How about

An open pit mine!  
 

Or a mountain in the middle of the prairies, like Jackass Mountain in Montana, or the Cypress Hills in Alberta. 

Or just  hide it behind a hinged backdrop.

The traditional solution...

Put the helix in another room and use trees and terrain to disguise the holes in the wall. 

Hiding

Low hills

Row of trees

Buildings

Elevator

Gap in the backdrop

Hole in the backdrop

Through truss bridge

Highway overpass

Hide a Helix

So, a large part of the helix will just be "boxed in" with fascia to finish up the layout presentation.

For the scenic transition, there's been a lot written in various places about how to hide *any* transition of a track leaving the scenic'ed layout through a hole in the backdrop.

The upper level is easier as you can swing the track around a hill, through a thick forest, behind a large building, etc. and just let it disappear as it drops behind the view block(s). On the lower level, bring the backdrop in front of the actual helix and then treat the "hole in the sky" using various scenic methods (buildings, hills, trees, bridges, etc.)

This track punches through the backdrop directly in front of your face on a narrow shelf on the club layout (and drops into a helix to a lower level):

I wish I had a better shot of this on hand, but the tree line on the backdrop goes right above the hole, and there's a short piece of green-painted "backdrop" inside the hole as well and a light bulb so that when you look in, it all blends as "forest" and not "black hole" (unless the light burns out lol)

This YouTube video link shows a local train shoving a car through the backdrop hole to go down to the lumber mill at the bottom end of the helix. (FFW to about time index 2:20) 

You may have to crawl a little or use a rolling stool or something to get in, but inside the helix is a huge open working space.

I covered mine with a

I covered mine with a mountain.  The first image below shows the sub-structure of 1X2, with some swatches of aluminum/nylon window screen hot glued into place.  Then, with tunnel portals placed, I began to cover it all with ground goop.  The top half of the mountain slides back on to inverted L-girder lengths that act as guides or rails.  This allowed me to slide under the whole thing on the smooth and painted floor, and then to stand erect or at least to kneel.  The image at the bottom shows it all done, minus trees, weathering etc.

concealing a helix

You could buy an elephant costume and dress it up as an elephant in the corner, then no one would notice it.

If you don't want to make it into a mountain, and you don't have another room for it, you're probably stuck covering it in fascia. You'll want a form of construction that leaves the center hollow so you can crawl under and up into it to rerail anything that needs it. 

There's a danger of 'stringlining' where the cars go off the tracks to the inside of the helix, you'll want a solution to keep them from falling to the floor, but one that still lets you occasionally clean the track and rerail a derailed car or loco.

Everyone does it differently, at least in some respects. Lots of youtube vids on construciton - some are better than others.

Well,

Here's an idea:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikedanneman/7652711474

Jackfish tunnel, Lake Superior.  Just because you don't have mountains, doesn't mean you can't have tunnels.  The CPR fought it's way across the north shore of Lake Superior, and Jackfish tunnel was only one example of the extremes that caused. You can see the back end of this train in the far distance, crossing a causeway at the base of the bay.

A great way to enter your tunnel on the lower level.

Blair

Garage?

Most concealed helixes look like concealed helixes.  The track is hidden but it obvious what's really  there. I was lucky enough to be able to conceal my helix in the garage which is adjacent to my basement. Built a small, insulated room in the corner of our garage, opened up a couple of holes between the basement and garage and installed the helix in the new room. Totally hidden plus as a bonus I get an enclosed storage area in the garage. Just swapped the mower with the snowblower yesterday. 

Cantilevered Tracks & PVC Foamcore Construction

Whether you put the helix inside the layout room, or outback as I did, I would suggest you provide access from the inside, then you can scenic the exterior in many manners.

I would also suggest that you support the tracks in a 'cantilevered' manner' something like i did here,..
 

But i would suggest a much easier construction than mine,....a PVC foamcore method. I'll have to find that link if you're interested? (if I were beginning again I would choose this material/method).

The open access to the tracks with this arrangement has proven to be excellent for working/repairing of the tracks. Adding additional electrical connects has also been easier .

And of course track cleaning maintenance  has been much easier !!

Use the whole layout as a helix

This is another option.  you can figure out if it will work for you. It depends on the size of the layout.  On a large layout you can get a lot of elevation with a 1% grade.  I use 3pi software to design and it is great on elevations

Use the whole layout as a helix

I considered that approach when planning my yet-to-be-built layout, but I rejected it, because I think there really is an ideal height for a layout as far as standing and viewing it, or sitting down and viewing it. When you design a nolix the result is that large portions of the layout are at an in-between height. Too low for standing, too high for sitting. And if there's a layer above that, then that layer is too high for standing. 

Oh, you can have the ramp up from one layer to the next be behind the backdrop and out of sight, so you make one huge un-seen lap around the room to get up to the next level, then the scenicked portions of both levels can be mostly flat and at a nice height. But then how are you going to get in and out of the room? Maybe if you've got a stairway leading down into the room center. And how are you going to access that hidden track? With a helix you can at least climb into it. So I thought about a nolix and took the path more commonly taken instead.

So for me it's two primarily flat layers, with grades going up and down no more than an inch or two within a layer, plus a helix. I'm stacking return loops underneath and above the helix, so I'm going to end up with a spaghetti mountain in a corner, with nice simple round-the-walls mainline everywhere else, on two levels.

Too much concealment is a problem...

Long stretches of hidden track can become a problem. Operators, when faced with running a train they can't see often get fidgity fingers on the throttle resulting in a train blasting out of the hidden track going faster than they should.

That increase in speed will test the trackwork in the hidden area as well as wheel gauge, car weighting, couplers, etc.

It also means that if "something" happens in the hidden area the operator may not know that it's happened. Derailments (stringlining?), uncouplings, stalled locos or locos falling down (insufficient oomph to pull their train up grade) qualify as "somethings".

A hidden helix suffers from the worst of all detriments of hidden track.

They tend to have LOTS of track in them, amplifying the urge of operators who can't see their trains to keep increasing the throttle setting

Most of their track is on a curve. If the curve is tight it will create induced drag (due to the wheel on the inner rail traveling a shorter distance than the wheel on the outer rail. Extra drag can cause extra derailments and it's a leading cause of trains stalling out when locos can no longer muster the oomph necessary to keep a train moving.

Then there's the ever popular, "Oh rats, trains have started derailing at one spot in the helix" a sure sign something has gone wrong with the helix trackwork. Being able to see is a great advantage when working on trackwork. Crawling under the layout, then attempting to stand up or sit up to see what's going wrong is uncomfortable when we're young. When we get older it's a serious difficulty.

I guess what I'm saying is that when concealing a helix leave view ports so the crew has the opportunity to keep track of how their train on the helix is doing.  Rob Carey has several helices on his N scale D&RGW layout that are concealed. There are removable panels in the fascia that allow operators to take a peek at what's happening (or not happening). They also provide a way to reach inside the helix and "do something".

Another alternative is to divide the helix into multiple occupancy blocks and signal them with the signals visible on the fascia and letting a crew know that their train is still moving.

I have a 2-lap helix on my BC&SJ (it's construction is described in my Jan 2012 Up the Creek column). At this point it's completely open from the side where trains enter it at the bottom. Crews of trains going down-grade on the other side of the backdrop can see their trains by peeking underneath the fascia. There are also occupancy detectors with two repeater panels showing one's train's progress (at some future date to become 3 panels).

When I get to scenery above the helix I'll put a hill above it next to the aisle with the fascia going up at that point but open underneath which ill allow visibility of the helix. For willing to bend over and peek, they will find the same visibility then that bending and peeking have now.

Here's a photo of the helix taken during an op session in 2017. It's quite an eyesore but the crews graciously put up with it

The "doggie door" in the raised fascia fronting the hill that will someday materialize above it wiill be roughly where the gent in the lighter blue shirt is looking.

A helix is not ideal. It comes with lots of protential issues. Scrupulous attention to construction quality is necessary if trains are to run reliably through it. It also presents a jarring break when running trains, especially if its in the midst of the mainline somewhere.  But sometimes, adding a helix has some many advantage they outweigh the drawbacks.

Good luck on yours.

Charlie

Used A Helix Once...

...and vowed never again.

Mine was actually a double helix (stacked) that was used to connect three levels. (Three levels: Another bad idea.) There were four (or was it five?) track reverse loop (double ended) stages at the lower and upper levels.

Functionally, it accomplished what I designed it to do: Safely allow trains to climb or descend to each level as well as serve as stages top/bottom. I do not recall having any issues with derailments or string line incidents. Seeing as I ran multiple unit diesels, pulling the helix was never an issue.

Visually, I built it in the corner and created a hardboard "cabinet" to enclose it. The sides that faced the layout were given backdrops and I disguised the track entrances/exits as best I could. The upper level used an "above eye level" profile board to hide the stage. I cut viewing slots in the hardboard on the aisle side to allow the operators to watch the progress of their trains within the stage. The stage area was lighted for visibility.

Aesthetically, it was an eyesore. I made the best of it, but it was obviously a "cabinet area" with no good way of visually blending it into the layout.

The specifics:

Helix radius: 22" (Atlas code 100 sectional.)

Helix Grade: Something like 2.5% as I recall.

Typical train lengths: 13-14 with some trains being up to 17 or so cars.

Upsides:

* Using a helix in conjunction with multi-levels will allow significant increases in mainline run length.

* Multi levels (w/helix) will allow several more towns to be added compared to a single level layout.

* Multi level (w/helix) can mean the train only passes through a scene once.

Downsides:

* A good, smooth, helix is very challenging to build, and once built, to maintain. (Track cleaning/etc.)

* A helix takes inordinate amounts of track to accomplish the climb. In some situations, you can tie up as much track inside the helix as your visible levels consume.

* Significant time is consumed for the train to traverse the helix. This means the train will not be passing through visually pleasing portions of the layout, which gives one the feeling of making "progress" as the train glides through landscape. Instead, helix time will be spent twiddling your thumbs and waiting for your train... interspersed with peeking into the sight window (or watching lights, or looking at a TV screen/etc) to check progress. Not very "immersive".

* Maintenance is a pain. In the case of my tri-level helix cabinet, I had to crawl on my hands and knees in order to access the center of the helix for track cleaning. (Once inside, I could stand up.)

After living with the above layout for right at 11 years, at the end I was heartily sick of the tri-level approach w/helix connectors. The helix was a royal pain in the azz that added nothing to the visuals of the layout. The lowest level was too low (lowest level had to be operated while seated on a roll-about mechanic's roller scooter!), the middle level presented a sight angle issue, and the upper level too tall. Not much to like about it, other than "Boy howdy! Don't I have a long mainline run?"

IF one is desperate enough to use a helix for the added main line length and added layout area(s), then a helix makes that possible. IF you understand what you're getting into going in... then go for it. Hopefully you'll still feel the same way after living with it for a few years.

Best of luck whatever you decide!

Andre

Hidden hill

Hi,

way back when I still had plans on building a multi-level layout, I was also thinking about how I don't want to build a helix in the first place... Since then reality has reduced my layout to a smaller size.

One of the ideas I was entertaining is to have a "hill" track rising from one level to the next. The track would be hidden by scenery or behind the backdrop (edit: fascia). On the lower level a train would run from left to right. A curve would bring it around and it would run the hidden track up to the left end of the upper deck. Finally, the upper deck would be traversed left to right again. Very much like the letter "Z"

A completely different approach would be a train-lift. The train would go on the lift, stop, be lifted and drive out on the other level. It does solve the problem "get a train to the other level", however it has its own set of challenges.

Have fun!

Foamcore Helix

There are a number of folks disparaging the idea of helix(s).  But I believe they are a necessary item in many cases.

This is how I would construct one if I were doing anew,..

Foamcore Helix           PVC foamcore that is

Camera monitor inside

And I would place a camera monitor inside. I have yet to get one for myself,...looking for a deal on a used one.

Here’s my ‘top of the helix’;  I used 2” thick styrofoam and set the town on it  the track goes around the edge of the town.   

And since you haven’t started the layout, how about another point of view? Currently cameras in a locomotive are a diy project but Choo Choo Vision has made this a practical way to see hidden portions of your layout. 

Why not build your helix with the idea that it will be visible from only a cab view? The inside could be and entire backdrop or add some basic scenery to include grade crossings, roadways, milepost or even signals. This could include shallow relief buildings and overpasses as well as rock cuts and tunnels. 

Make the inside of the helix accessible to build and maintain but allow a deeper area for the track rather than the minimum needed. If high enough off the floor it might be a stoop under to access and enjoy running a train in this multi-level portion of the layout. The tracks needn’t be exact circles either and adding some straight sections, or portions of different radius, would allow the train to be visible from the outside of the helix as well (sometimes called a herniated helix). 

A helix is a huge undertaking and no small expense. It can have track that is equal to the entire length of your mainline. I suggest we rethink the helix. 

Will Annand  Will_Annand wrote:

I am in N scale, but I did mine as an abandoned Quarry. 48"x48"x18".
 

It's well done whatever the case.