Re: Clarification - (Railroad gradients)

["John Wayman" <trecker@bigpond.com>]

I have a book on Railroad Engineering that gives the correct formula.

"Grade lines or gradients are designated by the vertical change in 100 feet.
A grade rising 2 feet in a horizontal distance of 100 feet is called a plus,
or ascending, 2 percent, or two-nought, grade, commonly written + 2.0 grade;
a grade line descending a half foot in one hundred is called a minus
nought-five grade, written - 0.5, or - 0.5 per cent.

A grade of 45 degrees would be a 100 percent grade. A locomotive having only
driving wheels and no tender could theoretically just maintain itself at a
uniform slow velocity on  a grade of about 243/4 per cent. The steepest
trolley road grades are about 15 per cent."

Hope this helps

John Wayman


David Martin wrote in message <366b3375.0@news.camtech.net.au>...
>Here in Oz (& the UK), we state gradients as 1 in x, e.g. 1 in 50, 1 in 30,
>1 in 10 etc.
>In the US, & some other countries, they state gradients as a percentage.
>The question is, how do you convert between the two?
>
>A James Robinson has E-mailed me that the formula is:
>
>"one in X = (1/X)*100 percent.
>Example: one in fifty = 1/50 = .02 (or 2 percent)"
>
>Can anyone confirm that?
>
>Thanks!
>
>
>
>David Johnson wrote in message <366A8F7D.11AB433D@ozemail.com.au>...
>>David Martin wrote:
>>
>>> Wow, have I got everyone stumped?
>>>
>>> David Martin
>>> Blue Mountains Railway Pages
>>> http://www.mountains.net.au/plaza/rail/
>>
>>Yes.  I have no idea what this post is about.
>>
>>--
>>David Johnson
>>CityRail Guard
>>trainman@ozemail.com.au
>>http://www.ozemail.com.au/~trainman/
>>
>>
>
>