I’m a little stuck on how I should hide my helix. The helix takes up a whole corner of my layout, which is in the corner of the train room, and it takes up a 4’ x 8’ section. The height is 57" high. I am modeling in HO. I can’t see how I can get any track up there to connect to the rest of the layout,and I don’t think I want to. The layout room is 24’ x 18’ the bench work is in the shape of the letter E. Anyone have any ideas or suggestions? Sorry I can’t show pictures at this time, but would love to see what you folks have over your helix.
Are you talking about covering it up? If not, you could extend some sort of view barrier around the viewable edges. Paint whatever your terrain is on that -or- create scenery from the top of the helix up. I don’t think that you want a cover on it as sooner or later you will need to get inside to maintain stuff and moving that cover somewhere else may be a pain!
Well I am trying to cover it up. As far as getting into the helix would be no problem, being so high I can always reach any part of the track of the helix from under the layout Thanks
My helix is a little different, but mostly hidden. the layout is three decks, top and middle connected by the helix. However, my helix circles but not in perfect circles, but instead climbs under the upper deck coming out on the top deck at a town, and the same on the middle deck. The top deck actually holds a major yard, but with access from behind large grain elevators which can be lifted out if needed exposing the backside of the helix for maintenance. All parts of the helix are accessible, and there are worse case scenarios built in for safety. It is difficult to explain on paper (or screen) and virtually impossible to photograph, but it has been in place since 1986.
As a side note, the middle and bottom deck do not use a helix, but instead a long grade which runs on a narrow shelf along two walls out of sight to reach the bottom deck. Again, it is hidden but accessible. I should also mention that the layout is built in two basement rooms, with the walls between intact, but a few tunnels here and there. The actual helix is confined to one of the rooms.
Where there is a will, there is a solution, maybe not perfect but workable.
Nearby Gallitzin Tunnels mountaintop railroading is my helix scenery inspiration, and; geographically on Horseshoe Curve’s west-slope then onto Johnstown.
Note the homes over the tunnel-portals at Gallitzin/Tunnel Hill including raifanning on the bridge to watch a 2001 Pennsy E7 special run? Also see the Gallitzin Wye at AR Tower (in essence a reverse loop) for helpers to return to Horseshoe Curve and east-slope into Altoona – Here’s Gallitzin at Terraserver.
I seem to be getting many views, but not much replies on this one. Could it be Most people have the same problem I have in hiding a helix? Well, thanks anyway.
I think the lack of responses may be because there aren’t that many helix builders on the site (or maybe they are on vacation). Check Pastorbob’s photos. Do a search on this site for “helix” and look at the threads (there are a lot of them).
There are lots of ways to hide the helix. Your solution will depend on how your layout topography is designed and how your track plan works. Many of the layouts in my area have helixes of one type or another that are hidden and/or incorporated into the scenery.
On my Layout, the helix is hidden from view by a black plywood fascia and is covered on top by a scene. Access is from underneath. The transition from the helix to the rest of the layout is hidden by rock walls buttressing the helix on the lower deck.
Jim Vail wrote an article several years ago titled “in defense of the helix” in Model Railroad Planning. It includes some ideas on hiding and incorporating a helix into the surrounding scenery. The article is available on this website here:
set helix out from wall for run around track at bottom level, ply in forgrond is one of my four swing ups
Will add a few others in a bit
The far back track is a storage track that gos around the helix, out of the tunnel is the outer track of a two track helix, top track (bridge) is off the outer helix rack.
The right side is the helix, trying to not make it looking like a wedding cake LOL Hope this helps
That is very helpful. all around the helix is unseen. It gos into a tunnel at the lower end, and after 3 turns it comes out onto a trestle bridge next to a water fall. What I would like to know is what should I out on for the top. I just don’t want a mountain.
And thanks to you Bob, Those picks are great. Your layout is looking good.
I just saw one on a NMRA home layout tour a couple weeks ago. It was pretty neat where as he built a barrel around the helix and put the name of the railroad on the side of it. On the lower deck it looked like it was going into a mountain, on the top he had a logging operation and the train circled around the yard and disappeared out of site. You never really watched the train go into the helix because your eyes were looking at the details of the logging yard. I might have some pics of it If I do I will post them at the beginning of the week
Click on the link in my sig below and go to page two of my photos to see what I did. Basically the top loop of the helix is finished with a mountain top and a coal mine scene with deep cuts around it. The outside of the loops is covered with 1/8" masonite and the lower two levels bump up again it. The “Hard Knox Coal Co” picture of the little wooden single car loader on page one is on level two up against the outer cover of the helix. Can post a wide angle view of the finished scene if you would like.
I’ve never built one, nor do I plan to, but since you don’t want a mountain on the top of your helix, it might help others to know what you plan to have on the rest of that deck.
My first thought is if it is a city/industrial area, to come out from behind a row of factory type buildings. They could have a yard in front of them, which would be over the core of the helix. If it is rural, bring the track out through a cut in a small hill.
My helix in the corner is crowned by a flattened hilltop with a five-tiered pagoda and some ancillary buildings, including a roofed-over sumo ring. the whole can be lifted off, using handles disguised as gnarled tree branches.
My other helix is imbedded in the side of a mountain. Access is from the other side of the peninsula.
Both are 350mm radius, slightly over one full turn, and are used to provide a step' by which to surmount a need to gain about 100mm elevation in 'way too little length. Since both ends are in the same scene’ they give the impression that the track wanders up a valley and then returns at the higher level. The valleys are selectively compressed and there are no tracks visible.
