Hello all - first post on MRH.

I want to build a helix (major statement!) - on an existing layout. I have it basically designed. It is an oval shape, each loop about 248 in. long, 29 in. radius one end, 25 in. other. It is right at 2%, so roadbed-top to roadbed-top separation is almost 5 in. Except for the first 1/2 loop, the helix will be entirely hidden. I'm not in favor of little openings/windows along the grade - I just can't figure out how to make them look right. Maybe LED's or CCTV, maybe.

Just received an email from the PNR of NMRA.org:

"Carstens Closing

I have received information from a well respected member of the model railroad publishing field that Carstens, Inc is closing business this week. This brings to the end the publication of Railroad Model Craftsman Magazine, one of the oldest general publications in the hobby field.

The hobby will miss the information published in RMC and the overall support of our hobby from Carstens.

Hi Folks:

I have quit gluing ballast to my layout for over the last couple of months for several reasons. First, I no longer waste gobs of ballast every time I make a track change. I just vacuum up the unglued ballast and reuse it. Secondly, I don't have to spend the time cleaning glued ballast from my track before reusing it. This has worked so well for me that I am worried it is too easy. What, if any, adverse effects can this practice have? Thanks for any thoughts and suggestions regarding this matter.

W. Hudson 

Got some benchwork up and started to lay out some track lines today. As usual for me, the planning on paper didn't look so hot when I got to full size so I placed a couple of structures up on the table top to give the space some scale and laid out new track lines. I find the plywood stage to be kind of depressing. All that planning and visualization turned into a flat wasteland. Next up is figuring how and where to break up all that horizontal flatness.