For those who have been following the blog, you’ll know that the layout is in two parts and most focus at the moment has been on the Waukesha Sub however thats just because I am focussing on completeing my scenery AP and I was waiting to order a helix from https://www.gleiswendelshop.de/ .

This post will just cover how I constructed my helix which is number 2 on the layout and there will be 4 in total. If you want the short story on this and prefer videos I suggest looking at this video by my friend Peter Borcherds building exactly the same helix.

For my helix i went for a 3.5 turn helix and each turn climbs 7cm (2.75″) which is steep it is a climb of 3.1% but this part of the layout has short trains with 4 axle units that should handle this no problem.

So how to get it done. well in the box you get threaded bar a ton of nuts & washers and the cut half circles of cut ply for the Helix. With any helix the most important part is the first level becase once you have that level nailed its just the same seperation between each deck.

So the measurements for mine were rod 2 (2.25cm), rod 3/4 (3.4cm), rod 5 (5.75cm and the back to rod 1 (7cm). All these measurements are from the the end of the rod except the second set of nuts on rod 1 which is from the top of the helix deck. You measure to the underside of the helix deck.

ok and to save time use a dremel with a brush bit to move the nuts down the rod and tighten them with a spanner.

and then we get another deck on

An awesome little project, i would always suggest grabbing a kit for a helix unless you have the skills, time and the tools to be as precise as the CNC machine that made this kit.

A lovely project for a sunday morning, this is just sitting on the benchwork it’ll be fitted in its final resting place when the next deck goes on. I always plan my helices so that the base is wider than the connection to the upper deck.

Well this will be it on the WSOR until the Ackerville scenery is completed. I don’t know what is coming tomorrow yet but stick with me I have lots of projects to do with materials on hand so we should be ok for a few more weeks.

Remember last week I did the last bit of sculptamold for Ackerville well we had some nice weather this weekend and it finally dried. That means it was time to get a wee bit of paint down.

So this is what it looked like when if had dried. The WSOR is on the right coming downgrade to be level with the CN mainline and both will parrallel each other around the corner before diverging with the WSOR heading to Milwaukee and the CN continuing towards Waukesha.

At the moment I am focussing on completing my Scenery AP which means I need to do 18sqft of scenery and that means just doing into that corner you see in the picture but I call Ackerville done when we get the scenery finished up to the point the tracks get level again.

So here we are with the base scenery on, its the usual burnt umber that will have woodland scenics flex paste over the top and then snow powder. Of course thats plan B as the first attempt didn’t go quite as expected, you’ll see how well it goes or not later in the week when the materials arrive.

Anyway I know Brad is bored reading this now so I can promise that tomorrow we will be moving to the WSOR Northern Sub to add Helix Number 2.

Stay Safe

Gordy

Well we are around the corner from Ackerville and heading towards Waukesha the WSOR here is decending to be level with the CN mainline for the next scene on the layout.

As you can see sculptamold everywhere but when its painted you’ll not see some of this mess and it’ll be buried under snow anyway.

Here is the transision between the main Ackerville section the lines here are curving away to the right which is the area in the first photo.

Yeah this looks like a mess but paint will hide it all. The CN is on the left and WSOR on the right.

Well thats a right mess i’ve made i best go clean it up and plan tomorrows entertainment. See you all soon

Gordy

I took a couple of days off this week and yesterday as you say I got the backscenes into placce. Today i added feeders and cut the flex for all the main lines through Ackerville. I don’t glue my track down until its all done but today i got the feeders soldered to the rail and fitted through the baseboard with the track cut to length. I just need to add the yard tracks one evening this week and it that track will get glued into place.

looking northbound you can see whats left to do here in Ackerville

looking south the track on the mains is in as far as the corners which won’t get done until I add the sculptamold to the next board and get it painted so thats a job probably for next week.

The final shot showing a box car on the WSOR mainline about where the Highway overpass will be fitted. That track on the incline still needs to be fitted the gaps there under the roadbed will be filled with woodland scenics flex paste.

Well not sure what we will get done tomorrow possible these last few tracks in the yard or that sculptamold I guess it depends how messy i want to be after my first day back in the virtual office.

Well till next time.

Gordy

Well its all about trees I am experimenting with different things some plain out the box. Others are painted brown, grey or brown with a dusting of grey. I am still not sure what I will go with what do you think?

And here are some pictures to give a flavour of what the finished layout might look like.

Just a few pics from me testing some snow products this afternoon. I am now upto 10 hours of Train meetings this weekend already so its really cut into the modelling time.