Definition: The slope of a railroad track. A track's grade is expressed as the percentage of its rise for the length of its run. For example,if you have 100 inches of model railroad track, and the train climbs one inch, then the grade is 1%. So when 25 inches of track rise 1 inch the grade is 4%.
Model railroaders usually use grades of 2% - 4% on their layouts, though its not unusual to find modelers build grades of 5% or 6%. However, just as with real trains, the steeper the grade, the less cars your locomotives will be able to pull up the grade.
Model railroad grades are actually completely unrealistic. In real-life railroading there are three classes of grades; 0.8% to 1% is "light grade", 1% to 1.8% is "heavy grade", and anything greater than 1.8% is "mountain grade".
Model railroaders usually use grades of 2% - 4% on their layouts, though its not unusual to find modelers build grades of 5% or 6%. However, just as with real trains, the steeper the grade, the less cars your locomotives will be able to pull up the grade.
Model railroad grades are actually completely unrealistic. In real-life railroading there are three classes of grades; 0.8% to 1% is "light grade", 1% to 1.8% is "heavy grade", and anything greater than 1.8% is "mountain grade".