33 - Building the middle helix

In this video, I connect the middle and upper decks together by building a helix! This video goes through some of the planning and thought process, construction timelapses, and how-to parts.

[@segundaaguada]

Thanks for sharing this detailed progress. Beautifully done. I learned the hard-way some years back when I built mine. One of the things I tried that worked for me was to leave “flat sections-no-%” in the helix so that locomotives could “recover” a bit of inertia before progressing upwards. Anyway I’m N scale and I only have 1,5% grades, but long passenger trains sometimes couldn’t make to the top without slipping. Thank you again for the very informative video. Following progress!

[@simonjacobs9616]

Fantastic to watch your progress.

[@gncascadedivision]

Thanks!

[@ericcoughlan]

Great work. I love the way you have explained all the decision points necessary when building a helix. We have built two helixes, one using the block method and one using the threaded rod method. The threaded rod method has proven to be the best as it has allowed us to adjust where necessary. We have found that after about 6 months the timber will shrink or expand as it settles in the environment. I have heard from other layout builders that they have also encountered the problem, so it is not unique to our environment. This will cause the grade on the helix to change a little, and you can get slight humps or dips. With the rod method, these can be easily fixed as it is just a matter of either lowering or raising the nuts at the appropriate points.

[@gncascadedivision]

Thanks! Yes, adjustability in the future isn't something I think I touched on, but it's definitely something that was on my mind. Most of the wood in the basement stays mostly okay with only minor fluctuations as the wood fully dries out. But in a helix, it wouldn't take much for it to become a problem! Iain

[@ronhart4166]

Great to see some modern loco's ❤ I freelance also ! Love all trains myself 🎉 What an amazing railway. You have come a long way for sure. Merry Christmas 🎄

[@gncascadedivision]

Thank you! I have a little fleet of modern locos, but mostly it's 1950s + 60s. I try to at least limit myself on the modern locos as there's so many trains otherwise! I hope you and yours have a good Christmas. Thank for following along and supporting the layout. Iain

[@marsfromrexford]

I was really pleasantly surprised how well mine worked out and performed in N scale. I made it such that I can crawl under and access the tracks from inside the helix because it was close to a wall. I used the consistent block method, it was a little asymmetric grade wise but works fine even with pushers. I used code 55 Atlas sectional track- 21.125 or something like that, It was a long complicated build. Great work as always!!!

[@gncascadedivision]

Yep, I've seen plenty of helixes you can climb into. This is just small enough I can reach over, and since it's above where Spokane will be, would have been hard to climb inside! Glad the block method worked out for you though, I've seen a monster helix that used that approach. I was surprised how well the threaded rods work, and whatever gets trains running is what matters! Iain

[@ronhart4166]

Impressive as always !!! I have to say, the short time on the helix is spot on. I have seen trains literally get lost on the really large helix. I think you timed this one perfect. It was quite pleasant watching the train on this loop. I was wanting to know what your plywood thickness was for the helix and on ramp. Thanks for sharing !!

[@gncascadedivision]

Thank you. Yes - sometimes helixes are just too big, and the trains are in there for 8-10 minutes. Too long for my taste, but each to their own. Here, it's about 2:30 to 3 mins in the helix, which is just enough to signify that some distance has been traveled (although in this case, not that much on the prototype, really). The helix itself is made from 1/2" sanded plywood, a somewhat high grade, and the on-ramp section from Monroe was 19/32". There's then a 1/8" tempered hardboard strip that connects the two.

[@bertusduiverman4743]

Wonderful work. Great video.

[@gncascadedivision]

Thanks! I'm really happy with how it turned out. Iain

[@gary-williams]

32:19 I'm planning to mount one of those digital levels on an HO-scale depressed-center flatcar and use it as a "track inspection" car for checking grades.

[@gncascadedivision]

Oh, that's a clever idea! I need to pick up a track cleaning car, so maybe I could multipurpose it. Iain

[@anthonyshipman3611]

Hi Iain, brilliant progress on the layout, happy Christmas to you and the family. Anthony.

[@gncascadedivision]

Thanks, Anthony. Merry Christmas to you and your family, too. I hope Santa treats you well! Iain

[@titustracy3342]

What did u use to put your wood pieces together

[@Trainsarecooll]

Very cool to see how you did this.

[@gncascadedivision]

Thanks, this was fun to build! I have the hardware and materials ready for the other helix, just need to get trackwork extended from Skykomish first. Iain

[@bobbymartinezvergara9130]

wuaoooo Wonderfull ,amazing , congratulations , Merry Christmas

[@NSResponder]

The thought that crosses my mind looking at this build is that if I made a helix, I would lay two tracks on it, and place the threaded rod between them. It would simplify the build by half the number of bolts and washers, and make possible the operation of both ascending and descending trains simultaneously.

[@gncascadedivision]

There's definitely double track helixes. I considered it, but I feel this adds operational interest, is a little more realistic with single track running either side, and reduced the cost and complexity. I'm not sure about a single rod though. You wouldn't be able to adjust the side to side to make it level. There's some amount of twist with turning and grading, so I think you'd have to use two rods to keep it all correctly in place. There's not much he gained in terms of simplifying it with only doing one rod. Iain

[@titustracy3342]

What size plywood did you use to cut your helix?

[@michaellee9975]

Nice work Iain.Very neat and tidy . Will time freights just be pulled by sets of Fs . Any Geeps or SDs on the roster at all ?

[@gncascadedivision]

Thanks! Probably mostly F units on the mainline, but I do have some Geeps, SDs, and Alcos in the fleet spread across the various roads that I'll be running. I'll look to put together a video that showcases some of the different motive power soon. Iain

[@erdwow]

After you had the height of the helix set the way you wanted, did you do any threadlocker on the nuts?

[@gncascadedivision]

I didn't threadlock the nuts as I'm expecting the wood to settle a little and require slight adjustments to the leveling. I'll give it another couple of months, and then see what needs adjusting. At that point, I might add threadlock. Iain

[@wethepeople7961]

a 3 x 3 helix base only supports a 2.75 grade ? i am planning a layout and the helix base of 3 x 3 is all the space i would like to dedicate to it.. your 10 inch deck height allowed for 3 and a half loops , anymore loops would effect the clearance but if your deck was hire it would allow for more loops and a lower grade ? or is the only way to lower a grade is to build lets say a helix on a 42 inch base ? thanks in advance for your input...

[@gncascadedivision]

The size of your helix base isn't really what determines the grade, it's that combination of deck separation and radius. So, the radius is limited by the base size, sure, but you could then reduce the deck separation if you wanted. If you increase your base size, you can increase the radius for the track, which reduces the grade given the same deck separation. It's all a balance. But, at 2.75% I can easily pull a 14-15 car Empire Builder with three F units, so until you start getting up to 3-4% grade, it's not really a concern in my opinion. Also remember that a lower grade by increasing the radius or decreasing the deck separation and adding rings increases the amount of time spent in the helix, which is kinda boring rather than having the trains on the mainline. It's all a balance. Good luck with your planning and build! Iain

[@DeathLetterBlues44]

That is not '"so little" of a helix but it looks great! 😎😎😎😎

[@gncascadedivision]

Well, it's little compared to some layouts where they're moving trains 18 inches or more! Three turns isn't too bad, but is what I had planned / wanted. Iain

[@juergenamlinger4410]

My helix is 2.9% grade to the top 1.9% grade up along the wall & back to 2.9% to the 2 level. 4 engines needed to pull a 21 car train good if they have traction . No traction no go.

[@gncascadedivision]

Yes, traction is key. A pair of F units can pull a 20-car freight train no problem up this helix. For 10-14+ car passenger trains, needs three locos. Iain