kit or scratch?

    I think it depends on the tools and experience you have? .......DaveB 

Used Kit

I decided to go the helix kit route.  The biggest consideration for my situation was time.  One word of caution - look at how the sections go together carefully.  I found it necessary to reinforce the roadbed joints to keep things straight (just a wood splice-plate and glue), but otherwise I was happy with the end result.  Its been in place roughly 4 years now with nary a problem.

Rick

I say build it from scratch

I say build it from scratch or turn in your man card.

http://www.onewolf.org/Album/LayoutConstruction/index.html#20160508_130547.jpg

LOL

Onewolf I am a hell of a good mechanic (race cars as well) but I really lack the imagination.  I am sure I could build it, it would just take me longer.  I have been working on a 4x12 layout for the past year and half.  Ultimately I have discovered some costly mistakes (ie one section has too steep incline, another double track to close to each other and trains clip each other)  Being as this one is so big I was thinking more of a shelf layout with long mainlines.  I have learned a lot in this time frame but its hard to tear it all apart and start over LOL.

Awesome Helix Onewolf

I just went through all your pics and all I can say is WOW.  That thing is huge.  I am only doing N scale so it won't be quite as big but nicely done.  I think I am going to use the threaded rod method.  It should be easier to adjust.  Now just have to decide what radius I want to use.

Helix kit? Where might one

Helix kit? Where might one find said "helix kit"?

Thanks.

Andre

Helix Kits

I used one of the kits from Ashlin trains  ( URL Deleted ).  Based upon their website they have them for HO, N and Z scales. 

Rick

Moderator note:URL deleted since it appears the website has been taken over by malware types. 

Thanks!  Very

Thanks!  Very interesting.

Andre

I had a helix custom designed for me...

While I'm pretty handy, I knew my limitations and this was one of them. Wood is forgiving, but a helix needs to be spot on for the grades. I also needed to mainline tracks to go around the top of the helix, so I had mine custom designed, and shipped to me. Not sure if I can mention the name of the company since they don't advertise here, so contact me offline for details. Mine goes up 12" and is a 2 track helix plus 2 tracks around the top and one around the bottom.

Took me 5 months of nights to build, and it works like a charm. No derailments, or track issues.

Good luck in what you decide.

Neal

Scratch!

Scratch!  Once you get the grade on the first turn right, the follow on levels are easy.

Onewolf has a very nice

Onewolf has a very nice helix, don't do N gauge no eyes, made a double track for ho from a calculation program on Google. It gave me the end result when I input the dia. - the height between each layer and told me how many parts I would get out of a 4' X 8' sheet of material. Used 2 layers of 1/8" tempered hardboard and half lapped each joint. Built it on my driway concrete and glued up the whole thing on a saturday. Let it cure till the next weekend. over cut some 1/8" X 1 aluminum flatbar Under each layer for the threaded rod and spaced it with a precut block of wood on the way up. Total build time 10 hrs. under 100.00 for all the materials.

Very happy with this 42" X 72" double track oval helix.

Easy to do, have fun!

Heres a link for the calculations http://www.modelbuildings.org/free-helix-design-calculator.html.

RJ

Helix - Build It Yourself

I scratch built built two oblong helixes for my N-Scale layout.  I had researched the companies that had kits in both N & HO to see what would work, if at all, in the space that I had allocated.  The N-Scale kits, in my opinion, have too small a radius which ultimately increases the friction on the wheels and the apparent grade (John Armstrong has a discussion in one of his books about the apparent increase in the grade of a helix). While the HO kits had a better radius, they would require some modification to fit my space.  So that is why I built my own. There is a detailed two set video on YouTube by a gentleman, last name is Johnston (I think), that shows how to build one in HO that I watched several times before starting mine back in 2012.  Good Luck.....John

I found a website with a

I found a website with a calculation built in to it as well.  Being that I am using N scale I put in the numbers for like a 18 and 19 radius, it came back with a incline of something like 1.58% which I don't think is too bad.  Nothing over 2% came up when playing with different radius curves.  What do y'all think, is that incline ok?  The longest car that I could think of that will be on it would be a 5 car intermodal or maybe a amtrak train cars.

Ngwpwr that is the same helix

Ngwpwr that is the same helix calculator that I used.

 "I put in the numbers for

That sounds pretty good to me.I had 19 inch minimum radius curves on my N scale layout and they seemed fine for longer modern cars.If you want to run long trains up the helix you could always add mid train helpers like they do on Tehachapi and other curving climbs......DaveB 

helix calculator

Hi to all, here is my little contribution:

how to calcolate and build an helix

http://www.plasticando.com/magazine/0301/elicoidale1.html

here the helix during a train show:

What are the spacing between

What are the spacing between the tracks need to be when using a 18 and 19" radius.  I don't need the trains hitting each other as they pass by each other.  Or if I went to a 17 and 19 then I know they won't hit.  Right