Re: Maximum grade for NG RR lines?

I want to thank all of you who responded to my inquiry on maximum percent grade. I now have a better idea on the type of terrain I’m looking for. My field method during leaf off is simply walking the hillsides with a GPS unit looking for rail lines.

Several comments were made regarding looking for cut and fill areas and other grading. I have encountered a number of earthen trestles (for lack of a better term) bridging the gap along tributaries; many of which have prominent sandstone culverts at their base. In other cases, where there’s an open gap between lines, I presume a wooden trestle stood. These are quite obvious features; it’s the more subtle rails lines I was searching for. In another case, artifacts--two rail sections embedded along the stream bank--confirmed the line. The stream had eroded away the rail bed.

The incline or tram way was quite ingenious. A track was laid on a natural ridge spur; cars were winched up the ridge line until they reached the cliff line where a large U-shape cut had been made to ease the way on to the ridge to a turntable (I’m not exactly sure how a turntable was used?). There wasn’t a tipple at the camp, but they may have transported their coal to a tipple. By the early 1900s, all of the main rail lines had changed over to standard gauge but the spur lines remained NG.

When I get back to the office I’ll submit an old photograph of an engine used at the camp. I’m sure you’ll be able to identify the type.

Randy