Any know what is the best way to color, paint… etc inside of curved tunnels?
I’m painting mine black with gray rock by the entrance.
To paint the interior I’m using a flat black spray as the majority of the tunnel is still daylighted.
Gordon
My tunnel portals are all nicely weathered and smokey, but behind them is just layered foam. I also spray-painted the interior and floor flat black (Latex). I covered the track, of course.
You can use sculptamold to make realistic rocky interiors to the extent that they may be visible to viewers, but after that, just flat black to keep the tunnel realistically dark. In my case, the mountain is hollow with an open back for access. To keep passing trains in the two tunnels as quiet as possible, I used foam layered around the tunnels for about 18" in, and then left it an open cavern. However, I placed several odd-shaped pieces of foam here and there, at odd angles, to act as an anechoic chambre. Lastly, I cover the rear access, quite large, with a single sheet of fitted foam, held in place with bamboo bar-b-que skewers. I mute the locos going in and demute coming out. Works reasonably well.
In a darkened room, as the locos approach the portals, the gleaming rails in the headlamp look great.
In summary, cover the tracks, add a liner around the curve for '18", and spray it with a can of flat black. Let dry, repeat. Now you’re set.
Thank you for your idea. I think that is what i will do. Gray rock colour in the front and black colour for in the middle/inside.
BTW, I’m new to the forum. My name is Mike, I’m 40 years old from Ontario Canada. I just started building my layout again (the first one was a flop because measurements were wrong for the track. The radius was off, the big locos kept jumping track. This one is much better and I’m taking my time.
P.S. I really should listen to Model Railroader instead cutting corners.
Welcome Mike. I have used WS tunnel wall castings. They work really nice but take a while to make the pieces. I have carved the tunnels in foam. I finish everything before I set the mountains and then plaster it in. I have lined a long tunnel with cardboard to keep trains off the floor if it derails. All work, but the WS cast liners look the best. Experment and then share your experience. That is how most of us are learning how to do these things.
I found another way on this forum and it works for my situation. I use foil, crumple it a bit then then spray it flat black, at the portal a lighter grey blended overspray, at an angle from the top to bottom, as if from sunlight. Its tacked in place after mounting it inside the tunnel. Looks good and easy to get to the track from the backside.
Welcome aboard Mike.
I’m in Oshawa just north of CPR’s Belleville Sub.
Gordon
If your tunnel is at or close to the edge of the table (the end of my big peninsula has track immediately adjacent to the towering fascia on two levels) you can create a Lexan-covered ‘window’ so viewers can get a Superman’s eye view of the action inside the mountain. A club I once belonged to did this with two tunnels, one ancient (Shot rock without support, represented by crumpled tinfoil as described) and one more modern (Smooth concrete with cast-in safety alcoves, one with a trackwalker in it, formed from plaster cast in a mold and sprayed almost black). Both members and visitors found the effect fascinating.
My daughter and I are thinking about using a removable lexan window and detailing our tunnel interior. It would allow visitors to view the train in the tunnel and give us access when needed.
I’m not sure about the detailing though. I have some plaster tunnel forms that may work ok. I will have to play with it and see.
The details will include seven dwarves walking along, right? [;)]
I may put a similar tunnel in my new layout and figured that piece of whimsey would be fun.
Mike Tennent
I hadn’t actually considered that…but it sounds good. We do have a mine tunnel they could be in as well.
One technique my dad used to make tunnel interiors was by taking several old “Pringles” cans (my dad loves Pringles) and sawing them to make a flexible tube, then covering said tube with aluminum foil. He would mix up a batch of plaster and slather it onto the foil, applying plaster-dipped paper towels over the top to make a thick layer that would dry fairly strong. Once it had dried, he peeled the foil off the inside, painted it black, and presto, a tunnel! Extracting derailed cars took a certain amount of swearing, and the tunnels only went far back enough to go out of the viewer’s sight.
My dad’s new layout will have tunnels, although I think he is on a low-sodium diet and may have to come up with a scenic solution other than Pringles…
2 foot sections of heavy duty Aluminum foil sprayed flat black with a thin cover of plaster cloth. To prevent gaps flare ends and overlap sections. Another option is black felt to trap the light.
Removeable for track cleaning especially if you have rerailers inside the tunnel.