Help with HO Scale Helix design

[MasonJar]

Thanks Andrew

Can you help me with the new measurements here? Im horrible with math, and just looking at the formulas you posted is giving me a headache LOL

10" between the levels would not be enough, i know that for sure now LOL, im thinking 14" should be the minimum and that should be enough room. I also want to add some light strips under the top level for the lower level, so if im going to do that then maybe i should have 16" between the levels, making the total rise 20" right?

so new numbers LOL

20" between the 2 levels.
lets do 28" on the outside track and 24" on the inside track, that should make it a little better then 22 and 24"
4" between the levels on the helix


I think thats it right? I really appreciate all the help ive gotten on this, im saving all this info for when the time comes to bang this out!! The more ive been thinking about it, i think i just wanna have a helix custom built for me, it would save me alot of headaches LOL. I can do benchwork, but im not sure i wanna jump into helix construction lol

New numbers

Circumference = pi x diameter OR pi x 2 x radius

3.14 x 2 x 24 = 150" or 12.5 feet per complete turn for the inner radius AND
3.14 x 2 x 28 = 176" or 14.7 feet per complete turn for the outer radius

So that's ~27.5 feet of track for each turn the radius makes.

Grade% = rise / run x 100%
4"/150" x 100 = 2.6% on the inner
4"/176" x 100 = 2.3% on the outer (see, it's lower...! )

Now going up 20" using a 4" climb with every turn requires 5 turns. However, you need to have a 1/2 turn to come out going in the opposite direction that you went in (so your helix can be in a corner or at one end of the layout).

5.5 x 27.5 feet per turn = 151+ feet of helix track. Note that this will raise you a total of 22 inches (18 inches between the decks).

Is the train elevator looking like a more reasonable solution...?

By the way, building the upper deck with 3/4" ply ripped to 4" wide will give you a deck thickness of 4", as the 2" foam is recessed inside. This also gives you a couple of inches to hide the lighting, wiring, switch machines, and whatever else you need under the deck.

Andrew