woodland scenic risers for helix?

I am terrible at benchwork, so the idea of a helix is scary!!! Would anybody suggest using a 3% woodland scenic riser to raise a single track n scale layout in height 3 inches? How big of a radius would I need? Nothing would be scenicked.
 

sumpter250

multiscale modelbuilder
I would recommend a 2% riser, vice 3%. If you don't have the room, you have no other choice, but if you do have room, go for 2%. The radius of the curve, would be what the risers make it. Their length is what is needed to go to a "clearance height". The risers, however, are not for a helix per se. A helix has the tracks running directly above each other, the risers would have to be used to spiral up or down, and your radius would increase to allow the tracks to "parallel" each other. This would take up a lot more space than a helix.
Pete
 

jetrock

Member
To raise track level 3 inches, regardless of scale, with a 3% grade, you would need 100 inches of track.

As sumpter250 mentioned, you could not make a helix with Woodland Scenics risers, since a helix runs in a spiral (like a spring) and the WS risers are solid, making their use in a helix impractical. If you're just going up or down,

Since you couldn't make a helix out of WS risers, a simple turn-back curve would require 100 inches of run to go up three inches--so, really, whatever radius you wanted, plus whatever lengths of track for the "legs" of your riser to total 100 inches.
 

belg

Member
Guys you could use the WS stuff to make the grade and put 1/4" plywood on top of the riser with parts sticking out supported with a couple pieces of wood back down to the table. I believe if you look in the catalog in the foam section it shows something very much like this. Pat
 
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