I know some of you don't post photos, and that's fine of course, but those of you who do and who have some photos showing your tunnel portals, will you post some please?
I have several cast white portals that I need to darken and grime up in general and then add smoke residue over the center, but I also expect that algae and moss grow in between stones. I'd like to see what you've done and hear how you've done it.
Thanks in advance.
-Matt
Returning to model railroading after 40 years and taking unconscionable liberties with the SP&S, Northern Pacific and Great Northern roads in the '40s and '50s.
I suggest you take a look at real ones.
Google "train stone portal -scale" and click on images.
Simon
Great idea about making them darker (note to self: make tunnel darker). Perhaps painting the inside black with cheap craft paint?
Might want to look at this thread.
https://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/p/295068/3455684.aspx
(My usual technique to make the hyperlinks work...isn't. Sorry.)
Cheers.
Mike
Besides the base color coat and applications of chalks to simulate weathering/smoke, dry brushing olive greenish acrylic craft paint is a good way to add a suggestion of moss. I also use a toothpick or pin to apply thin branching lines of white glue to which a fine, dark green ground cover is applied. Simulates vines growing very nicely. That easy technique works well anywhere you want to have vines growing - such as on building exteriors, bridge abutments, trestle pilings, tree trunks, etc.
Note - from the inside of my tunnel portals, extending back about six inches, I have lengths of crumpled of aluminum foil which have been somewhat smoothed out (but not too much) and then glued to 4-5" wide strips of cardboard. Painted flat dark gray or black, they create a fairly nice representation of the inside walls of a blasted out tunnel. Of course, for a more finished look, brick, or smooth stone castings can also be used. From the outside the foils sections give the tunnel interior a more decently realistic "finished" look. But if you have a camera mounted on your locomotive and wish to see more realistic tunnels walls, you may have to put a bit more effort into it and have the foil (or castings) extend the length of the tunnel.
Hi Matt. No pictures but stonework would be from the area the line is built. Different areas have different types of stone. Maybe not different to a lot of people, but different nontheless.
Depending the length of time the stonework has been there the more it ages. The stone gets more grey and darker.
Tunnel portals will have a streak of darker grey from the smoke of steam engines. A busy line the darker the streak. If diesel locomotives are been run there will be a thin streak of dark blue off centre to the steam one.
As for moss etc. there would be very little, if any. It is noticeable when a line is hardly used, or becomes a Hertage Line
Hope it helps
David
To the world you are someone. To someone you are the world
I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought
DELETED: link didn't work for me either.
Thanks for the very specific and detailed suggestions, Hound and David. I'm curious, David, what causes the blue color from diesels? Is it just that diesel oil burns blue? And why to the side of the steam-era smoke? Also, which side? Both sides? I'd love to see that, because I run both steam and transition diesel.
Matt. Here in the U.K. diesels smoke dark blue colour to the left of centre, that is where the outlet is. Not sure what causes it; most probably diesel oil.
As you run both steam and diesel the smoke marking on the tunnel will be predominent and will be a dark grey, not black. Even a heavily laden train struggling up a bank the smoke from the locomotive may look black, but is a very dark grey. Make sure the edges of the smoke markings fade into the surrounding brickwork. Get that right (and I am sure you will) most people will believe it is a real tunnel entrance and not a model
Your markings for diesel smoke should be very faint (as as you say you are in the transition period) and have the faintest tinge of dark blue.
To anyone else reading this and runs only diesels: The steam smoke marking fades a little. It still remains but fainter.
Obviously diesel smoke marking will be stronger, not much and no way as strong as the steam one. Steam locomotives have been around longer than diesels and emit more smoke.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Bramhope Tunnel U.K.
Bramhope Tunnel - Wikipedia
Thanks for fixing up the link, Bear. And yes, Mike, I should have done a search first.
David, funny that you chose to post a link to info about the Bramhope Tunnel. When I was googling around for prototype pics of portals yesterday, that's the one that caught my attention. Suitably grimy and smokey, but also having a bit of green encroachment. I live in the Pacific Northwest; moss and algae grow on everything here.
crossthedogAnd yes, Mike, I should have done a search first.
crossthedog Thanks for fixing up the link, Bear. And yes, Mike, I should have done a search first. David, funny that you chose to post a link to info about the Bramhope Tunnel. When I was googling around for prototype pics of portals yesterday, that's the one that caught my attention. Suitably grimy and smokey, but also having a bit of green encroachment. I live in the Pacific Northwest; moss and algae grow on everything here.
LOL... yeah, moss is so bad up here in the northwest that the train lines have crews whose only job is to clear the tunnel openings of the stuff so the trains can make it through.
Here in the U.K. moss wasn't a problem during the steam days; even on lesser routes. Possibly the smoke stopped the growth.
Since the time of diesels moss has had a chance to survive. It is 60 years since Bramhope Tunnel has seen a steam engine on a service hence moss has grown.
Water Level RouteNot at all what I was trying to say. I just recalled there was a thread about tunnel portals not all that long ago and thought there might be some useful information in it that might not get brought back up in this one. Wasn't trying to insinuate anything.
reasearchhoundmoss is so bad up here in the northwest that the train lines have crews whose only job is to clear the tunnel openings of moss so the trains can make it through.
By the way, researchhound, if one dog may ask another, where do you raise your smoke, exactly? I'm in Seattle.
NorthBrit It is 60 years since Bramhope Tunnel has seen a steam engine on a service hence moss has grown.
By the way, I also love the sculpture of the landowner William Rhodes' head. Or is that King Ludd, staring down the grimy coal-fired harbingers of the approaching industrial age?
Bramhope Tunnel - Graces Guide
As an aside: When I was 3,4 and 5 years of age I with my grandmother and grandfather would spend summer hoidays in their cabin just outside Bramhope. Wonderful Summer days indeed.
crossthedog reasearchhound moss is so bad up here in the northwest that the train lines have crews whose only job is to clear the tunnel openings of moss so the trains can make it through. Wonderful image, hound. Men armed with flame throwers and fire rakes attacking great gobs of moss and morning glory and ivy and Himalayann blackberry choking the tunnel entrances and pulling at bridge supports. I was going to attempt some hyperbole of that magnitude but you've done it for me. By the way, researchhound, if one dog may ask another, where do you raise your smoke, exactly? I'm in Seattle. -Matt
reasearchhound moss is so bad up here in the northwest that the train lines have crews whose only job is to clear the tunnel openings of moss so the trains can make it through.
Wonderful image, hound. Men armed with flame throwers and fire rakes attacking great gobs of moss and morning glory and ivy and Himalayann blackberry choking the tunnel entrances and pulling at bridge supports. I was going to attempt some hyperbole of that magnitude but you've done it for me.
Thanks Matt. I am located down in Corvallis, Oregon. Though we have family up in Seattle, Bellingham, Chehalis, and Bainbridge Island.