# Eyeballing Grades



## Del Tapparo (Jan 4, 2008)

Just a comment on grades. I am always amazed at the results of one estimating the grade of track by just looking at it. It seems to me the eyeball, regardless of the environment the track is in will almost always underestimate the grade. i.e. you look at it and say "That looks like about a 3-4% grade. And then upon measurement, you find it to be 13%! I am a big fan of measuring grades, and there are now a lot of neat tools to let us do just that. I use a plumbers level, marked in 1/8" per foot increments, that equals approximately 1% grade per increment. Not real high tech, but cheap and easy to use. 


The reason I bring this up is, I was out in the development lab (my garage) running some controlled tests on my Critter Controls. It has always been obvious to me by the way the locos run that there is a slight grade as my loop of track transitions across a seam in the concrete, as one would expect on a garage floor that needs to have some water runoff capability. I was just surprised when I measured 3%. It certainly looked flat!


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Cool 
I think when some of us use the term "eyeballing" is in making sure there is no dipping between grade stacks that was measured out. I figure grades but the eye is the best to see the "flow". 
Many garage floors usually have a 4" fall from back to over head door . 

BTY 
I was very happy with the install of your unit. I just have not had a place to use it on the RR ,,yet. 
I have 50' of 250 rail and what to place a trolley line,,,somewhere. My RR is just not big enough...


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

I made a simple tool for laying out grades. A 4' 1x2 with a cheap laser level glued in the middle of one edge with double sick tape. Then I cut some small blocks of wood about three inches long that can be screwed to the underside of the 4' 1x2. If the block on the end is 1" thick then when the level is showing level the grade would be 2%. Make sense? With the laser on you can "survey" the ground ahead. Used it to layout the grades on my whole layout.


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