Atomic Systems

Eager to get started properly on the new route I'm creating. Thanks to two very kind people from these forums, I've got the track plans and the gradient info. But I'm not to sure how to translate the gradient info given on those plans to laying the track in Route Editor to match up to those gradients.

For instance, the gradient at Weston Super Mare station heading west is 1/336(not sure if thats up or downhill). I can't seem to make much sense of the info given in the route building book. So does anyone how to lay a track of 1/336 in Route Editor? And how do you translate it exactly? Hope that makes sense.

Cheers in advance for any help. Once I know the answer to that question, I should hopefully know what to do for the rest of the route and I'll be well on my way without further delay.

Browse to
http://www.railpage.org.au/steam4me/tra ... track.html
and scroll to the bottom of the file for a table that converts MSTS degrees into "1 in x" and "%" type grades.

There's actually a few good tutorials on route-building at my tutorial page ( http://www.railpage.org.au/steam4me/trainsim/tutorials ), many written by Jim "Sniper" Ward who seems to be a natural when it comes to route-building and imparting his knowledge.

OK, thanks very much for that. Very helpful.

Hmmm... your page now seems not to be accessable. Will have to try again later on tonight.

Perhaps Matt should put this in a FAQ (or Mike Vone should update his route building book).

You can calculate infinitely variable gradients by dividing the gradient numerator (say 100) into the denominator (1) as in 1 in 100 then taking the *inverse* tangent - extended Windows calculator lets you do this.

In the case of 1 in 100 (or 1%) the angle is 0.572. By using the mouse alone when rotating track up or down, you can only do so in increments of 0.15 degrees. Use the End key i/c/w the NumPad Up/Down keys for finer control and you can set most grades to within 0.001 of a degree.

That website from Steam4me is still down.

Thanks for that info Bigvern. Didn't quite understand it well though. Can you give me an example of how I would use the Windows calculator to find out MSTS gradient equivalant of a gradient of 1/336 please. And then I'll know how to calculate the rest of the gradients for my route.

Cheers.

Open windows calculator

View | scientific

press 1

press /

press 336

press =

click the "inv" box
click the TAN button

observe the answer : 0.17052264983388820307668267265081

round to 0.171

(Tested with winxp and win98 calculators!)

-Alan

Cheers Asalmon!

I also do a similar calculation but i don't use a scientific calulator, Instead I do the 1/333 = 0.003003

Then * by 57.297297 = 0.1720637

And this is the exact MSTS Angle. (0.172, to get this in MSTS use mouse to set 0.150 angle then press and hold [END] key, use [keypad 8,2] to adjust to 0.172)

the 57.297297 is the Inv Tan calc.

saves time and is good for low spec M/c.


Alan Heath

The simple way is to divide your MSTS % gradient into 57.24. So the maximum track incline MSTS will allow is 3% which is 1 in 19.08. 1.5% is 1 in 38.16.

Some 'common' railway gradients:

1 in 30 1.908 deg
1 in 40 1.431
1 in 50 1.145
1 in 60 0.954
1 in 70 0.818
1 in 80 0.716
1 in 90 0.636
1 in 100 0.572
1 in 150 0.382
1 in 200 0.286
1 in 250 0.382
1 in 300 0.191
1 in 400 0.143
1 in 500 0.114
1 in 600 0.095