For instance where I might build a winding rail with a maximum gradient of 6 in some places I'll see someone post a screenshot of the same route with a maximum gradient of 4. I realise it's not always possible to have a maximum of 5 or less but sometimes I build rail thinking it's good but still have a slight patch of 10 or so if I'm building up a mountain and think there's no other way through.
Is it just a case of practice or is there something I'm missing? I try to only build tunnels and bridges as a last resort as they are expensive although quicker and easier to build. I don't have any screenshots of my routes on hand and I'd consider myself a good player and not one who just builds a shortest distance track like an AI, but it always amazes me just what is possible by some players.
As a quick example of what I mean, I think the Brazil map posted in the archives was very mountainous and required delivering to Santos, a coastal city surrounded by cliffs, and I had to use the shay because my track had gradients around 10 to 15!
![yikes !*00*!](./images/smilies/yikes.gif)