# Banking curves



## BNSF Fan (Feb 27, 2010)

For some reason, never even thought of it when laying my track. Although I'm not considering tearing it up and doing it, I'm wondering how many of you put some banking into your curves, and how much?


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I've tried it experimentally on an O27 layout, it did make a difference in how often my grandson could roll the train off the tracks.  I raised the outside of the curve about 3/16".


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Guys,

The term for banked rr track is "super elevated". We had some discussion of it, along with some example of super elevated O track in this thread here:

http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=3736

Regards,

TJ


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I just banked the whole track, it seemed to work out well. That looks like a TON of work!


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## tkruger (Jan 18, 2009)

I had a section of banked track when my board warped  Also had a slight valley and a hill. I am back to falt track on the curves though. At the speeds I run it all works fine.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I don't see what the fourth rail is for in the "super banked" track, and I've never seen that before. I have seen banked track on several layouts, they did it just like I did, tilt the track.


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

Bank Track is not a new idea.

I've showed this before. I just cant remember when.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Again, that seems like the hard way to do it. Why not just shim up the outside of the track run? MUCH easier and uses standard track.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

T-Man -- we had discussed the banked track in the link I gave in Post #3, above.

John -- per that link, I think we discussed/agreed that the 4th rail was for controlled action cars, whistles tenders, and the like.

Also, per that link, I think this stepped rail track was created by AF to "fix" a known performance problem with cars that were being built much too lightly.

TJ


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I've boxed all the really light (read that cheap) cars, and they're going on eBay one of these days. 

I'm not sure why the 4th rail would be on a curve and be triggering the operating cars, that's not normally where you want any "action".


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