Cheshire Lines Helix Demo.
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- Опубліковано 4 жов 2024
- Following a request to see the helices on the layout I've put together this video showing a train run two complete circuits using the inner and outer helix lines. The two helix tracks are 2nd & 3rd radius, but would recommend going 4th radius. Any questions - just ask in the comments below.
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Fantastic work, you must be so proud - would love to know how you calculated the helix and built them.
What a great layout, lots of hard work and well executed, for some reason you made me sit up and take notice! I have liked and subscribed and will look back over some of your previous videos. I run a 5 level helix although 3rd and 4th radius and at the moment I only run diesel so no problems, but I was very interested to see how well your train took even the 2nd radius - very impressive. All the best, Julian
Hi Julian, thanks for you comments and sub - really appreciated. I think you've done the right thing with 4th radius - wish I had done that ! Chris
WHAT A LOVELY LAYOUT YOU HAVE CREATED
Thank you for your kind comment - really appreciated. Chris :-)
Amazing layout, I have similar style with a lower fiddle ward accessed by a four track Helix both up and down. Cheers
Thanks - appreciate your comments ! a 4 track helix is very impressive ! Chris.
One thing about helixes with the threaded rod and nuts. No matter whether you are using just nuts and washers or tube spacers between levels. If the tubing is cut square or with the nuts the clamping if the sections fan cause the section to distort so that it is twisted slightly at each riser. One way with tubing to avoid this would be to dut the ends of the tubing at an angle that matches the helix angle. For just using nuts and washers the use of spherical washers would eliminate any twist. If using eood spacers cut to the matching angle. For wood risers l like the idea of risers that have dados cut at the proper uniform distance at the matching angle.
Also the outer perimeter of the helix should have some sort of barrier. Just in case.
Another idea l have not seen is the use of curved turnouts at a certain point to allow the exterior portion of the helix to be used for a special interest scene. Especially if modeling railroading in the mountains.
I love the Brunel bridge!!!
Thank you ! Really appreciate you kind words 🙂 Chris
Very impressive, well done on your helix construction
Thank you - really appreciate the comment. Chris 🙂
Hi mate
Great vid and thanks for sharing awesome layout
Cheers Mark
Hi Chris, I have wondered for a while who built the Cheshire Lines layout, now I know. I am jealous of your Prince Albert bridge but your layout is indoors, I am building my bridge out of wood and aluminium as mine is outside in the garden and as such it is not possible to make a 'scale' model of the bridge but it is a reasonable copy. I look forward to seeing you at Chester Cathedral with Watford station etc. and the rest of the 'Railnuts'.
Hi Peter, Thanks for your comments :-) Doing a railway outside presents all sorts of challenges ! - bring some pictures to Chester - look forward to seeing you there ! Chris
Fantastic layout.
Thank you - really appreciate the comment. Chris 🙂
Wow the bridge is stunning! Subbed!
Thanks very much ! Really appreciate the comment :-)
@@CheshireLines :)
Hi,
Great layout, thanks for sharing.
I'm in the middle of building a new section for my layout, which includes, as well, two helixes with 2nd and 3rd radius.
I did already some tests and it all runs well, including steam locos (even on the 2nd radius). However, it's always better to have some margin. Therefore I'm serious considering changing the helixes to 3rd and 4th radius.
As I did them with flex track, I can reuse most of it, as well as the threaded rod, nuts, washers, etc. Plywood, would have to be scrapped. I have to think throgh it a bit more, but definitely, the change has to be done now, before the top level is built.
Let's see if I have the courage to go ahead...
Hi Antonio, knowing what I know now, I would definately go 4th radius and probably only with one line. I would also be tempted to lay DCC Concepts powerbaye under it too. Chris
Nice layout
Thank you - appreciate your comment !
This layout is fantastic.. I did notice that on the 1st helix inner track the carriages were touching an electronic board @5:42. You might want to watch the footage and see what I am talking about if you are not aware of it already. I would love to do something like this in my train room and as I mainly run steam loco's I would have to think about what sized radius I would need to lay the tracks at adn then work out if I have enough room to do so.. I would love to have a large fiddle yard either under the main layout like you do or something similar... time to put my thinking hat on and do some maths or at least consult anyrail. hmmmm food for thought tho.. thank you for a great video showing your layout which is fantastic as I have stated at the start of this comment. Cheers from Australia Tim.
Thanks Tim - really appreciate your comments - yes I had spotted the training wire and it's now fixed ! Heliices are great but can be troublesome - if you have the space go 4th radius ! Chris
I want to add a helix to my layout soon
Great to see the helix's in action .
One point though , on the first helix shouldn't the outside track be the up and inside the down ? The physics of it mean the outer is a shallower incline
Yes you're right - it has to do with my main loops of the layout - the outside 2 are connected to outer line of the helix and the inner 2 loops connected to the R2 helix line. It is possible to swap between them in the fiddle yard, but up top on the main tracks less so. I am considering rebuilding the helices to put in an R4 track so I may also put in points at the top to allow switching between the outer and inner loops.
Hi Chris,just found your channel & sub like the look of your layout and the helixes very clever but as you say 2nd & 3rd radius is a bit tight cheers Al
Thanks Al - yep 4th radius would have been better - bit late now though !
Many thanks. A great video and superb layout. Seriously thinking about building two helixes and so this has been very informative thank you. Can I ask what gradient you used please and as I will need to use 2nd and 3rd radius due to space issues, do any of you diesel locos and freight wagons or coaches have any issues ascending or descending please? Thanks
Hi Trevor - thank you for your kind words. The gradient is really dictated by the height of the track above - on mine its climbing 84mm in each circle. Heavy diesel locos have no problem - does depend on length of trains. Steam does tend to struggle, which is why I wish I had gone 4th radius - but they do take a lot of space. I would also recommend installing DCC concepts power base to help lighter locos. Hope that helps, Chris
@@CheshireLines thanks Chris. Did you have to use the DCC Concepts powerbase?
@@TrevorOakley-tt8pd Well - I tried to do it on the cheap and layed a ferric strip between the tracks and put magnets on the locos - it does work, but the strip does sometimes cause derailments so will probably remove it - wish I had gone power base and 4th radius - now a big job to change it !
Now those Helixes look as though they are from a gentleman in Bedford ? I have two myself in N gauge with 8 rotations to move my stock 15" from top to lower fiddle yard. Could do with a camera to view the lower level. Do you mind if I ask what make of camera is it and how is it set up. Cheers Euan
Hi, the camera is a car reversing camera kit to give a rear view when parking - it came with 2 cameras and cables and runs off 12v - the make I've got is Buyee but there are others - search Amazon - there are even wireless ones now ! Hope that helps, Chris.
Really interesting, thanks. A quick question, though. What gradient have you achieved good running with, please?
Hi Chris, so I estimate the R3 is about 1:37 and the R2 about 1:34. There is an 8.5cm height difference between each level. If I was doing it again I would go R4 for the steam locos - the diesels cope fine. Hope that helps. Chris
@@CheshireLines Thanks for your reply Chris. Whoa that's quite steep for steam isn't it, but clearly you diesel had no issues with - what was it - 12 on! I take what you say about using R4
Food for thought, though. Makes me ponder about my layout design with its' problem fiddle yard. Really appreciate your thoughts. Thanks again, best regards Chris.
Hi Chris, the other thing you could consider is the DCC concepts power base and then add magnets to your locos that should give them a boost. Chris.
Hi, I have just acquired a 4.5m x 3.0m railway room. Am I expecting too much to be hoping to have a low level fiddle yard with helixes in that kind of space?
Hi Mike, Hmmm - I think you may struggle - the diameter of my helices is 1.1m so if you had 2 you would be left with 2.3 m for the fiddle yard - the length of each road would decrease with every road added due to the points - so you need to have an undertstanding of how long and how many trains you wish to store in the fiddle yard as it may end up not being worthwhile because your trains are too long. An alternative would be to have one helix into a fiddle yard and at the end you have a reversing loop using space under and around the rest of the room - A train would then enter the fiddle yard via the helix and then leave the fiddle yard via the reversing loop to ascend the same helix - this would give you extra fiddle yard space, but would put the trains back on the top in a reversed direction.
So... you have enough space to do 2 helices, but will it give you the fiddle yard space you want ? . . .
I would also recommend using AnyRail software to draw out accurately your fiddle yard - this will help you decide whether you have enough space or not. Hope this helps, Chris
Hi, I’m just converting half my double garage into a railway room of 4,6m x 2.6m. I’ve built a track plan in SCARM which will have a single 5 layer 2nd and 3rd radius helix with a 3% slope descending from the main scenic level to the lower fiddle yard, with a reverse loop ruining around the outside of the fiddle yard. This gives me 11 storage lines reach of about 2m long, enough for a train of one loco and six coaches or a five car rake HST. I’ve watched a number of different UA-cam videos on helix and I’m feeling my plan should work. I intend to test all my planned loco/coach/wagon combinations on a test two layer helix before I start the full layout build just to be sure. Thanks for your video as it further increases my confidence that my plan should work. Great layout with a wow moment seeing your bridge.
Do your Steam Locos have trouble pulling coaches up your helixes?
Typically yes steam locos struggle although 9F copes well and can haul 30 loaded mineral wagons up them. I have laid a magnetic strip between the rails to help, but I wish I had gone 4th radius which I think would have helped a lot.