Darrell, Thanks for the compliment. The helix takes up quite a bit of space on the lower level, but it's invisible on the upper. In my case, the gain of going to a 2 level layout is an additional 120 Sq Ft. of visible layout, plus additional hidden trackage for return loops, etc. The upper level is 165 Sq Ft, so it's a pretty good gain nevertheless. The elevator concept has been around for quite some time, but has not really caught on for many reasons. The first and formost in my opinion is reliability. As long as a helix is designed correctly and well built, it's bullet-proof. This is my 4th one, so I have some experience. I don't even have to be able to see the train. It goes in here, goes round and round, and it comes out there. With any mechanical device, there is a good deal more involved in the design, implementation, and maintainance of something that has to move in a repeatable and predictable manner. Regardless of theory, the things that can go wrong with a device like that if it's executed to perfection are unacceptable to me, never mind the inevitable errors that creep in due to human error. Also keep in mind that the additional space requirements necessary for set-up adjustments and periodic maintainance would eat up a good deal of the space saved. Puting it behind a backdrop would be fine, as long as there's a room behind it. I'm a mechanical design engineer and have 45 years experience designing and building production machinery and products. The only thing I want to move on my layout are the trains. Ed Kozlowsky Sanford, Maine
>________________________________ > From: Darrell <[email protected]> >To: [email protected] >Sent: Monday, December 12, 2011 10:30 PM >Subject: {S-Scale List} Re: Helix Pictures > > > > > >Ed, > >I agree. Nice work. > >I understand that a helix is the traditional American Standard for moving a >train from one layout elevation to another. I also see that your space is >limited, and that the helix itself eats up a whole lot of that space. I >myself have given serious thought to a more unconventional approach: a >whole-train elevator. It would be a hidden staging track that a whole train >fits on, that would operate as an elevator to move the train to the next >elevation. The only real space requirement is that for the staging board. It >would be behind the backdrop, so nobody can see the elevator. Train >disappears into a tunnel, then a while later reappears out of a tunnel on the >next level. Just like a helix. > >Of course if you are using a double track main line, that adds more >complications, but I don't think you would be doing that in your limited >space. I know I won't be. > >Another added option to this "elevator" is to include additional tracks that >can store more trains. Think of it as a vertical staging yard. > >Just my offbeat mind working here..... > >Darrell S. > >--- In [email protected], Ed Kozlowsky <soldado7264@...> wrote: >> >> Bill, >> First of all, I need a helix because my layout is in a 25' travel trailer >> with inside measurements of 7.5' x 22'. Not enough room to do what I want, >> but double decked I can live with it (after I raised the roof 8"). I >> started with a 24" R helix tucked nice and neat in the corner. It left >> enough room beside it for a nice little scene. Then I started talking with >> Ed Loiseaux, who convinced me to broaden my curves as much as was reasonable >> to allow for others to run some equipment I'm not interested in. I agreed >> that he was correct, and out came the 24" helix. I then designed a 30" >> helix. I could have gone a little bigger, but at 7.5' width, it wouldn't >> leave much room for creativity if my minimum radius were 36". When I layed >> in the helix on my cad drawing, it became very clear that there would be no >> room beside it for anything meaningfull, so the space would be wasted. >> Well, I figured if I couldn't build next to the helix, I might as >> well turn it into an oval and fill the whole dang thing. It was a very >> good move, because not only did I reduce the grade, but also have lots of >> room inside it to store all those kits I haven't gotten around to building >> yet. Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. >> >> I'm trying to get a little more work done and then I have to clean the whole >> mess up to show relatives at Christmas. Most have never seen my hobby, but >> I'm trying to break out of my self imposed exile for the good of the scale. >> You know me Bill, I've done easier things. More pictures following clean-up. >> >> Hey Chris, you might just get some pictures from me yet. >> >> Ed Kozlowsky >> Sanford, Maine [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
