Looks simple but must have taken ages?
https://3c-bs.gmx.com/mail/client/dereferrer?redirectUrl=https://youtu.be/qUZVv0nr2rc
https://3c-bs.gmx.com/mail/client/dereferrer?redirectUrl=https://youtu.be/qUZVv0nr2rc
An unusal model railway thing!
- Thread starter rjhowie
- Start date
mezzoprezzo
Content appreciator
It works in Trainz too!
Well someone had to do it!
I can't do Fraps, but it does work. Here's a still image.
Well someone had to do it!
I can't do Fraps, but it does work. Here's a still image.
Anyone else feel like they're being hypnotized by this video?
cascaderailroad
New member
I did one continuous spiral, right on top of all the other underneath tracks, and it elevated the train inside a mountain to hundreds of feet higher ... just like at a model RR club
Still the same error as the URL under the link text still refers to GMX, but with some copy-pasting, I was able to get this link out of it:
Cool movie; thanks for sharing.
OMG, that makes my head hurt!!:hehe:
cascaderailroad
New member
A helix in Trainz can work wonders in Trainz, elevating a train hundreds of feet, hidden inside a mountain ... it can be double tracked, and multiple tracked.
https://www.google.com/search?q=mod...ChMI4JmQ8JO0xwIVCj8-Ch3IKAD4&biw=1200&bih=639
https://www.google.com/search?q=mod...ChMI4JmQ8JO0xwIVCj8-Ch3IKAD4&biw=1200&bih=639
Last edited:
In model railroad nomenclature they are called either a spiral or a helix and are quite handy but require a definite amount of planning ahead.
1. Select fixed elevation change or fixed grade.
For a fixed elevation change of 3 inches in 360 degrees of rotation you get (approx):
18" radius 2.65% grade
24" radius 1.98% grade
30" radius 1.59% grade
36" radius 1.13% grade
For a fixed grade you get the following elevation changes (based on a 2.65% grade):
18" radius 3 inches of elevation change
24" radius 4 inches of elevation change
30" raduis 5 inches of elevation change
36" radius 6 inches of elevation change
As you can see there are advantages and disadvantages to whatever combination/scheme you chose.
This is the most important choice but the ruling criteria is almost always how much space is space available. A spiral/helix takes up a lot of space.
2. Where to put it:
Best choice is in another room separate from the actual model RR. This allows more then enough room allowing a far better choice of radius/grade
(the missus won't notice those holes in the wall).
Next best (I think) is in corners. Tracks not part of the spiral/helix can be run both in front of it and behind it. Ease of access is critical. Tracks behind
it should be as large a radius as possible.
Worst (to me) is any old place. Access is usually quite restricted and can be a problem.
3. Physics rules.
Traincars on curves want to derail towards the center of the curve. The sharper the curve the more they want to derail.
Placing that curve on a grade increases the chances of a derailment. The greater the grade the greater chance of derailment.
4. You must plan ahead for derailments.
Access to re-rail the cars and easy visual inspection is a must.
Preventative measures to contain the traincars from falling out of the spiral/helix towards the center and all the way to the floor (not good) must be taken.
This is usually done with thin, flexible, and transparent plastic of some kind that is slotted at the bottom to slip over bolts on the inside of the spiral/helix.
They can easily be removed to re-rail traincars and when in place prevent the catastrophic damage of a fall all the way to the floor.
5. How to build one.
Most RR books I've seen show wooden blocks used as spacers glued between successive levels of the spiral/helix.
This works of course but what if you make a booboo on level 2 of a 6 level spiral/helix? A lot to tear out and redo.
A better choice is to use wood screws instead of glue. Repairs are far easier.
An usual alternative (which I have used) is threaded rods. Each level is adjustable by moving the nuts on the threaded rod.
6. Power.
Track length climbs quite quickly. 360 degrees of 18" radius is close to 10 feet of track. Change that to 36" radius and you get close to 19 feet of track.
Some of your locos are going up grade and drawing heavily on the power so feeder wires are pretty much a must on each level to prevent voltage drop.
So in conclusion - - - everyone go out and build one.:hehe:
Ben (who just tore a 12 level one down).
1. Select fixed elevation change or fixed grade.
For a fixed elevation change of 3 inches in 360 degrees of rotation you get (approx):
18" radius 2.65% grade
24" radius 1.98% grade
30" radius 1.59% grade
36" radius 1.13% grade
For a fixed grade you get the following elevation changes (based on a 2.65% grade):
18" radius 3 inches of elevation change
24" radius 4 inches of elevation change
30" raduis 5 inches of elevation change
36" radius 6 inches of elevation change
As you can see there are advantages and disadvantages to whatever combination/scheme you chose.
This is the most important choice but the ruling criteria is almost always how much space is space available. A spiral/helix takes up a lot of space.
2. Where to put it:
Best choice is in another room separate from the actual model RR. This allows more then enough room allowing a far better choice of radius/grade
(the missus won't notice those holes in the wall).
Next best (I think) is in corners. Tracks not part of the spiral/helix can be run both in front of it and behind it. Ease of access is critical. Tracks behind
it should be as large a radius as possible.
Worst (to me) is any old place. Access is usually quite restricted and can be a problem.
3. Physics rules.
Traincars on curves want to derail towards the center of the curve. The sharper the curve the more they want to derail.
Placing that curve on a grade increases the chances of a derailment. The greater the grade the greater chance of derailment.
4. You must plan ahead for derailments.
Access to re-rail the cars and easy visual inspection is a must.
Preventative measures to contain the traincars from falling out of the spiral/helix towards the center and all the way to the floor (not good) must be taken.
This is usually done with thin, flexible, and transparent plastic of some kind that is slotted at the bottom to slip over bolts on the inside of the spiral/helix.
They can easily be removed to re-rail traincars and when in place prevent the catastrophic damage of a fall all the way to the floor.
5. How to build one.
Most RR books I've seen show wooden blocks used as spacers glued between successive levels of the spiral/helix.
This works of course but what if you make a booboo on level 2 of a 6 level spiral/helix? A lot to tear out and redo.
A better choice is to use wood screws instead of glue. Repairs are far easier.
An usual alternative (which I have used) is threaded rods. Each level is adjustable by moving the nuts on the threaded rod.
6. Power.
Track length climbs quite quickly. 360 degrees of 18" radius is close to 10 feet of track. Change that to 36" radius and you get close to 19 feet of track.
Some of your locos are going up grade and drawing heavily on the power so feeder wires are pretty much a must on each level to prevent voltage drop.
So in conclusion - - - everyone go out and build one.:hehe:
Ben (who just tore a 12 level one down).
Since they take up a lot of space, how about turning a 3-level on into a route
1:
There's another thing to think about too and this is modeling scale. Smaller scales, such as N-scale will still need enough space to fit a hand and arm inside. If we use the normal few inches height that's so common for tunnels and bridges, it's impossible to retrieve the loco or train car because we can't get our hands inside the space without destroying something.
The larger scales too have the opposite problem because of their large-sized locos and train cars. The heights will have be at least twice their size, maybe more, which can really increase the height of the second level and the space between the spirals in the helix.
Building something like this in Trainz is a bit redundant as there is no need for spirals to reach a second or third level, other than climbing up the side of a mountain, but it's a lot safer for the models and less painful to maintain.
John
The larger scales too have the opposite problem because of their large-sized locos and train cars. The heights will have be at least twice their size, maybe more, which can really increase the height of the second level and the space between the spirals in the helix.
Building something like this in Trainz is a bit redundant as there is no need for spirals to reach a second or third level, other than climbing up the side of a mountain, but it's a lot safer for the models and less painful to maintain.
John
Hi John:
Yup - A helix in O scale needs around 6 inches per revolution of height gain and of course a much larger radius. That's where putting it in another room helps a heap. In HO if your mainline minimum radius is 24" I'd use 48" radius for the helix. In O scale 72 and 120 or 144. That's a lot of room no matter what the scale.
Keeping the number of revolutions low makes them easier to hide but no matter how small - they are a large area of scenery with little to no track on it (something that just frosts most Model Rail Roaders to no end - self included). They usually end up as hills for a small number of revolutions or a mountain for large numbers (where the aliens live according to the conspiracy theorists).:hehe:
Ben
Yup - A helix in O scale needs around 6 inches per revolution of height gain and of course a much larger radius. That's where putting it in another room helps a heap. In HO if your mainline minimum radius is 24" I'd use 48" radius for the helix. In O scale 72 and 120 or 144. That's a lot of room no matter what the scale.
Keeping the number of revolutions low makes them easier to hide but no matter how small - they are a large area of scenery with little to no track on it (something that just frosts most Model Rail Roaders to no end - self included). They usually end up as hills for a small number of revolutions or a mountain for large numbers (where the aliens live according to the conspiracy theorists).:hehe:
Ben