Hi all and thanks in advance for the advice and even the good natured ribbing I'm sure I will get. To the point, I have laid a double HO scale (code 83) track where it goes into a mountain. Bought two random stone tunnel portals. One works fine, however at the other end my track is spaced "just a bit outside" the regular width. I need a portal that has an inside dimension of no less than 5.5". Most of these are in the 4.75" range. Any suggestions or can you point me to a manufacturer that makes em a bit bigger. Or, do I get to try my luck at free handing a wooden plank portal? I was really hoping to match the portal that is at the other end. See, I thought I was ahead of the curve by giving myself a little more than the regular width for car clearance so I didn't have to worry about cars tapping each other inside a tunnel.
Thanks again for the help..
Bill
******UPDATE 7-11 **********
Thank you all for your good thoughts and ideas. I just knuckled down and moved one track closer to the other and nailed it in place. It was difficult because of lack of space but I'm pretty sure it's over enough now.
Thanks again
Bill:
Have you tried looking for a 3 track tunnel portal. You could probably cutt out a piece in the centre, and put the edges back together.
My advice is worth what you pay for it.
Dave
Thanks Dave, I didn't know they made such a creature. It's off to eBay I go!!
I just looked my Walthers catalog: they don't have a 3 track portals.
Looks like you will need to bodge two doubles to fit, or else scratch build a wide one.
Sorry about the first suggestion, unless eBay works.
Nope, I couldn't find one anywhere. I guess I could try and bash two together but at first glance I might need three or four to get it wide enough. It seems the top curves downward relatively quickly from the center, thus not leaving much room to "cutout" a straight portion to plug in the middle.
If you want to try your hand at a fairly easy scratchbuild:
Good luck, and have fun.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with concrete and cut stone portals)
Carved linoleum is a traditional method for cut and random stone, but the low prices for sheet goods embossed with decent patterns make them a ready alternative. JTT is one brand, with Wee Scapes another, essentially the same stuff only cheaper. I can Wee Scapes at the local art store for about $4/pkg of 2 sheets.
I haven't done any portals with it, but that sounds pretty easy to do.I generally attach it to a backing of wood or foamcore by spraying the back with 3M 77 adhesive and it sticks well.
Here's a few pics of structures made with random and cut stone sheeting from the 2 suppliers named above.
Purgatory station
The 9 Lives Cat House
Retaining wall at the Merry Widow Mine
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
Bill,
Who is the maker of your tunnel portal? Of what material is it made? How thick is it?
Roger
Page 48 of the August 2015 Model Railroader has a short article on how to make a tunnel portal.
Andrew
Cut the portal in half in the middle. Put one half on each side. Disguise the gap with some foliage.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
Another thought: how difficult would it be to re-lay one or both tracks bringing them closer together?
If there is room for a narrow support between the tracks you can make something from two singles.
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
Thank you Chuck for the tips. You've given me food for thought. I'll look around at what is available out there and decide how much into the weeds I want to go.
Thank you Mike for the pics. Great work there! Hope my feeble attempts at least approach your finish. I'll look into your suggestions.
Andrew, I have that issue, it's been waiting for me to have some quiet time to sit with it. I'll check it out, thanks.
Hi Lion, good to hear from you as always. I looked at doing what you suggested but I'm leaning towards trying to find/create a solid one but your idea is definitely in the plan "B" file. Thanks
Thanks for the thought Dave. There is room for a very thin support if I don't want to eliminate my safety factor for oversized loads but I'm not sure if that would solve my problem with matching the tops where they come together but I'll give it a ponder.
Hi Roger. I gave moving the tracks a quick look and shied away from it at my initial reaction but that may be the way I go if I can't find a reasonable way to make one. I'll text or email you later with the details of what I have.
If your tracks are too far apart for a standard double portal, then you may be able to do something with the space in between. Try using two single portals, but instead of side by side, stagger them slightly. In between, run a vertical retaining wall parallel to the tracks. I'll do my best to make a simple diagram from type...
- - -_(————- - (——————
- - -_(————
- - (——————
...is that clear enough?
--Steven Otte, Model Railroader senior associate editorsotte@kalmbach.com
Here is a W/S double wide concrete portal, but with a plug filling the vertical split halfway through the keystone. I tried using carved extruded insulation foam board and also a shaped piece of retaining wall of the same plaster, same provider. Both worked. I used a light smear of DAP Alex Plus white caulk as an adhesive.
Thanks, great job on that. I want to try and match what's on the other end of the tunnel which is random cut stone and I think that will give me lots more trouble trying to match up the pieces then flat concrete but it may be the way I go. Thank you.
"IS THAT CLEAR?" "Crystal". Hi Steve, got it and that may be the solution. I'll have to do some real critical measurements and decide. I really don't have lots of room. I'll try to attach a pic or two, hmmmm. Tried sending pic from my phone to my email. Still waiting on that. If I get them I'll try and add to my post.
Buy a retaining wall of random stone from the same manufacturer of the portal. Cut a piece of the retaining wall and install it in the center of the cut in half portal.
South Penn
Here is a picture depicting what Steven Otte suggested.
My Layout Pics
How about an S scale tunnel portal?
Rich
Alton Junction
Hi South Penn and thanks for the advice. I would probably use that method except I knuckled down and pulled up one set of track, actually I just dislodged it from the glue and shoved it closer to the other set. I think I have enough room. Obviously I will take it real slow with the first run through that tunnel.
Rich, thanks for that thought. I would look at that as a definite possibility except I just knuckled down and moved one track closer to the other. I'm hoping it was enough. We will see, come the first run through that tunnel.
streetspook Rich, thanks for that thought. I would look at that as a definite possibility except I just knuckled down and moved one track closer to the other. I'm hoping it was enough. We will see, come the first run through that tunnel. Bill
http://www.walthers.com/exec/search?category=&scale=S&manu=&item=&keywords=tunnel+portal&words=restrict&instock=Q&showdisc=Y&split=30&Submit=Search
My vote is for Selector's way. I have done it before with random stone.....what ever You decide on...make sure Your tallest rolling stock will fit under the side arch's and long cars on the inside if a curve, will not hit the side arch.
Have Fun!
Frank
zstripe what ever You decide on...make sure Your tallest rolling stock will fit under the side arch's and long cars on the inside if a curve, will not hit the side arch.
what ever You decide on...make sure Your tallest rolling stock will fit under the side arch's and long cars on the inside if a curve, will not hit the side arch.