modeling an inclined plane


gregc

gregc

Apprentice Modeler
i'm interested in how the Mahanoy Plane in Pa might be modeled in HO. http://www.flickr.com/photos/dianesf/1474592605/in/set-72157602240208292

the plane used a stationary steam engine to pull loaded coal cars up a mountain, while lowering empties. from there, they could easily reach the yard in st clair on their way south. the mahanoy tunnel made it obsolete. the plane rose 524' over a distance of 2460', a grade of 21%. this is an HO scale 6' x 28'. even if this were reduced to a rise of only 1', it would be ~5' long.

the more general question is how to realistically compress such real life features and make them appear realistic on a model railroad?
 
The important thing about a feauture like this is that it look like what you want, not be an exact match. The important thing is the 21% grade. If you were to reduce the rise to eight inches on a very steep mountainside, you could reproduce the look of the gravity railroad in about 3 feet with about a 14% grade. This would still look very steep in HO and should do what you want. This is one of those features that, even if you had the room to reproduce it in full scale, would overwhelm the layout and would look impossibly out of scale to most people.
 
Or you could reduce the rise. The full 524 feet is over 6 feet in HO. Reduce the total rise and you might squeeze it in, or model it as a non operating feature if your track plan does not accomodate the rise. If you're going to just do a diorama, make the rise as much as is practical for the diorama size. Reducing the grade would kind of defeat the purpose I think.

These are interesting features. I've ridden the inclines in Pittsburgh. They had a different purpose, and a much steeper grade though. What a view from the top!
 
Here's my "inclined plane" (upper right corner)
Yeah Westjet!
Ohhhh I really need another coffee! :rolleyes:
 
Wow, it must be time for bed. It took me a full minute to catch on to what I was supposed to be looking at.

And yes, yay WestJet! I'm sure most of our American friends have never heard of 'em though. :(
 
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