Hi there all
Quick question for everyone, my rail club friends and I are finally getting around to building our layout and want to make the most of what space we have. We have decided on a three possibly four level layout and will need at least two helixes. Is there a good website, magazine, or book that shows how to build one?
April '08 MRR for one!
And here’s something a bit more indepth: http://kalmbachcatalog.stores.yahoo.net/mrpdf032.html
Where Can I get both of these?
Click on the shop button at the top of the page. The April 08 Model Railroader may be on a newstand shelf still, otherwise you can order it as a back issue. The other resource is an information station article which can be purchased and downloaded from the Model Railroader shop too.
Mine is a live link to where you can purchase it. Just click the link and you’re in business.
[:)] I did notice that. I was going to do links but decided that since your link seemed to have been overlooked already I wouldn’t bother linking to the article etc. in my post.
Here is my trackwork. The Helix is on the left on the next table over. I guess you get what you pay for. And LIONs are Cheap!
ROAR
Not to be a picky person lion,Why didn’t you show the helex that this discuion is about? I wouldlike to see it two! Sorry if I stepped on your toes.
slow train Ed
Actually, you are looking at a helix in that photo. A very LONG helix. From the level on the left it makes two loops going down until it gets to the lower level an distance of 12 vertical inches. (and now there is another part of it that is finished that moves up in two loops around the table to attain the third level, about 14 vertical inches.) I was going to post the other photo of the round helix, but that was not in the “Photos” folder on my server, and so could not be displayed. Just for you though, I will move a copy of it into that folder and show it to you.
As you can see, it is just a loop of Celotex held up by foam blocks glued to the table. Actually the helix was not there at all to begin with. The trains made that 5" climb in just over a half loop plus some ramp at each end. My locomotives had no trouble climbing it, but I did tear it out and make the loop. Now the locomotives (R-15 subway cars actually) do not have to work so hard. It still takes two powered units to move a six car train up these grades and still adhere to the timetable.
ROAR
thank you lion.Now that you pointed it out ,the cub sees what you were talking about.
slowtrain Ed
have you looked at the helix kits that you can get from ashlin designs? He\they sell stuff on ebay. I’ve exchanged some emails with them about building a custom helix for us as I struggle with enough without tackling building a helix. (I’m thinking a helix is probably 4 trips to HD and 1 trip to urgent care…)
I built a helix and they are not that difficult to manage. I read the article last month in MRR and it did not have many details and was really kind of confusing (IMHO).
You can see a picture of my helix here:
At some point in the future I plan on documenting how it was constructed, but here’s a short description. I made a number of curved sections from 1/8" plywood. Each curved section was an 1/8th of the total diameter (I think), which required 8 sections to make the entire circle. I made the trackbed 1/4" thick by overlaying two sections on each other, staggering each section by 50%.
I used threaded rods and nuts to control the height so the trackbed was easily adjusted to the proper grade over the entire run. You can barely see one of the rods in the back of the first picture. The other rods are covered by the supports for the mainline run.
Here are other pictures.
-Tom
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