Hi,
I am building a small corner tunnel around an 18" radius track, probabally covering about 2 ft of track. I don’t want to use styrofoam with the tunnel because I don’t like working with it particularly. Could you all please give me some suggestions on different ways to build a realistic tunnel. The tunnel is going to be cut through a hill witch has not been built yet. How should I build the hill? The tunnel? Keep in mind this is on a corner.]
Thanks
Well, styrofoam is certainly the easiest and will look good, BUT, I built a few tunnels with Plaster cloth mountains and Woodland Scenics Tunnel liner molds filled with plaster of paris as well as WS light hydrocal. They look ok, BUT, all the new work will be in foam. Is there a reason you don’t like foam, other than it is new to you?
Yea, I heard It is Toxic when you cut it.
I use sheets of cardboard cut to the general shape of the mountain. I glue them together with a hot glue gun. Cover with screen and then cover the screen with plaster dipped towels. (or dryer sheets) I bought the tunnel entrances from Woodland Scenics. This is called the “hard shell” method. (sorry, I don’t have pics yet)
Foam is only toxic when heat is applied, e.g. a hot wire. Even then, with a good mask and ventilation, there is no problem. I use a regular hand miter saw to cut my foam. No problems so far.
Still, if you want to do it otherwise, the process I’d use would be to:
First install your tunnel portals. The mountain can essentially be built around them.
Next step would be to install tunnel lining. For a short “tunnel” I built before, I used the ribbed shelf liner that you can get at Bed Bath & Beyond etc and spray painted it gray. Since we keep this material in the house, it was basically free.
From there you can procede to build the mountain. The best choice would probably be carboard strip method as loathar described. My only comment would be that the netting is not really necessary. It can help, but if the strips are relatively close there will be no need.
Good luck,
I built mine using foam. I built the hill and tunnel around and over the track. Here’s the finished product.
And here’s some construction shots. It may give you some ideas. This is much bigger than what you are looking for but it can easily be scaled down.
Here is a material safety data sheet (MSDS) for Styrofoam.
So, basically as long as you observe the same safety precautions as you would cutting wood, ie: wear a dust mask and safty glasses and don’t eat large chunks of it (choking hazard!) you’ll be fine. I’ve been working with foam for 20 years with no problems.
Follow Yoshi’s advice.
FIRST build the tunnel liners. They can be of wood timbers, concrete, masonry, blasted rock or whatever. Without them you will just have the same papier machete tunnel that came with my Lionel train set. Make sure you test run through the to check for clearances.
After they are in place, add the portals and then whatever scenic method you use for terrain elsewhere. Being and old timer, I prefer plaster over screen wire because the screen wire can be bent and molded to more realistic shapes than corrugated strips or foam board. Plant your rocks and foliate.
Notice in the photos that daylight can be seen through some of the portals destroying the illusion. Tunnels are usually dark, not lighted, so I use a black roof so as not to relect ambient light into them.
On the pictures where you can see light, it is because the back is removable and open during that picture. I did this to allow access in case of emergency but your point is very valid. Some folks paint the inside black (the one on the left is) and others use black tunnel liners.