I know, I know, this topic is like beating a dead horse. BUT…
This is what I think I know:
1" over 100" = 1% grade
which would mean:
2" over 100" = 2% grade
Now, if the above is correct, if one wanted 12" of seperation between the upper an lower level’s of a layout with a 2% grade, that person would need 600" (50ft) of track!! Thats alot of track and benchwork for something that might not be seen!!!
So, here is my issue, in planning my next layout, I origianlly wanted to go thru a wall into a storage area. Well, that got nix’ed. So, I thought of putting the yard passing thru the doorway. Not a good idea either. Then I thought about putting the yard on a level 12" below the main layout. Hey, this can’t be that hard. That was until I did the calculation’s above and realized “that’s a lot of track!!!”.
So, here I sit dumbfounded as to what I can do with the 11.5ft x 13.5ft room in HO scale to get the continuous run and point to point that I want.
Either I’ve hit designers block or I’m asking to much of the room!
That is why helixes are also such a beaten dead-horse topic. 600" is not so much when it is stacked on top of itself several times.
C = Pi * diameter or Pi * 2 * radius
600 / C = number of loops required
To maintain the desired 2% the minimum raidus would have to be 24" (assuming 1/2" roadbed and a desired clearance of 2.5").
And that would take right at 4 loops.
Yep, that’s 17 sections of 3’ flex track for 1 line (34 for a double track.) about $60 in flex track. You would need to make 1 full curcuit around (the outside walls) if you use a nolix or 3 loops on a helix (dropping 4" per loop). The helix would need not scenery but is harder to build. Depending on your main bench height a 12" seperation may not be enough. You have to decide how important the second level is to you.
Law of Railroad Design #1: You can never get all you want into the space you have.
Law of multiple level layouts #1: See Law of Railroad Design #1.
How true SpaceMouse, how true!
I’ve been at this whole design thing for 2 years now and I’m only about half way to having something that might work.
Think I’ll just head to the basement and play with the antique!!
Have you thought about building the new layout in modules? Maybe something like 2x4 sections that can be combined to form the whole. That way you could spread the costs out over a longer time. You may also discover good and bad points about your main layout design as you move along.
stuinstra,
Thanks for the idea but, I’m just not a moduler person. I actually have about 50% of what I need to build a layout in the room. The real issue has been getting what I want out of it. If you hit my website, you’ll see the “antique” I have up now. I call it such because my grandfather started it back in 1950. This thing has been fun to mess with, but it is a real stinker to operate. Well, that’s not completely true if you juts want to run trains. Switching stinks! Want I want is a railroad with a purpose (that sounds familiar). Also, I would like to keep the continuous run. I can presently run 4 trains at the same time on this thing! Makes it nice when family comes over that haven’t been here before or nieghbors stop by to just run trains. I WANT MORE!!! (LOL)