does anyone have any ideas on ho to make a tunnel???[%-)][%-)]
i need help[:D][:D]
I thought someone with alot more experience would chime in here first but I’ll give it a shot-my railroad is small and based on whimsy so my tunnel is for the sake of a tunnel and not too realistic-I took a Jack Daniels half barrel planter, flipped it over, cut portals, lined it with roof flashing (to keep critters from taking up residence in the sides), made “stone” portals from Legos and named it the “Muppet” Tunnel in deference to the Moffat Tunnel-I’ve got a 2foot+ tunnel, a mountain, a planter on top, and a place to build a scene, If you need a realistic/prototypical tunnel, there are alot folks on the forum that can help but will probably need more info to help-such as what are you trying to do? ie tunnel thru terrain in place? will you build the mounatin?-how long (anything longer than you can reach in from either end will need some access-lift out section-in the middle). From what I have seen and read here tunnels can be alot of work to build and maintain so give the experts some info and they should be able to help.
Hi YUOP
First note where I am and the fact I am probably in a different time zone.
The tunnel on my line is a large diameter poly pipe the bottom of which has been slit to take the track.
I also has had spreader bars bolted in to keep the gap open when it gets hot…
DO NOT make the tunnel longer than you can reach or you must make adequate provision for acsess.
Make the inside of your tunnel much larger than you need it to be you dont know what will visit your line or what must have monster train you will want to buy or build in the future.
Make sure your tunnel liner cannot move.
the mountain over my tunnel is a plant being slowly cut to shape
no tunnel mouths yet as i have not made the wooden ones yet or obtained a piece of airated concrete to carve into a stone mouth not sure which I want yet.
regards John
I built my tunnel out of pressure treated dimensional lumber, mostly 2 x 8’s and 2 x 6’s, fastened together with the galvanized steel plates (not sure of the correct terminology) used in house framing. The result was a long box that needed dressing up. I built a low edge on the top of the tunnel to hold dirt and mulch for flowers. On the sides, I simply planted flowers that completely hide the side of the tunnel. For me, the tunnel was more a device to “hide” the train momentarily than it was to make it look real.
Go to your local building supply store.
Tell them you want CRACKED chimney pieces. you know the orange cinder pieces that are used for the chimney linning. Cracked ones should be cheap, if not free. we all like that.
you can take the cracked ones because you will want to put the cracked side DOWN for drainage.
take the chimney piece, lay it down, and then bury it in the dirt, put a tunnel entrance on both sides, and DONE!
insta tunnel
Kevin
Hi YUOP
If the “insta tunnel” is not available, you can do as I did. 6x8x18 cinderblocks. get some of the cover caps. dig in the first course of blocks half way into the ground, stagger the second layer, two paralle rows, with bent rebar and quickset concrete. span the gap with the cinderblock covers, then wrap with roofing felt (keeps water out. cover with dirt. (or in my case a water fall)
Yuop-see? I told you-there a couple hundred ways to “skin the cat” (apologies to cat lovers-I have two)-give as much info as possible from the get go-where you are, what you are working with, and what you are trying to do-etc etc chances are someone has done some like it before and can give some guidance/advise.
kevin
i used the orange chimney blocks they work , i put stone around them and i had a mountian. ben
Patio slabs also work well. These are 2’ wide, and either 2’ or 3’ long. (The entire tunnel is 5’ long) The vertical ones are burried about 10" into the ground, so they’re not going to move on you. The cap pieces are simply laid on top, with landscaping plastic laid over the top to keep dirt and water from dripping in. Then, add a portal of your preference. Unfortunately, I lost the photos I took of the finished portal.
Later,
K
First you get together a crew with some picks and shovels. Then get a couple more guys with rock drills. Next find a non-jittery dynamite man and some stock for him to use. Let them go to work and start making dust. [:D][}:)][:D][;)]