VERSION 7 DEMOINIT ORIG 10.000 0.000 0.000 PARAMETER display labelscale 10 PARAMETER display description-fontsize 144 STRAIGHT 1 0 0 0 0 N -1 E 23.086096 1.459535 254.675892 E 72.500000 15.000000 74.675892 END STRAIGHT 2 0 0 0 0 N -1 E 1.770859 28.642902 189.520022 E 5.625000 51.625000 9.520022 END REDRAW RESET MESSAGE Now we will create a helix in the corner of the layout connected to 2 tracks. END STEP COMMAND Helix PARAMETER helix radius 18.000 PARAMETER helix turns 1 PARAMETER helix elev 0.0 PARAMETER helix angSep 0.0 PARAMETER helix grade 0.0 PARAMETER helix vertSep 1.0 PARAMETER helix vertSep 0.0 MESSAGE _________________________________________ We will be creating a helix with a Elevation Difference of 12", Grade of 1.5% and limit the Vertical Separation to at least 2". END STEP MESSAGE _________________________________________ First set the Elevation Difference to 12" END STEP PARAMETER helix elev 12.0 BIGPAUSE BIGPAUSE MESSAGE _________________________________________ Next set the Vertical Separation to 2" Notice how this causes the number of Turns to be set to 6 END STEP PARAMETER helix vertSep 2.0 STEP MESSAGE _________________________________________ Next set the Grade to 1.5% Notice how this causes the Radius to change. END STEP PARAMETER helix grade 1.5 MESSAGE _________________________________________ Setting these values changes the Radius to 21.2" and the number of Turns to 6. END STEP MESSAGE _________________________________________ Now we specify the Angular Separation between the enterance and exit to the helix. Note: this will decrease the Radius slightly. END STEP PARAMETER helix angSep 90.0 BIGPAUSE MESSAGE _________________________________________ Next we can fine tune the helix by decreasing the Radius to 15". Note the change to the Grade. END STEP PARAMETER helix radius 15.0 BIGPAUSE MESSAGE _________________________________________ Lastly change the Vertical Separation to 2.5". The number of Turns will change to 4 and the grade increase to almost 3%. Note: the Vertical Separation will be increased. This value is the Elevation Difference (12.0) divided by the total number of turns. The total number of turns is 4.25: 4 whole Turns plus a quarter turn for the Angular Separation. END STEP PARAMETER helix vertSep 2.5 MESSAGE ========================================= END STEP CLEAR MESSAGE Now that the helix parameters are set we can place the helix on the layout. END MOUSE 2 15.375 20.500 MOUSE 3 15.375 20.500 MOUSE 3 16.000 16.000 STEP MOUSE 4 16.000 16.000 RESET MESSAGE _________________________________________ Next, join the 2 straight tracks to the helix in the same way we join to a circle. END STEP COMMAND Join MOUSE 2 1.875 30.000 MOUSE 4 1.875 30.000 MOUSE 2 1.000 17.375 MOUSE 3 1.000 17.250 MOUSE 3 1.000 17.000 MOUSE 3 1.000 17.000 MOUSE 3 1.000 16.750 MOUSE 3 1.000 16.500 MOUSE 3 1.125 16.500 MOUSE 3 1.125 16.375 MOUSE 3 1.125 16.250 MOUSE 4 1.125 16.250 MOUSE 2 28.125 3.000 MOUSE 4 28.125 3.000 MOUSE 2 16.500 1.000 MOUSE 3 16.500 1.000 MOUSE 3 16.375 1.000 MOUSE 3 16.125 1.000 MOUSE 3 16.125 0.875 MOUSE 3 16.000 0.875 MOUSE 3 16.000 0.875 MOUSE 3 15.875 0.875 MOUSE 3 15.625 0.875 MOUSE 3 15.500 1.000 MOUSE 3 15.375 1.000 MOUSE 4 15.375 1.000 MESSAGE _________________________________________ Notice that the length has increased because we have more than 4 turns in the helix. It is closer to 4.25 turns. END STEP COMMAND Elevation PARAMETER elev mode 0 PARAMETER elev value 0.000 PARAMETER elev station MESSAGE _________________________________________ Next, we assign elevations to the 2 End-Points of the helix. This will determine the grade and separation between the helix coils. Note: we could set the elevations anywhere along the connecting tracks instead. XTrackCAD treats a helix as a single length of track for elevations. END STEP MOUSE 2 15.125 1.125 MOUSE 4 15.125 1.125 PARAMETER elev mode 1 PARAMETER elev value 1.000000 BIGPAUSE MOUSE 2 1.250 16.000 MOUSE 4 1.250 16.000 PARAMETER elev mode 1 PARAMETER elev value 13.000000 PARAMETER elev ok BIGPAUSE RESET REDRAW MESSAGE _________________________________________ We have set the elevations to 1" and 13" to produce a grade of 3.0% with 2.8" between coils. You can use the <Describe> command to change the number of Turns or the Elevations at either end of the Helix. This will affect the Grade and Vertical Separation. END STEP MESSAGE _________________________________________ The helix description can be moved by the <Move Label> command. END COMMAND MoveLabel MOUSE 2 15.875 16.125 MOUSE 3 16.125 6.250 MOUSE 4 16.125 6.250 MESSAGE ========================================= END STEP CLEAR