to try.
Doc
 

davido

New Member
in n scale .010 styrene under every 15th tie in the easements, .020 in the curve. that is 1:160. works good looks good. just scale it up.


david
 
F

Fred_M

grumbeast said:
I've used a single piece of shirt cardboard under the outside edge of the curve (in n scale) and it looked great, no ill-effects to running either. Honestly I just went ahead an did it with no real planning and it worked.

Graham
That's the way I have always done it too. I used cerial box for the shims in HO. You are only shooting for a couple of degrees. Fred
 
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