Lee wrote:

> Hi trying to track anything down on building a helix from scratch or
> where i can find a kit for one. Want to be able to run my train from
> one level of my platform up to the upper one above it. Anyone else
> out there who has built a helix or knows anything about them.

The Layout Design Special Interest Group, Inc. (formerly part of the
National Model Railroad Association, now independent), has made a
long-term study of helix design, and extensive help on the subject is
available from them.

You can visit their website and wiki at <http://ldsig.org>, frequent
their YahooGroup at <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ldsig/>, or you could
just ask me. I've built, rebuilt, designed, and operated a good number
of them.

Start me with your scale, gauge, minimum radius, maximum grade, and
vertical separation and I can start crunching the numbers.

I can also provide a number of construction alternatives, including one
commercial product.

And yeah, I'm the head of the Design Consultation Comm. for LDSIG.

Bruce A Metcalf
Lake Buena Vista, FL