Secured a layout space

[boatwrench]

After moving into the new home, doing most of the upgrades and nest building my DW and I wanted and finally retiring I have begun actually thinking of track planning. This will be my 3rd layout in the past two years, the 1st two were 4x8 and 4x6 for practice of techniques. Kicking around some ideas, minimum radius, era, one deck or two, if two where to locate helix and how large a diameter.

A 1988 release of Sunset Models HO USRA Heavy 2-10-2 would be the largest locomotive that would run on this layout. the center drivers are blind. Searching on-line there are not any reviews for that old of a product although the IHC and Bachman early 2000ish releases stated minimum 22"r. I sure miss not having access to club size layouts. So a couple of questions:

Knowing the bigger radius the better and knowing a 2-10-2 will look out of place, is 22" OK?

Are helixes worth the trouble? My 12' x 20' layout 30 years ago had a 36"r helix and I still thought the trains were out of view more than in the scenery running.

Givens:

1. Want to use a built Central Valley Truss Bridge
2. Aggregate Transfer, either rail to barge or vice-versa

For already drawn plans I like Bryon Henderson's 2011 rework of MRR's 4x8 project layout The Virginian.

 

[D&J RailRoad]

If you understand the mechanics of a helix and have the room to build one that actually works well with the railroad you want to build, absolutely.
Study it well. Understand easements and grade along with radii so you have no surprises.

 

[TLOC]

Congrats on getting a space. I hated my helix and I took it down and haven’t missed it. As Ken wrote if you understand the mechanics of it and have the space I have seen them work very well. Mine, IMO was too small at 28“ radius and while it worked it didn’t thrill me. The 6 axle diesels didn’t like it but the 4 axles did. I was too stubborn back then to switch to 4 axle stuff. The rise was 2.5 which was too steep.

 

[ctclibby]

110 x 110 in HO is pretty small for a helix. That said, I would try and stay below a 2% grade, much less if you are planning train lengths longer than 10ft as string-lining could get you. People have done this with a greater grade although they are usually running short trains; 5 or 6 cars and engine. Depends on what you want to accomplish. A 2% grade with 4" between the loops would be 200" inches of track per loop. Note that there is not much room for the 0-5-0 that needs to fix errant cars and engines: 1/8 MDF with 1/16th metal cross braces would give you just over 3.5" of 0-5-0 room which isn't much to play with, and that does not include ties and rail. Flextrack is your friend here as that can be glued down. Play room gets worse if you want multiple tracks in the helix. 5" between loops would be better or lowering the grade to 1.5% or both. Each of those options would make the loop track longer and the helix would grow. 22" radii is probably pretty tight but might work for a single track helix. Of course your trackwork has to be perfect as do the 2 vertical curves at the top and bottom. I am not trying to talk you out of a helix, just trying to let you know what you are up against. Build a 1.5 loop one and test what you want to do and that it does indeed do what you want to do. In other words, run your max length train up and down it, start and stop in the middle somewhere and adjust as necessary.

Edit: should have been 119 x 119

 

[JeffH]

I'm not sure I could have a helix. I wouldn't want to clean the track. Although, I would like to have a cone shaped mountain that a train climbs as it goes around, then exits the summit of the mountain via a bridge that crosses a river large enough for barge traffic.

In my opinion, if you want multiple elevations, you will most likely be happier with 2 different tracks. One at sea level and one up in the hills. It takes a really long stretch to climb high enough for another track to go underneath. At a 3% grade (which is really steep for a train) it takes 13 feet to rise 4 inches, and that doesn't include a little extra length on each end to ease into the grade.

 

[JeffH]

Here's a mock-up of how I might build out benchwork in that room. Inside the closet would either be a workbench, or a yard to store various trains. There would be enough room for a chair or stool to sit at the bench. The rest of the benchwork isn't to scale, but the gist of it is a 3' wide surface all the way around, but a wider bumb-out by the door for a reasonably sized 180-degree curve, or possibly that cone shaped mountain to serve as a "more real-life helix."

You could have a river cut through (East/West) just south of the cone shaped mountain to make use of your bridge