Capping the mountain...

[Anonymous]

I have two tunnels on the east end of my layout. Naturally, by definition they tunnel through a mountain. Each tunnel (HO scale) is about 3 feet long with Woodland scenics tunnel portals at each end. The inside tunnel (they are both curves) is about 3" higher up than the outside tunnel. I am about to cap this mountain and am wondering if I should build it as a removable cap, incase of some need to access the inside of the tunnel. I already have a hand access point up through the bottom. FYI, my layout is 8x4, and I can walk around the end of the table so leaving the mountain open to the back is not possible.

Any advice? Is this a good idea? If you have modelled a mountain did you permanently attach the top of the mountain?

Trevor G[:p]

[orsonroy]

The last mountain I made (I'm modelling central Illinois now, where mountains are scarce) I used stacked sheets of 2" foam. The mountain itself was eight feet long on one side, 12 feet long on the other, and a total of five feet high. The top was completely removeable so I could get to the two level's worth of tunnels I had running through it. I disguised the joints with trees (clump foliage on toothpicks - MUCH more convincing than "puffballs"), and removed the top of the mountain whenever I needed to. I think it weighed a whopping tem pounds.

[cwclark]

if you can reach the entire track and the sides of the track from the bottom then building a removable cap is not necessary..if you can't reach the entire track, then a removable cap will be well worth the effort...just be sure you can reach everything under the mountain from the bottom...you will face a derailment in the tunnel someday..it's just one of those things in Murphy''s law...Chuck

[Anonymous]

The current layout has no tunnels in the plan but a previous layout had a long tunnel. Access was from underneath the layout . Looking up, the hidden track ran along sort of a shelf that was easy to reach along its length. There was no need to disturb the scenery above for cleaning, occasional derailments, etc.

Wayne

[selector]

I decided to heed the advice of the experts while I was planning my layout, so I kept my mountain of layered 1" extruded foam hollow, and capped it with a lift-off cap at the level one higher than the top of my highest tunnel portal.

It is awkward, not overly heavy, but as I add 'skree' and snow, it will get heavier. Still, I can get into the mountain not having to ride another train that hasn't derailed...if you know what I mean. You will need access at some point.

It's a good idea to have a romoveable cap, but it's more work to keep it from looking goofy. It'll take some careful camouflage so that onlookers don't point and say, "Oh, your mountain top comes off?"

[bogp40]

Remember that any removable section can affect the quality and options for your scenery. A straight fracture line running horizontally through the mountain is not that easy to disguise, unless it is totally covered w/ trees. All the trees/ scenery on the removable portion are usually damaged or musted when lifted off. A ragged cut may work better especially if you want to show considerable amount of rock and not hide the joint w/ a ring of scenery. My preference is to design the layout w/ access from below or behind if tunnel is that long.
Bob K.

[selector]

Yup, you are absolutely correct, Bob; hence my use of the word 'goofy'.

I like your idea of using a broken cut-system, but too late for that thinking now. I intend to use plaster cloth, rocks, snow, and lots of bushes and trees to cover that horizontal gap. I will just have to exercise great care when lifting the cap so that I don't dislodge anything, or bend trees sideways in their foam 'roots'. I handle my locos the same way.