Howdy all.. I have decided that I need to have a lower level for staging for ops. In the operational world, my layout will be point to point,,, but for vistors and a potenial open house,, I will have a continous run option. So a helix is what is needed,, actaully two helices. There will a 16" difference in deck heights... so sitting here typing this,,, I could make a large staging yard and then in another area have some visable layout,, midwestern town,, large industry,, I still need to noodle on that. Here you can see the 120 degree sections of the curve. The red looking line is track center line which is a radius of 20". I figured on a sub-roadbed width of 2 1/2". As I was trying to get the most use out of a piece of plywood. I am using AC grade 1/2" plywood, then will afix cork, then CD 80 track. The benchwork came out to be 45 1/8" square. What I did was to set up a complete circle,, then allow for a 3/4" member to be the verticle support. Using a 5/16" dado. Which would leave about 7/16" - 1/2" of verticle member to afix to the base benchwork. I also added the 45 degree supports to prevent the frame from tweaking. I kept the outside frame clamped to insure square, then attached each of the corner braces. The next step was to create the verticle supports. I decided to use 2 1/4" as a distance from top of the rail to the bottom of the sub-roadbed. Using my plunge router with a 1/2" groove bit set to a depth of 5/16". I did two set of six uprights. I knew that the router would tear the last member so I needed to have a scrap piece for the start and end of the groove. Using a straight edge to guide the router insured of straight groove through all six pieces. Here is what I have so far,,, I am pretty pleased with the outcome. On the next helix I will cut the roadbed into 90 degree sections, so I can supports at all the joints. I think for this one I am going to use a biscuit joiner,, with yellow glue and beechnut wood biscuits. Where you see the orange clamp is zero elevation. In the grand idea of things,, there will be two helices,,, and one HUGE staging yard on the lower level. I did the work in these pictures in about 2 days,, taking breaks and even watching some TV also. Some people on here know,, that when I get going I will work for hours and hours. Ya'll have a merry christmas, and a happy new year. Adios, Wyatt
Wyatt, very nice indeed! I did the same style of supports you are doing for the inside of mine. I didn't have enough room to do them on the outside, so I used threaded round stock. Keep up the excellent work! :thumbs_up: -Mike
Hey Wyatt Looking super!!!!!! How did you come with the right length of supports to give you the proper elevations?? (21/4" divided by 4 or by 3) thx
Nice! I am starting my helix construction this weekend so I am veeeeeeeeeeery interested in your thread. Jamie
Thanx for the comments guys!!! Chris,, I knew that I had a height of 2 1/4" so I just went with that. 1. 0" 2. 9/16" 3.1 1/8" 4. 1 11/16" Those are the heights you see in the picture.. now the ones that go in between the ones that all ready are installed just go half of that.. SO you just add a 1/4" strong,, which means,, just a little bit smaller than 5/16". Any more questions just ask. Adios Wyatt
Wyatt: If the track enters at the bottom of the helix on a tangent that comes in from the west to the "North" supports (the pair of supports with the orange clamp), then which one of the 8 supports (North, East, South, West or NE,SE, SW, or NW) will serve as the exit point for the top of the helix where the tracks exit onto the tangent that connects to the upper level? Hopefully, the tangent will exit the top of the helix from the South supports, exactly 1/2 loop around the helix from the supports where the tracks entered the helix. This way, the lower and upper level tangents will both point to the west or both will point to the east... How do you plan to affix the track to the roadbed? Glue? Be sure to use a water soluable glue so -- at some future point -- you can soak it for a while when needed and then make repairs or adjustments to the track.
Dave,, what you typed is exactlly what I plan on doing.. I need to get the saw out and rip some more 1 x2's and finishing cutting the subroad bed out. Hopefuly I will have some pics later this weekend. Adios
Wyatt, Looks good, but I'm sure you know I'm not surprised. ;-) Can't wait to see some trains running on it!
I did a rough fit of the helix and frame in the place it is going to go,, I held the frame 4" off the wall,, so I will be able to fit a grain lead behind it ( Future expansion across the other side of the garage). I was thinking about putting an industrial park in the center,,maybe making the first lap visable,, with some retaining walls, or what not. Nothing is fastened together yet,,just a rough idea. I am going to start assembling this weekend,, doing the wiring and track loop by loop to insure quality. And also to insure ease of construction. Adios
