I have two tunnels; one leading onto a triple bridge is about 8' long, the second one is about 18' long. They allow me to have more scenery along the long climb up to the second level. So far no problems, easy access from below.
-Bob
Life is what happens while you are making other plans!
Currently, 0 tunnels.
Previously I had a 2 tunnels that were both about 12" long - one for each loop.
And before that, I had a helix in a tunnel, and another 4' tunnel where a train passed through a 4x8 table unseen. That layout shouldn't have existed, and too in retrospect, too much was hidden.
Thanks all, I have enjoyed learning more about what each of us is up to in the tunnel dept. I must admit I was a little surprised by the number of people that have no tunnels. I always thought a tunnel was a requirement on a model railway, as I think back to my childhood when my first important addition to the layout was a shoebox with the ends cut out of it.
A lot of us model what we were(are) familiar with and I suppose if dear old Dad had not moved us out to the rugged West Coast from Winnipeg in 1959, I might not have a tunnel either.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
I have three and the longest is about 5 feet long. Then I have 2 others that look like tunnels. One actually leads to Staging and the other is a double, short and leads through a view block and from one scene to another.
NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"
Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association: http://www.nprha.org/
I have four tunnels on my 4x8 layout. The tunnel portals are purple in this image (black represents bridges).
At times, I had second thoughts about how much of the outer loop is hidden in a tunnel, especially on the right side, but I'm OK with it. With such a small, simple layout, it would feel much smaller to just watch the two trains go around and around. Each side of the figure 8 track has movement; one side is a point-to-point reversing trolley/streetcar and the other is (will be someday) an incline going up the mountain. Both of these will run constantly (with brief pauses at the ends). When a train goes into a tunnel, your eye will focus on one of those moving elements, then go back to a train as it leaves a tunnel. This will break things up and make the layout much more interesting than just watching two trains go around in circles.
Tunnels?? I had quite an expensive learning experience from them...especially the helix type. Make sure you use guards around the trackwork. Old 1960 photo of my three level layout in my parents basement....I was 18 at the time and had a all Brass 2-8-2 Balboa take a nose dive to the concrete floor below....It was and still is a basket case, bent all too heck, only thing that wasn't damaged was the cab and tender, which was also all brass.
Take Care!
Frank
My prototype had only one very short tunnel, under one of the hills that ring Cincinnati. That will be the only tunnel as such on my layout. However, I have two more functional tunnels. One links the main layout to a separate section representing the end of a branch line (most of this run is exposed to an access aisle, and the entrance will be disguised by a road overpass). The other leads behind the backdrop to north-end staging (entrance hidden by trees and track accessible behind removable backdrop building flats).
--Steven Otte, Model Railroader senior associate editorsotte@kalmbach.com
No tunnels on my layout. I model an industrial area on the Ohio shore of Lake Erie, where everything is generally flat. No mountains, but lots of tall industrial structures.
If I ever decide to model the region I am currently living in (central MD), my layout will definitely have at least one tunnel - probably more.
-Ken in Maryland (B&O modeler, former CSX modeler)
When the scenery gets "done", I'll have 2 visible tunnel portals and 9 places where trains appear or disappear behind or beneath various scenic view blocks. In one instance on the main line an 'offstage' section is more than a train length, and there is a similar length 'offstage' on a branch line (both are 1.25 - 1.5 loop helixes to gain elevation).
Grinnell
I have one large tunnel. Through the mountain. Its about 6 ft long. I like having the train dissapear just like on the Moffat Line near the continental divide. Snow on one side and spring on the other. Just like the prototype.
Michael
CEO- Mile-HI-RailroadPrototype: D&RGW Moffat Line 1989
I have one tunnel. It is 4" long and located between the layout and the staging which is in an another room.
Guy
Modeling CNR in the 50's
SP&S modeler, 1960's give or take a decade or two for some equipment.
http://www.youtube.com/user/SGTDUPREY?feature=guide
Gary DuPrey
N scale model railroader
My layout is based on a design that MR did in the late 70`s or early 80`s........it called for two short tunnels......I had to make one shorter and one longer due to the fact I did not build the layout in one solid 6' x 12' layout........I built it as 4 portable sections and the total layout is now 6' x 14'.......with a 2 x 6 add-on.........on both tunnels I can reach into from both ends and the middle.
Dennis Blank Jr.
CEO,COO,CFO,CMO,Bossman,Slavedriver,Engineer,Trackforeman,Grunt. Birdsboro & Reading Railroad
One tunnel, about 65" long. It's an ess-bend on a 2.5% grade and connects the lower level to the main level of the layout.
Here's the upper end of it, with the bridge over the Speed River:
...and the lower portal, at Elfrida:
Tunnels in southern Ontario, where the layout is set, are rather rare, but it was the most expedient way to accomplish the elevation change.In the drawing below, the tunnel runs across the base of the peninsula, between the Speed River and Elfrida. The perimeter of the peninsula carries the track which connects the main level at South Cayuga to the upper level, which is above the areas shown in grey.
Wayne
No tunnels at all. The geographical area I model is flat or rolling at best.
Dusty
On my home layout there is 1 tunnel going to staging
On the Boothbay Railway Village layout there are 4 on the standard gauge and three on the narrow gauge. The longest is more than 10 feet. Another goes to hidden staging at the back of the layout. The others cover 180 degree curves where the tracks on the sides run to the center pennsula. A photo from a couple of years ago
A more recent one on our web pagehttp://railwayvillage.org/explore/model-railroad/
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
My layout will have 4 tunnels. 2 are for return loops at either end of the mainline run, 1 is a helix between the lower and middle levels and the last one is a 3 footer on a canyon run nolix between the middle and upper levels.
Modeling an HO gauge freelance version of the Union Pacific Oregon Short Line and the Utah Railway around 1957 in a world where Pirates from the Great Salt Lake founded Ogden, UT.
- Photo album of layout construction -
I have two tunnels. This is the short one, about 18".
This is the long one, about 3'.
I have no tunnels. The Maryland & Pennsylvania did not have any and the layout is big enough that I won't need them.
That said, I have been thinking about one for my Lionel trains. My 3 year old grandson tells me I need one, so I'll probably buy one of the prefabs.
Enjoy
Paul
My longest 'tunnel' covers about 60% of the loop that is the JNR's first main track, serves five different kinds of staging (all having additional track) and, officially, doesn't exist! Two of the tunnel portals are on the Down main, the third is on the Up main and the master map says that the main doesn't connect back to itself. The only time anything orbits is when I am running in a piece of rolling stock.
I have four additional short (>1 foot>) tunnels, and one longer (4 foot,) on the JNR main, simulating what my prototype had. If you run up a canyon that has spur ridges and side ravines, tunnels (and intervening bridges) come with the territory.
The Tomikawa Tani Tetsudo also has several short tunnels, two of which hide one-turn loops and are longer than they look. The prototype, the currently unused end of the JR-East O-me-sen, was built through what can only be described as broken country.
And then there's one tunnel that won't connect to anything. When I build it, it will contain a working tunnel boring machine.
Most of the length of most of the tunnels can be accessed by removing lift-offs.
Because I consciously chose to model a prototype that needs lots of tunnels, having them doesn't cause any heartburn.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Does staging count as a tunnel if there is a tunnel entrance to where the track goes under?
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
Current layout: 0(zero).
Future planned layout? TBD.... I'd like one, but we will see on space permitted........
Ricky W.
HO scale Proto-freelancer.
My Railroad rules:
1: It's my railroad, my rules.
2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.
3: Any objections, consult above rules.
I think there's a distinction between in and out tunnels along the line and entrances to staging. I only have one in and out tunnel. It part of a turnback curve under Animas Forks that takes the lower level track to Red Mountain
I have one more tunnel portal, which is really only the entrance/exit for RGS staging west of Durango. The other end loops around to come in on the south side of Durango under an overpass to form a continuous run loop for HOn3 break-in and testing.
Then there is staging. My standard gauge is a giant folded dogbone, so the back half is underneath the narrowgauge upper deck along three sides of the room. My Chama staging for the NG is entirely hidden once it goes under the highway leaving the south side of Durango. There's also a loop that connect Red Mountain back to the wye at Silverton. So literally doezens of feet of hidden track. I miss seeing it, but I wouldn't have been able to pack everything I have if I'd done without. The next layout will likely see a much lower % of hidden track. This has been a relatively trouble free installation, because I took great care putting it in, but it's better to have as much out where it can be seen as possible.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
LION has tunnels. Lots of tunnels. Is SUBWAY LAYOUT. Has lots of tunnels, some of course are "cut open" so that the trains can be seen (and fixed).
On Route of LION is:
1) Elevated Structure
2) Open Embankment
3) Bridges
4) Ground Level
5) Open Cut
6) Cut and Cover
7) Deep Bore Tunnels
and
8) Under River Tubes
ROARING
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
I've got 1 tunnel. It has an 8 foot long oval with a passing siding, a single-track spur and a double track siding off to the end for train storage, signals and 4 stations. There are 4 portals.
It's a subway. First I built the subways, and then I put a layout on top of them.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
I don't have tunnels on my layout. I designed a layout with a tunnel in mind that was probably be 3 feet long. I believe.
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
I had my fill of tunnels 44 years ago so,none of my few loop layouts had tunnels.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"