Google Earth shows what I thought: The grade peaks at the section house/water plug. It is virtually level from there past the depot location and down to the first curve headed toward Tanglefoot, then it begins to drop off.
Not that this makes much difference in the exceptional model the Aiken Chil-rens are creating.
One thing to remember is the large amount of fill placed where the parking lot is today. From the south siding, the ground dropped off down into where the highway is located today. The highway might be a bit lower that the natural slope that was there. Think Mr. Scholl posted a pic from 1968 that shows how much fill was added to the area. The coal house by the section house was much lower that it is today. That had to pic that building up when the ground was filled in.