Underground Yard

[Kris Everett]

I'm planing on making a "underground yard" i say underground because it is going to be under my regular track by 16.5" so i was wondering how to go about getting from my "underground yard" back up to my main track. Space is an Issue!

I'm am using anyrail to help me plan it out. I'm using the limited edition but have printing capabilities if needed.

Any suggestions?

Kris

[jward]

you'll probably have to use a helix to gain that much elevation in a limited space. think of it as a corkscrew of railroad track, where the space it uses is limited to that needed by a circle of track.

this link explains the concept in detail.
https://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AXJiuV55A3u_ZHRyemczZF8yMjZnZzY5c25kZA&hl=en&pli=1

you'll probably want to use at least a 22" radius for your helix. you'll need about 4" of clearance between levels{ 3" for clearance between the top of the rails and the bottom of the board supporting the next level. add an extra inch to compensate for the thickness of the board and splices between sections. 4" rise around a 22" radius works out to a shade under a 3% grade, the smaller the radius of curve the steeper your climb will be.

[James Thomas]

We can assume you in HO?  (It's always nice to give us a hint.)  Many people use a "Helix."  It goes round and round 'til you get to the desired height.  My LHS sells ready made ones for both HO and N scales.

Good luck.
-Jim

[Kris Everett]

ya sorry i am using HO  are those helixes easily compatible with ezTrack do they have a website?

jeff

ok so i would probly have to have at least 4 feet for that helix. tight but i could do it.

[jward]

to support it you'd cut sections of 1/2" plywood about 4" wide to the radius of your track. the extra width will allow you to use pieces of 1x4 laid on edge as spacer blocks between levels. 1x4 is actually about 3 1/2" wide, just enough to compensate forr the thickness of the plywood pieces you'll use the splice the plywood roadbed sections together and still give you the 3" spacing between levels.
the splice plates are fastened to the underside of the plywood roadbedto hold the sections together, and the 1x4 spacer blocks would be placed on either side of the splices, with blocks on both the inside and outside of the curve. make sure that your trains don't sideswipe these blocks before you fasten them down peramnently. you'll build your helix from the bottom up, one level at a time and laying your track and setting your spacer blocks as you go.

[Kris Everett]

ok thank you

so any suggestions on how to do it in anyrail so i know how packs of 22" track i would need?

[jward]

i'd think as long as you put one circle in the program it will look the same on the plan. anyrail doesn't have a 3d view does it?

i estimate that in order to gain the necessary elevation you'd need about 4 complete turns.

[Kris Everett]

OK thank you so ill put a complete circle add 3 more to that plus a little more

i rather order to much than not enough ill find something to do with the rest of it i always do.

[Joe Satnik]

You could build one of these:

http://mrr.trains.com/en/sitecore/content/Home/News%20and%20Reviews/MR%20Express/2009/04/Video%20Watch%20the%20train%20elevator%20in%20action.aspx

Or, buy one of these:

http://www.ro-ro.net/

[jward]

i would think train elevator would introduce alignment problems with the track. you'd have to be pretty much dead on laterally for them to work, and have some sort of indexing system to ensure that the rails line up vertically as well. plus they'd severely limit the length of train you could run. 4 feet equals a 4 axle diesel, 6 40 foot cars and a caboose, give or take......if you could devise some sort of positive alignment system for it, and could live with the short trains, it could possibly replace your entire underground staging yard, though.....

[Kris Everett]

well the trains are going to be only engines  anyways i have another way to get Trains down to the yard i just need a way to get them back up that my problem.

[jward]

is your yard a stub end or do you have switches on both ends? have you considered a reversing loop track on one end of the yard to turn the trains around so they could go back out the way they came in? that might be a simpler solution. a 22" radius loop would fit in the same space as a helix.

[Kris Everett]

i have yes but they would be going in the wrong direction

[Kris Everett]

i just had an idea though. let me get back to you on that.


ok this is what i have

do i have the iso tracks in the right place to do a reverse loop

lacking the control box.

http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae45/trainboy16/brainspirt1.jpg

using anyrail

[Joe Satnik]

John Armstrong vertical switch (turnout)?