These pier sets (23016 and its mate 23015) create good manageable inclines by snapping under the special viaduct KATO track. This set in meant to add to the 23015 piers with heights in between. This allows one to create more gradual (and therefore more realistic) inclines. I used the gradual piers under regular KATO track, using a touch of glue between the white adapter and the underside of the track. These adapters are wider than those on the 23015 piers and pivot on the pier to align with the underside of the track. I found that all my engines would readily climb even the steep grade produced by a 23015 pier at each track joint, spaced 8 or 9 inches apart. Using regular track instead of viaduct track allowed more freedom in pier placement, but of course gluing things together reduces freedom to change. I lay track and build landscaped terrain to have a place to build buildings that make a town and tell a story. You could carefully make your own piers out of Styrofoam but it would require more work and would be harder to make efficient overpasses. These piers look neat if left in the open, but I will cover them with plaster cloth and light weight plaster before I'm finished. I just need to install my electrics to track zones, signals, remote turnouts, and building lighting before the plaster and static flock goes down.