In searching the archives I came across a post by JCasey in Mach of last year where he uses a Weller soldering gun with 12 ga. copper wire to cut curved tunnels through solid blocks of foam board. The link is:
I think this method will be ideal for what I am building. The layout will have four fairly short single-track 18" radius tunnels, 2 about 18" long and 2 only about 12", so access to a possible derailment and track cleaning should not be a big issue. The mountains will be affixed permanently to the plywood base and the foam board is all scrap from a construction site so cost is not a factor. Woodland Scenic’s portals will be used.
The question I have concerns interior finish. Most of the posts I have read recommend flat black tunnel walls to give the appearance of depth and reduce reflected light from the other end of the tunnel. How important is that? Will that be too dark at some point in the future when cameras are added to two of the locos?
MisterBeasley’s reply this morning concerning foam board helps me much better understand his subway layout and I have watched his YouTube videos from before he added LEDs to the front of the car to get a feel for what he has done. Seems to be plenty dark in the tunnels just using gray paint.
Are there others out there who use a camera through a tunnel? How visible on the video is the texture and color in un-lighted tunnels? Any other thoughts and suggestions will be welcomed.
One way of finishing the inside of a tunnel is to use WS foam track bed sheets. Not only are they black, but are very flexible and can be curved easily. Also they take glue and nails well.
Dave - I posted this in reply to your private message, but I noticed the photo link IMG tags didn’t seem to take, so I’ll do it here, too.
If I were to do it again, I would at least try the JCasey method. As I look at real subway tunnels, the circular cross-section really stands out. His hot-wire method could be used to make these pretty easily from pink or blue foam. The hot-wire should give a relatively smooth, but not perfect, wall.
I experimented a bit with the camera and the construction that would best show off the tunnels. My subway system is pretty much a simple loop, fitting in about a 5x8 foot space in HO. I put the two original stations right on the edges of the layout, so they could be seen from one side. This occupies most of the straight track in the loop. The stations are built to hold the full length of the Life-Like / Proto subway trains, about 3 feet. There’s a passing siding in one of the stations, making it double-track.
I bought one piece each of Evergreen’s “Sidewalk” and “Tile” styrene sheet. I used Woodland Scenics Latex Rubber to make molds from each sheet, and then cast them in Hydrocal. The casting of the larger squares, about a half-inch, are used for the platforms, while the small-square castings are the station walls. This is my memory of the New York City subway system growing up as a kid, and I really wanted that tile-wall look for my system.
When doing a thin Hydrocal casting like this, if you time it right (about 10-12 minutes after pouring, depending on humidity and how thick you mix the Hydrocal) you can take the casting and mold and curve it around a form after it sets up but before it hardens completely. It’s a trial-and-error thing, but I was able to bend the casting around a piece of 1x2 lumber, which is how I made the curved structure in the back of the picture. I used 1x2 supports to
Thank you for the reply and all the information, and the photos did come thru imbedded in the message reply. I’ll spend some time this evening to digest the pics in your gallery.
It all started with a 4x8 table layout based on Linn Westcott’s book HO Railroad that Grows, and it has, to a 5x16 (actually two connecting 5x8’s). At the west (left) end there are two mountains, one in each corner and two curved tracks at different heights tunnel thru each mountain. Sorry, no pics yet.
I am new to the forum and am amazed at the wealth of knowledge here. I am grateful to you and all those who share their wisdom, experience, talents and photos so graciously. I live in rural Utah and the nearest layout discovered so far is 75 miles away. This forum is becoming a great help and support.
Mr B, your layout and insight have given me motivation and direction to move forward with this project. And JCasey has helped answer the ‘how.’ My son who is a licensed electrician says he uses a similar hot wire gun to put wires and switches in foam board and it “cuts like butter.” I’ll let you know how it turns out.
MisterBeasley, I like the way you modified your passenger car for installing the camera. My layout is DC, so my installation is somewhat different. And, since my layout is mostly freight, I installed my camera, using the 9 volt battery, in a boxcar. My advice is to shop around and get a camera that has a receiver that interfaces with your PC. The one I bought interfaces with my VCR. Also, the camera that I have uses the same frequency as my wireless router and cordless phone. They now have cameras that use a higher frequency.
This is the interior mounting of the camera.
If you look closely, you’ll see a “1” and a “0” on either side of the door. This tells me whether the switch is on or off.
I will eventually replace the toggle switch with a slide switch.
I know someone that did something similar to what your planning. He wasn’t happy with the result when done, so he took some aluminum foil and crumpled it into a ball. He then opened it up and glued it on to the foam in the tunnel thus making a liner for it. He then painted it flat and grimy black. The result was much better than the foam lining both for the camera and when peering inside. Just something to consider.[:)]
In both my “before” picture for the camera electronics and Marlon’s inside-the-car shot, you can see the camera’s power connection with a large, fat plug. I had planned to just cut it off and hard-wire the power, but I checked with SJT Enterprises just in case. As it turns out, there is a very small circuit board embedded in the plug. It can be seen in my “after” picture.
Just a warning. You can’t just remove the plug-and-jack combination to save space on some of these cameras.
MisterBeasley, thanks for the heads up on the power plug. That is good to know before taking wire cutters to the cable because it is not apparent.
Brent, thanks for the tip about the aluminum foil. I was hoping someone had tried this with a camera and would share the results. More good knowledge. Is there by chance pictures?
I made my tunnel lining using foam. I roughed up the surface with a wire brush, then covered that with plaster. I painted it flat black at the end furthest from the opening, lightening it as I moved closer to the portal.
Thanks for the picture of the tunnel entrance. I like the effect you achieved with the tunnel lighter near the entrance and darker as it goes back. How does the plaster lining look in videos?
Also thanks for the pictures of the camera installation in the box car. There are lots of good ideas out there.
This is the interior mounting of the camera.
If you look closely, you’ll see a “1” and a “0” on either side of the door. This tells me whether the switch is on or off.
I will eventually replace the toggle switch with a slide switch.