Cantilevered Roadbed & maybe Plywood Roadbed
There is something positive to say about cantilevered roadbed in the helix. It makes it very easy to get to derailments, clean the track, etc. And it does not require excessive height clearances between levels. Have a look here at my AutoMax car in my helix,...(and I believe the tallest car on the market in HO)....
My roadbed-to-roadbed clearance height is 4”, so I lose 1/4” due to thickness of roadbed, and about the thickness of a nickle coin for the thickness of the L-bracket supporting the roadbed. Still plenty of room.
If I were to have used 1/2” plywood for my helix roadbed, and those same L-brackets I would still have plenty of room. And I could have used that same thickness of metal (of the L-brackets) to join the quarter circle sections of plywood roadbed together,...no additional thickness and no complicated biscuit cuts, etc.
Brian
My Layout Plan
Interesting new Plan Consideration
railandsail Safety String I found one of those references I had seen,....HERE It has a "DOT approved guardrail" consisting of a single yellow stretched nylon mason string to keep the trains off the floor (It works quite well). I went through all the various options for a safety rail system. Perhaps ripped masonite strips, narrow pieces of plexy glass, some type of metal strips, but they all were expensive, hard to install and not easily removable for doing maintenance or for re-railing rolling stock. The string costs about $4.00 for a roll and I used 2" pan head sheet metal screws for uprights. I also used small screw eyelets to run between the wood uprights. The "railing" height is about 1-1/8" and it does have a learning curve on getting it really tight and keeping it that way while you tie it. Get out your Boy Scout handbook on knot tying! I figure the whole railing for an 8 tier helix cost me less than $10. I did some trials on how effective the railing is at keeping trains off the floor and I literally could not get a car to jump it! They just bounced off and stayed on the helix. Jim Leighty
Safety String
I found one of those references I had seen,....HERE
It has a "DOT approved guardrail" consisting of a single yellow stretched nylon mason string to keep the trains off the floor (It works quite well).
I went through all the various options for a safety rail system. Perhaps ripped masonite strips, narrow pieces of plexy glass, some type of metal strips, but they all were expensive, hard to install and not easily removable for doing maintenance or for re-railing rolling stock. The string costs about $4.00 for a roll and I used 2" pan head sheet metal screws for uprights. I also used small screw eyelets to run between the wood uprights. The "railing" height is about 1-1/8" and it does have a learning curve on getting it really tight and keeping it that way while you tie it. Get out your Boy Scout handbook on knot tying! I figure the whole railing for an 8 tier helix cost me less than $10. I did some trials on how effective the railing is at keeping trains off the floor and I literally could not get a car to jump it! They just bounced off and stayed on the helix. Jim Leighty
I went through all the various options for a safety rail system. Perhaps ripped masonite strips, narrow pieces of plexy glass, some type of metal strips, but they all were expensive, hard to install and not easily removable for doing maintenance or for re-railing rolling stock. The string costs about $4.00 for a roll and I used 2" pan head sheet metal screws for uprights. I also used small screw eyelets to run between the wood uprights. The "railing" height is about 1-1/8" and it does have a learning curve on getting it really tight and keeping it that way while you tie it. Get out your Boy Scout handbook on knot tying! I figure the whole railing for an 8 tier helix cost me less than $10. I did some trials on how effective the railing is at keeping trains off the floor and I literally could not get a car to jump it! They just bounced off and stayed on the helix.
Jim Leighty
Looks like that would work. I guess a possible downside is that if a flatcar derails the string might be too high. Another would be that any car could hit its corner on an eyebolt post and stop the entire train abruptly, boogering up a coupler, ladder, or stirrup to itself or to multiple cars if the trailing cars smash into each other. That would not be as much of a risk if the guardrail was a solid smooth surface that would allow the derailed car to slide to a gentle rest, like automobile highway guardrails.
The person who built that guardrail may not have experienced that problem.
- Douglas
Safety String Brackets
Get some more "L" brackets, and mount them upside down to the subroadbed. Run your string through the top hole in the bracket and on to the next bracket.
Sort of like these,...one leg glued to underside at outer edge of roadbed, and other leg sticking up. I think they would be tall enough.
http://Wideskall 1.5" inch Corner Brace Angle Repair Bracket
Doughless railandsail Safety String I found one of those references I had seen,....HERE It has a "DOT approved guardrail" consisting of a single yellow stretched nylon mason string to keep the trains off the floor (It works quite well). I went through all the various options for a safety rail system. Perhaps ripped masonite strips, narrow pieces of plexy glass, some type of metal strips, but they all were expensive, hard to install and not easily removable for doing maintenance or for re-railing rolling stock. The string costs about $4.00 for a roll and I used 2" pan head sheet metal screws for uprights. I also used small screw eyelets to run between the wood uprights. The "railing" height is about 1-1/8" and it does have a learning curve on getting it really tight and keeping it that way while you tie it. Get out your Boy Scout handbook on knot tying! I figure the whole railing for an 8 tier helix cost me less than $10. I did some trials on how effective the railing is at keeping trains off the floor and I literally could not get a car to jump it! They just bounced off and stayed on the helix. Jim Leighty Looks like that would work. I guess a possible downside is that if a flatcar derails the string might be too high. Another would be that any car could hit its corner on an eyebolt post and stop the entire train abruptly, boogering up a coupler, ladder, or stirrup to itself or to multiple cars if the trailing cars smash into each other. That would not be as much of a risk if the guardrail was a solid smooth surface that would allow the derailed car to slide to a gentle rest, like automobile highway guardrails. The person who built that guardrail may not have experienced that problem.
railandsail Safety String I found one of those references I had seen,....HERE It has a "DOT approved guardrail" consisting of a single yellow stretched nylon mason string to keep the trains off the floor (It works quite well). I went through all the various options for a safety rail system. Perhaps ripped masonite strips, narrow pieces of plexy glass, some type of metal strips, but they all were expensive, hard to install and not easily removable for doing maintenance or for re-railing rolling stock. The string costs about $4.00 for a roll and I used 2" pan head sheet metal screws for uprights. I also used small screw eyelets to run between the wood uprights. The "railing" height is about 1-1/8" and it does have a learning curve on getting it really tight and keeping it that way while you tie it. Get out your Boy Scout handbook on knot tying! I figure the whole railing for an 8 tier helix cost me less than $10. I did some trials on how effective the railing is at keeping trains off the floor and I literally could not get a car to jump it! They just bounced off and stayed on the helix. Jim Leighty Looks like that would work. I guess a possible downside is that if a flatcar derails the string might be too high. Another would be that any car could hit its corner on an eyebolt post and stop the entire train abruptly, boogering up a coupler, ladder, or stirrup to itself or to multiple cars if the trailing cars smash into each other. That would not be as much of a risk if the guardrail was a solid smooth surface that would allow the derailed car to slide to a gentle rest, like automobile highway guardrails. The person who built that guardrail may not have experienced that problem.
Looks like that would work. I guess a possible downside is that if a flatcar derails the string might be too high. Another would be that any car could hit its corner on an eyebolt post and stop the entire train abruptly, boogering up a coupler, ladder, or stirrup to itself or to multiple cars if the trailing cars smash into each other. That would not be as much of a risk if the guardrail was a solid smooth surface that would allow the derailed car to slide to a gentle rest, like automobile highway guardrails. The person who built that guardrail may not have experienced that problem.
Jim Leighty commented that the other methods were hard to install and expensive.
The string method may cost less but it looks like it would take a good deal of time to install as well, at least on the helix shown.
What about thin cardboard and hot glue for cheap, fast and effective?
And holy crap, did anyone notice Jim L's helix has five (5) [count'em] tracks in his helix? That's crazy!
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
I think I see more than 5?
Looks like 5 to me.
You want to see some helix action, check out Rich Weyand's old N&W layout, though it's N scale, it has 12 1/2 laps in a big oval/figure 8 shape, and while the helix itself doesn;t have dozens of tracks, there ARE 6 levels of staging feeding in to the helix. I think this was in the 2002 issue fof MRP, and there are pictures on page 42 of Tony Koester's multi-deck layouts book.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Bungee Cord, Bungee Flat-strap Safety Devices
An idea popped into my head yesterday evening as I was closing up work on the helix. Why not some sort of vertical 'strapping' down the inner edges of the helix roadbeds , at set distances around the perimeter,...maybe some sort of bungee cord or bungee strap? Might not even have to be 'bungee', but just fabric strapping?
They might not require attachment at each level, but rather just at the top and bottom,...perhaps just easy clip on at one end. They could then be all unclipped when desiring to do a track cleaning exercise.
Might be cheaper and less installation hassle than those metal mini brackets.
Ideas...suggestions??
Brian,
I know this will seem irresponsible but if it were me I would skip the edge protection for now. You can always install it later. My helix has been in operation for at least 12 years now and I have never had a train derail and fall off of the helix yet. If you aren't sure, put some temporary guards up and run some trains to see what they do.
Having the guards in place does complicate clearing derailments if they aren't removeable.
BTW: Excellent progress - Keep up the god work.
Guy
see stuff at: the Willoughby Line Site
Last Bridge Installed
Took the day off yesterday (mother's day) and celebrated with brunch for a local mother/neighbor.
The previous 2-3 days were spent working on my 'used door' that will allow for a viewing window into my helix, AND building the last of my bridges between the shed's interior and the helix structure. Here is that top loop of track just 'hanging out' that needed a bridge,..
I had been waiting for a 6" channel piece of alum to show up at my metal scrap yard, but that didn't seem to be happening. So I paid a visit to the retailer to see if he might have some 'cut offs'. He did, but only in the 5" & 7" widths, which I never knew existed. I bought a piece of 7" channel as I needed to make a considerable turn in that section of track in order to aim towards the side of the shed as it entered the room. Even at that width I still had to fashion the bridge in two pieces to accommodate my curve in the broadest manner.
I decided to bond the two sections of alum channel with epoxy and epoxied backing plates. At first I was very satisfied with the epoxy idea, but upon a little twisting, etc to get the bridge into place it BROKE apart. Wow, I never realized that epoxy was that brittle ! ...back to the drawing board. I had to clean all of that epoxy remnants off, and prep the surface for good old reliable polyurethane. Finally got it all glued back together, let it set up overnight, and added a few screws for good measure.
Lined the bottom of the alum channel with my 'vinyl-flooring samples' for both leveling adjustments at the helix end, and noise reduction.
trainnut1250 Brian, I know this will seem irresponsible but if it were me I would skip the edge protection for now. You can always install it later. My helix has been in operation for at least 12 years now and I have never had a train derail and fall off of the helix yet. If you aren't sure, put some temporary guards up and run some trains to see what they do. Having the guards in place does complicate clearing derailments if they aren't removeable. Guy
I'd take complicated over damaged or ruined expensive trains any day. Skip edge protection at your own peril.