Our Summer travels have been delayed until Fall when we normally would be working on our Christmas display. So we're taking this time to start the preliminary mockups. This is a 10' X 6' display using O48 and O36 for the helix and a separate O60 outer loop to frame it.
The next few weeks will be spent trying to compress it down to our allotted space of 8' X 5'. I'm thinking we'll be lucky if we can squeeze it down to 8 1/2' x 5 1/2.
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That looks fun. Can't wait to see the finished display.
With an O60 FasTrack outer loop, you won't make the 5' max you want. Maybe use Lionel tinplate track with O54 curves on that loop.
That is cool! You have two helixes there, one up, one down, so I doubt you can squeeze it down too much more in size.
That's really cool!
I appreciate everyone's comments.
Just got done squeezing the double helix down to its minimum. By incorporating 1 tunnel into the mix it comes in at approximately 94" x 54". So theoretically with an outside loop of O60 fastrack I could continue downsizing to 8' X 5' 4". That would require the use of 3 tunnels.
WOW, that's very impressive.
That's going to be a very cool display! 
Really like your design that will make for a really good base for scenery for a great scene from the movie.
If you still desire to get the overall size down then perhaps consider a dog bone pattern, removing one of the helix. I know it adds to turnouts but would allow you a bit more tighter design.
I have had good success in the past with no power to turnouts have an elastic band just tight enough to return the rail to the straight through and when the train loops back it just pushes the rails open so it can run out of the curved track.
You should be able to do tight radius on the two return loops at the end of each dog leg as the rails would be over each other. Thus allowing you to get down to some compact overall dimensions.
I think the key is to be able to have the engine run at a steady speed up and down.
??? Does the Lionchief do this with this model??? from what I can see you are changing the speed up and down???
Perhaps if this is the case then put in a MTH DCS or Lionel speed control system to maintain the speed where you set it regardless of up or down hill.
In the past before the electronic stuff we used the old Lionel transformers with different power outputs on the back of the transformer and simply cut the up and down sections of track into blocks attached to the higher or lower power outputs. Worked really well on old conventional layouts.
The newer engines with electronics work much better with this.
Really looking forward to seeing your finished project!
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