I am getting ready to start on the upper deck portion of my layout; what is a good seperation height between it and the lower deck? I have a helix that climbs 11", is that enough space?
Sounds tight to me. I’d want headspace on the lower deck about the same as the depth of the layout. For example, if the lower deck was two feet wide, I’d want two feet of head room. If the lower deck were four feet wide, I’d want four feet of headroom. Aside from that, don’t you want room for lower deck lights behind the valance? And enough headroom to work on lower deck track all the way back on the wall?
On the other hand, you don’t want your upper deck so high you cannot see the trains run.
Design is a compromise.
The difference between my upper and lower parts of my railroad is only 5 inches, now that is too tight! 11 inches would seem like a gymnasium to me and more than adequate. I guess it depends on how far you have to reach and what you have to do while reaching.
This is a good rule of thumb, but you also need to take into account the height of the decks relative to eye level and how far you can step back from the layout. The higher they are, and the farther back the viewing spot is, the less space you need between them to allow an unobstructed view of the lower level.
Put up some adjustable shelves and do some experiments. Alternatively, you can do some scale drawings but this is not going to be as reliable.
My lowest track is 31" off the floor. The highest is 76".
Missouri
The space is one that there isnt any std to. However you may want to ask your self some questions in teh design phase such as the following: Will you be building a level track or one that has elevations in it ? If flat then try a small mock up and test how much working room you need for operations, lights, scenery, buildings etc.
If install the lower level with elevations how much is the rise from the river or sea level ? Where will the upper section and the lower elevations be the closest ?
What type of lighting will you use between decks ? What type of lighting will you use overhead ? How will teh lighting shine or focus on the decks ? What scale will you build ? N? HO ? O ? The size of teh scale will play into the distance between decks.
I would also recommend that you purchase some of MRR model books, I beleive Tony Koester wrote a book on multi deck MRR ( Dnot qoute me on teh arthur ) but I believe a bit of research first would be helpful.
Lastly if you have not joined the NMRA ( National Model railroad Association ) I would strongly recommend that you join them and get plugged into a local club. There you can meet and visit other members RR and get some excellant tips, try operating on their RR and get a better feel for what you like and dont like. lso I would like to invite you to join us in Jeffires trackside diner where you can grab a cup of joe ( electronic version) and discuss MRR and some items not necassarily related to MRR.
YGW
Lots of factors to the separation. The viewing height, depth of benchwork, type of upper lever support, what type of scenes and structures and use oft he level (staging etc), grade if a nolix and the design of a helix (could add additional turns)
That 11" for narrowed shelf may work fine, or run another turn on the Helix for added height if desired.
Typically the heiight between decks works out to be in the 12-18" range, depending on the modeler’s goals. Probably the biggest factors are the depth of the scene and the height above the floor (height relative to the operator). The closer to eye level the deeper the scene can get and the less vertical clearance is needed.
Also remember the thickness of the upper deck has to be tanken into account, the roadbed, the support structure, wires, any switch linkages, etc, etc). All of that on the top level consumes space above the lower level.
Personally I think the depth should be proportional to the opening (not the separation). I will have two “shadow boxes” that will be switching areas. They are going to have only an 8-9" opening and will be about 6-9" deep at a base height of about 38" above the floor. The level above them will be about 10-12" above the deck of the lower level, about 50" above the floor. I may also be able to set back fascia of the upper level about 2" behind the location of the lower fascia.
Absolute minimum separation is whatever it takes to reach in over trains on the fore tracks, pick up a car on the back track and lift it over the cars on the fore tracks.
My lower deck is only a staging yard, so to climb out of staging to get to the main level at a reasonable grade, I settled on 5 inches. Ideally I don’t need to reach into the staging yard, only watch to see when a train is no longer fouling a switch. However, reality has shown there are times when I do need to reach in there and there simply isn’t enough access room at 5 inches. This is one of those things that comes back to bite you. However, it has worked all these years except it is less than as well as I would have liked.
So, I’m really not really talking about a true multi-decked layout.
Here’s a way to visualize the scenario…
What is the distance between/from “zero elevation” of the lower deck to “zero elevation” of the upper deck? Zero elevation means the primary level of track layout activity on eack deck.
Example: Start with 18" between/from lower zero elevation lower deck to zero elevation upper deck. If upper deck benchwork uses a 1"x3" under a 3/4" plywood base (which will also have lighting + fascia) – It needs at least 4" – Math #1: 18" -4" = 14". This means 14" for the lower deck backdrop.
Now, add in the lower deck scenery height differences above its zero elevation – Assuming 4" – Math #2: 18" -4" -4" = 10" between both decks. Dont forget, you’ll probably need at least 4" benchwork/fascia under the lower deck.
Also, the helix coming to the upper deck will have a slight grade. The upper deck’s track approach to the helix can begin perhaps 36" before getting to the helix entrance to eliminate an abrupt transition here. The helix will traverse lower deck zero elevation to the upper deck zero elevation.
P.S.: CR&T is using the Gallitzin Tunnels as inspiration for helix tunnel portals.
basically as much as you can spare. I didn’t want to squeeze a helix in my small room so I went with a no-lix. The grade is a bit more than I would have preferred at 2.9% and the clearance above staging is about 7.5 inches.
Upon the Layout of the LION the MIDDLE level was (and is) the mane level. The lower level was (at the first conception) the staging yards, and I did not leave much headroom in there. Just enough to stick a furry paw in there to re-rail something.
The Upper level was supposed to be a branch line, and was more or less out of the way.
THEN THEY INTRODUCED PLASTIC SUBWAY CARS !!!
The staging tracks were torn out, and a four track mane lion was put there in its place. It was very hard working in there, since the original stagin yards were built before the middle level was added. It looks OK because it IS a subway, but it is hard to work in there.
The upper level became part of the main line, so the main line now runs on all three levels as it makes its journey from 242nd Street to South Ferry and back again.
The top level is 12" wide and sits atop the “stilts” that support the layout. Its pack is against the wall.
The middle level is 16" wide, but is set out from the wall by 6" for behind this level are the stilts that hold the layout up. There is about 16" between these levels.
The lower level is also 16" wide, and again set out from the wall by 6", but there is only 12" between the levels. The lumber holding each level is 4" wide, so that leaves only 8" of access to the lower level, which is almost not enough, but as I spake, it was not intended to be modeled.
LION is now putting finished fascias up, and is quite pleased with himself. Because glue (silicone caulk) must dry, him can only put up one 6’ section each day, for the next section must mate with the previous section which it cannot do until the caulk sets.
ROAR