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Tunnel and Rock portals

9K views 9 replies 5 participants last post by  jonyb 
#1 · (Edited)
This is Tunnels and Rock portals
This is the next step after this tread Simple track laying and Mountain building read it first. It will explain the fine details

Start with a piece of scrap ply and draw up this pattern for a single track and 1 3/8 off each center rail to sides and add center to center dimension for total width.
Wood Plywood Material property Flooring Hardwood

It is NOT attached it's just sitting there to show you that tis is set for a steep cliff side entrance portal.
Wood Table Furniture Plywood Hardwood

This one is set for a sloped side entrance portal.
Wood Table Plywood Furniture Hardwood

Cut piece of screen for tunnel approximately 12 in wide and as deep as you would like to go, recommend no more than 1 foot. I will be only showing for a 6" deep tunnel, that does work well.
Table Wood Furniture Plywood Hardwood

Wrinkle and smash wire un fold and do it again!
Table Furniture Wood Plywood Desk

Mark center of screen.
Wood

Attach screen to center of frame leaving 1/4 sticking out of the front. I used a hot glue gun to put these together, Caution I wrap tape around my fingers to keep from burning them to a crisp from the glue coming threw the screen. You can also staple them in.
Wood

Work around the frame attaching the screen keeping the winkles but keeping in mind clearance for your train.
Hardwood Wood Laminate flooring Wood flooring Flooring

Fold the excess down to the frame do not trim any off.
Wood Hardwood Plywood Table Tree

Use a scrap piece of ply covered in either tinfoil, or plastic not paper it will stick. Thumb tack the edges of the screen down to the board. You can also tack the frame down to make it easier.
Plastic wrap

I make tunnel entrances for curved track wider in the rear just to make sure they fit.
Plastic wrap

Place a piece of base and track in the opening and check all sides to make sure there is plenty of clearance.
Transport Vehicle Scale model Track Fictional character

Check it against you larges piece of rolling stock.
Transport Scale model Rolling stock Passenger car Train

Mix a very small amount of mud and set the centers of the tunnel, also cut a scrap piece of wood to hold the center back up.
Aluminium foil Plastic wrap Rock Crystal Plastic bag

Mix the mud thick enough to not go threw the screen, thin coat the top lightly.
Plastic wrap Plastic bag Aluminium foil Foil Plastic

Smooth the inside of the tunnel as you go, don't worry about the look of it just yet.
Arch Architecture Room Tree Floor

Continue coating the outside till you cover most all of it, let completely harden.
Plaster Clay


Wall Plastic wrap Floor



Remove tunnels and turn over, coat inside of tunnels in light coats till finished.
Mineral Wood Rock Plaster


Lime Plaster Paper


Aluminium foil Plastic wrap Plaster

Let completely harden go to next step.
 
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#2 · (Edited)
Tunnels and Rock portals part 2
This is a slight variance in the project just for an end purpose. Allot of dead end sidings need a little extra protections from run away trains, also use rail stops! and I needed a site for the tunnels.
Wood Hardwood Table Plywood Beam


Wood Hardwood Furniture Plywood Wood stain


Table Wood Stool Furniture Plywood


Wood Table Furniture Wood stain Flooring

Install tunnels aligning to the center of the track, or where they should be, put the track down first!
Wood Plywood Table


Wood Carving Table Furniture Plywood


Wood Table Plywood Furniture Stool

Cut screen for faces/portals of tunnels. Wrinkle the screen twice to get finer detail.
Paper

Tuck the screen in around the opening of the tunnel.

When you set the screen to the face take in mind what the contour should be if it were blasted out.

Coat the face with light coats to keep the finer detail.
Rock Wood Table Art


Plaster Rock


Rock Table Sculpture


Table Rock Furniture

Put on several light texture coats and not a heavy coat it will rune the details.
Wood Sculpture Plaster Rock Floor


Table Furniture Rock Floor Concrete
 
#3 · (Edited)
Tunnels and rock portals final page
Do not worry about making the rock or earth edges perfect most will disappear with scenery additions.
Table Furniture

If your doing an older layout round the top corners of the tunnel more. The tunnel dimensions follow modern rail road standards you can decrease it to be smaller just make sure your largest equipment will fit and make it with a little tolerance.
Sculpture Architecture Art


Sculpture Rock Stone carving Plaster Art


Dress Textile Floor Furniture Flooring

Yes the paint is still wet. this is just a base coat to seal it.

The hard scenery can place a vital role in braking up the grade and also protecting the engines and rolling stock from the plummet of death.


Tunnel Transport Vehicle Infrastructure Geological phenomenon

you can paint the inside of your tunnels before or after you place them, just increase the darkness as you go to the rear of the tunnel.
Transport Vehicle Formation Art

Blocking all light from the back of the tunnel will give you that finishing result.
Transport Scale model Vehicle Train Rolling stock

This area is now ready to get scenery added to it! Next How to?
Transport Scale model Vehicle Auto part Train

You can use commercial tunnel portals also with this method, incorporating walls in the scenery will enhance it too! This is from the last layout I built.
Tunnel Arch Infrastructure Subway Architecture

Thank you.
 
#5 ·
Ready mixed drywall mud or joint compound does not have a curing or hardening agent in it, it requires heat and air to dry.
As you build up the layers it makes it tougher to get the water to come out for it to set. The moisture from each layer will re-soften the previous layers and make the structure heavy and soft and could collapse it.
I've tried all different types of construction materials over the years to do this and the combination that I have come up with works great, not to say other methods might not also work. I just did not get satisfactory results with other materials.
 
#8 ·
I have a 5 gal bucket of drywall compound, it's less than a year old, and it's got terminal mold. I used a fraction of it fixing some walls. Fortunately, it was given to me for free, leftovers from a remodeling project. I have some dry mix that I've had 8-10 years, when I mix it, it still works as well as when I bought it.
 
#9 · (Edited)
Man, With step by step how too"s like these that Sean has been posting this is the best site ever! Thanks Sean! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
With the Help of you guys here My table is growing in ways I never even thought of when I laid the Mainline! First the Mountains then the Tunnel portals to finish. I did almost the same as you show here I just adjusted the wood cut out shapes to fit what I needed. Wow, what will Sean have me building next????? This makes me want to scratch build everything possible for my layout and use as little as possible store bought decorations or landscape!


Also I started with the pre mixed Joint compound (oops) dries way too slow. And all the above reasons are valid too. Sean advised that I get quick set compound (dry bag) and mix small amounts. I did and it worked much better. I will post pics on my WIP: thread tonight! Thanks again Sean!

Ok here is what I came up with so far as per Sean's Expert step by step. Don't be scared guys. This was super easy! Anyone with a little skill / patience can pull this off.

Hope you don't mind if I share a pic of my Mountain's here Sean. :dunno:


 
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