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i think ive decided i need a helix at one end of my layout. it is only a single track, and it will be used to somewhat disguise a turnback by elevating the track along the wall behind the foreground track. ill post pictures soon for input. it has to be 25, no more than 26" radius. it will go round 1 and a half times, obviously, to send the track in the other direction. what should my endpoint elevation on the upper end be to have a balance between overhead clearance issues and not too riddiculous of a grade. i plan on running nothing oversizes, and no passenger trains. i have it set at 5.5 inch elevation difference between bottom and top right now, and in cadrail 3d, it appears to be enough clearance. it is at a 2.264% grade right now.
I did the same thing on my layout but after turning the one and a half turns the tracks (2) go under the layout thru a small staging yard.
I'm modeling HO so my nominal clearance is 3.5" with slight variances where necesary.
The radius is 29" and 27" more or less.
I wound up with over four inches clearance under the layouts 1x3" frame, so I guess it dropped seven or so inches. (off the top of my head, no coffee involved) I may be corrected on that. It is around a two to two and a half percent grade.
