My new N-scale layout will be a U-shaped walk-in layout in the long end of a narrow room. To make a 2nd level possible, I don’t want to give up the square footage required for a helix, but could easily do a hidden climbing track around the 3 outer walls. 2 “laps” around at a 2.5% grade gives me a 15" rise between levels.
Should I put this hidden climbing track behind the backdrop, or in front of the backdrop behind scenery? Working from the assumption that track you can’t access is a sentence of doom, I see the following pros and cons:
If I put the hidden climbing track BEHIND the backdrop,
it’s better hidden, but
reaching down to the upper lap over the top of the 2nd-level backdrop will be difficult
the need to be able to reach up to the lower lap from below the 1st level spoils my plans for a staging level underneath
needing about 3" for the climbing track and another 3" minimum for my arm, on each side of the room, robs me of an entire foot, which is 13% of my width.
If I put the hidden climbing track IN FRONT OF the backdrop, hidden behind scenery, then
reaching down to the upper lap is made easier, but
camouflaging the climbing track as it reaches the top may be more difficult and
I’m not sure I solve the issue of reaching up to the lower lap from underneath.
How are you more experienced modelers solving this issue of hidden climbing track around outer walls? Thank you very much,
Any hidden track has to have access that one can get at, this is where unforseen things happen. I may not have your total picture, but sounds to me that its a lot of hidden track, is there a way to design it to have all the track (most of it) in the open using a crossover on each end as you gain elevation.
Perhaps someone else may have a better idea, but dont be afraid to change your track plan, most of us change things as we build it anyhow. Lots of Luck…John
make the backdrop easily removable. A piece of 1" foam on edge requires little support. Glue poster board to it if a smoother surface is necessary.
using scenery to hide the track means you will either be removing the scenery occasionally or reaching over it to access the track. The little details may have difficulty s
Your problem interests me in a very contrarian manner. If you’re going to build a long, long grade, why hide it? I presume you will have operations going on on both levels - yards, towns, industries - and a long helper grade with a siding in the middle could be a visual and operating gem.
If, on the other hand, your operating scheme has that hidden track representing the unmodeled country between Kansas City and Denver, I’d go for hiding it behind the backdrop, with the backdrop sections easily removable for access. I’d also operate it intensively for a while before putting the backdrop into place.
Either way, be sure your trackwork is bulletproof before making any part of it inaccessible.
Chuck (who models long, heavy grades in 1:80 - twice-N, better known as HOj)
You have two choices if you are stuck on this arrangement you describe. You can have that hidden track actually go through the wall to the room/space behind it (don’t laugh! It has been done. ). If there is no space behind the wall, bring your hidden track out from the wall, but place it behind a long hillside. Inside the hill, where I can crawl under and reach up, I can get to every bit of the trackage that way. To keep trains from falling off that close edge, though, I used a long piece of 1/4" MDF to form a retaining wall. So, the tracks run right at the edge of the table, but that edge is actually nearly 9" away from the wall. Above this track, another 8.75", I have one part of my graded folded loop. The ground on which the elevated portion runs is the top of this long hillside that I described.
I agree that minimizing hidden trackage is a good thing; with space for the vast majority of us at a premium, why build and maintain stretches where the Sun don’t shine? Some of us would even say that staging tracks should be out in the open. Many of us would rather those staged trains stay out of sight so that they don’t command attention when others are vying for it.
I did get your e-mail, but hadn’t had a chance to answer.
My layout is in the planning stages (MANY stages, LOL). The original plan called for a large amount of hidden or mostly hidden trackage to make a nolix to a lower staging level. I had planned on scenicking the staging level to look like a classification yard. The long grades would have some exposed sections, more to keep track of where the trains are than for scenic effect. I wanted a good separation between the upper level and staging so had planned on having the grade loop under each end of the layout as it made its way down to staging (double-ended staging). I was not planning on disguising the grades along the 3 walls. I was going to build them close to the walls and in the shadow of the upper level to minimize the view.
I haven’t changed this plan yet, but I am concerned about maintaining the track. Few or no passing sidings were planned which eliminates a lot of maintenance headaches with turnouts. Keeping the track clean would be the biggest problem and that would be addressed with various track-cleaning methods including tank cars dispensing Rail-Zip, abrasive pad-equipped cars or Centerline track cleaning cars and good old fashioned abrasive eraser block with elbow grease when necessary.
I have also considered an elongated helix but I haven’t worked out the math on it yet. I don’t like helices because of the required curvatures that effectively increase the gradient. I was trying to maintain a grade of 1% or less in a 9x12’ layout space. The other problem with any helix is the limited separation between the helix levels, a problem I want to avoid.
The original plan was envisioned as a “C-” or “G-” shaped layout. A variation of the plan called for a higher elevation of the upper level to allow a walk-under section crossing in front of the door to the room, giving me the opportunity to have a VERY long single grade dow
Assuming that you aren’t trying to run trains that can’t handle the grade… My two suggestions would be: Try polishing the rails as suggested in several of the forum posts so you don’t have to clean it much - even if you don’t clean the rest of your track that way. Use as many sectional rerailer tracks on the hidden track as possible. These would hopefully eliminate the two most likely problems on the track. Also, you could try hiding some of the incline behind buildings and larger types of scenery that could be easily removed. In one of the recent MR articles they showed this technique with staging tracks. You could also leave a few points where the trains will be visible through the windows so you know they are still moving. You could also make the track visible every train length or so, if you can fit it in your scenicking OK. Again, this way you’ll be able to verify the trains are moving OK and resist the temptation to turn up the throttle. You could use a mirror to view the hidden track from above if necessary. I hope that helps. Randy