I began construction on my first mountain tunnel!!! So far so good. I plan on using the WS molds, and attach the rock formations on the side of the tunnel wall. And then use the plaster cloth on top where the foliage will be.
Any other tips/suggestions? I’m a newb at all of this remember…
Welcome.
Good start and good ideas for the next steps, BUT, do you have a way to access derailments. If there is a spot you can’t reach, one will occur. If you cannot reach in from below, you need to make a couple places you can lift off a section of scenery to access from above. Many folks have lift out sections, so it is not an unusual thing. You could have a large rock face, small hill or something similar that will sit above the tunnel so you can reach in. It is a long tunnel, so make sure you have access to all of it.
Good luck,
Thanks! Yes I plan on not gluing in down in place, so if I need to access for derail I’ll just lift it up. Nothing will be attached to the walls or anything.
It’s pretty cool building this thing!!
Nice start. Not the way I would do it, but your situation is different.
Since the mountain will be designed to lift off, make sure that you incorporate something to assure that it will go back down on the exact same spot. In your case, with a full-length tunnel lining, that is especially important. A little mis-alignment could cause a LOT of trouble!
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with a lot of netherworld behind the tunnel portals)
From your photo,it appears that you could leave the corner mountain permanently in place, and divide the rest of the tunnel into three lift out sections. I use 1/8in. Luan as the base of my lift-out sections. I, personally, like to use heavy screen wire or stacked and glued insulation arcs for mountains. The first photo is of a low hill, that hides a track that is on a ramp to an 18 bin ore unloader. A permanent mountain is behind it… For a very large mountain with five tracks below it, I have lift out “portals”, made of shaped plywood, screening, and Hydrocal plaster ,(or Sculptmold plaster), to fit precisely into the framed hole. You use WS molded pieces only for a few outcrops. You do not build an entire mountain from molded plaster. Personally, I prefer to cut the rugged rock features from Sculptmold plaster, rather than using molded plaster. Stacked Styrofoam slices, have the advantage of one being able to drill holes for “planting removable trees”. I change the coloration of the forest canopy, with the seasons, with removable trees. 
The second photo shows how one can use layered cut-outs of evergreen trees, to gain forced perspective in one inch of depth. I used a very sharp serrated blade knife to slice a sheet of black packing foam, into 1/8 in. deep pieces, that are then cut and spray painted varied green, and then layered, and glued to imply a dense conifer forest,( that is only and inch deep). Click on the photos, to enlarge them. Then, click onthe photo series to the left, to view other parts of my 24’x24’ around the room layout Bob Hahn
I completely agree about needing access to for cleaning, and heaven forbid, re-railing cars. When I built my tunnel I left a ‘window’ at the middle of the curved section large enough to get my hand into and it works great. Believe me, the first time you totally seal up any section of track, it will be the only place where trains will consistently derail.
All good advice. I would not use the liners, but they may dampen the sound well and yield a more realistic rail experience when the trains are in the tunnel. I hope you have a generous clearance allowance all along that lined curve! You don’t want snags, particularly with steamer cab overhangs if you intend to run some steam.
-Crandell
I agree that access is needed. That fully covered tunnel liner is not nec at all. Run your liners into the tunnel only as far as you can view. Figure the elevation for the slope of the mountain and build the contours. this will be far outboard of the curved track. You can layer foam to do this or build a base wood structure. Part of this “framework” either wood of foam can be the section for the removable portion. It is always good to plan ahead with your scenery so that seams of the hatch may be disguised by rock faults, cuts, ravines etc…
Also try to select a portal that allows for some hand access. This will require a smaller removable section.
I have a simple solution. Have only short tunnel linings just at the portals. Construct a “hollow” mountain using wire screen, cardboard strips, whatever, after having removed the table-top underneath the mountain so you have visual and hand access to the tunnel track. That removes the complications of having a removable mountain and the damage occurring when moving it.
Mark
There is light at the end of the tunnel …
