Yes Kev you do make sense; however i have had my tunnels now for some years and i get few problems and when i do i can rectify them easily by the methods mentioned, with no damage to my rolling stock and i have some very good stuff. (ie a Golden Mountain train pulled by the latest blue crocodile with all the bells and whistles).
I love the tunnels your train disappears and appears elsewhere, very interesting.
The idea of a path is great, you remember all the talk a few months ago about Cyril Freezer the British guru, well he loved to go under paths, then the roof of the tunnel becomes the path or vice versa. I know a great method for tunneling under paths, taught to me by our tame elctrician.
There is an American man; who is respected and revered the world over; who, with his sons jack hammered up his front porch, put in a stainless steel tube for a tunnel, so his trains could run right around his house. What guts, what disregard for his own safety! (wait till his wife finds out)
I have 3 tunnels on my garden layout. The longest one, with a total lenght of just under 5 feet long, was made out of 2 expansion tanks from several old furnaces with the end caps cut out and welded together. I then coated it with roofing tar to seal and protect and laid it in place. This one should outlast me. Then I added two smaller ones made out of terra cotta tile for a large chimney. This measures 13" x 13" with an inside of 12" x 12". If I remember right, these were just around 30" long. I haven’t gotten them covered or portals made, but they hold the track just where I want it. I still have a lot of work to do. As soon as I can figure out how to add pictures, I will add them to my next reply.
One of my tunnels is curved as is the better part of half a ten foot diameter curve. It’s approximately 13 feet in length and has an access hole in the center back. I’ve never had a derailment in it but on many an occasion, there have been electrical dead spots after a long period of non-running. That particular tunnel was made using pink foam insulation covered in chicken wire and mortar. Were I to do it again, I would use something more formidible.
My other tunnel is made from 12"x12" concrete paver sides covered by pressure treated lumber, which is in turn covered by EPDM rubber pond liner since the head end of my waterfall into my upper pond begins above the tunnel. Far sturdier construction. I have no fears of standing on this tunnel/mountain.
My wife made two of the following tunnels. They are made out of course hobby foam. I’m not sure what you call it. It’s not the pink or blue foam you would by for home insulation, but bought at craft shops. It’s held up for 3 years now, with no issues. Before we put it in the ground, she wraped plastic food wrap around it to keep moisture out. Very simple to make.
Hey Dukie, While everyone is arguing about what to make a tunnnel out of, go to your local brickyard, and buy some chimney tiles. They are about 10 inches square, and you can connect them together,. Its quick, and works real well.
I found this and just wanted to add some fuel to the fire of questions. I am really just a kid and don’t want to impose, but I have a stupid question. In an older volume of the the magazine one man said he used corragaited pipe. But i can’t help but guess at how he keeped the track level and how he got it in the pipe. Can someone please clue me in, please
You are not imposing; I too am just a kid. The pipe idea works in certain areas. My problem is that I want to run a double track through the tunnel so I would need some massive pipe. Most people either put a false bottom down low in the pipe or just fill it with dirt. I am now in the construction stages and have decided to use concrete blocks and cement them together.
The link is for a post with construction photos for a curved tunnel I built last fall. The tunnel has a concrete base, block walls, and formed hand cast domed roof. It uses modified Aristocraft tunnel portals. Long term plans include the tunnel being almost completely covered with English Ivy. Tunnel length is about 6ft, with a backside center access port. The curve is approximately a 9ft diameter.
Cale, when I went to Texas A&M and studied trees for my landscaping business justa FYI, they suggest only 1" of dirt around the tree roots per year and what might happen if to much is there it will likely kill the tree/s totaly. Myself I would ever thought it! I even keep the mulch level to 1" also at my place.
Thanks for your help and my deepest appologies on the wording of the question. You can tak emy word for it, I will NEVER make the mistake again[:)] I really liked the way Mike biult his tunnel with the cement blocks mortered together. That will be the BEST way for me.
Thanks again guys
Say David,
You know who I am, you might want to give me a call sometime and maybe take a run out here to see what is being designed and find out who I have contacted here locally and what they are going to maybe do for me. Very interesting…Tunnels…Mountains…waterfalls…Rivers.
Not a Stupid question…I used 12" PVC, thought of using 15" and they make 20"…Again, this is how I did…I used “Hardi Trim” painted the ends black to camo
It’s not really Massive, only 20’ x 60’…And will prob get bigger as time and funds allow. Currently it is a Mess, too hot for me to work, can’t wait till Fall! I do need to make a sketch, one day…currrently I’m running 1 large folded Dogbone, and just came across more used track to expand! Below is a link to the log I am trying to keep!
I have a 5’ tunnel made from 2 fireplaace flu tiles. They are square and give plenty of clearance. (except when my grandson puts people on top of a tall car). I used asphalt sealer where the 2 pieces are joined and wrapped the whole section in black plastic. The bed underneath is limestone fines. It hasn’t moved an inch and stays totally dry as it is slightly elevated from the adjoining track.
