tunnel..

[NCMRailroad]

Hi all,
Just wondering - on average what is the best technique to build a HO scale mountain complete with tunnel? Styrofoam board works good (as I have learnt) but can be over costly.
Rgd's
NCMRailroad.

 

[Nazgul]

There are quite a few ways to do it. One that many people (myself included) use is the cardboard basket-weave method:
View attachment 32867
After shaping, cover with plaster-cloth or strips of newspaper or papertowels dipped in "soupy" plaster. The tunnel interior can be made out of what ever is handy: cardboard, styrofoam, etc painted black.
I hope that helps

 

[sumpter250]

http://www.the-gauge.com/showthread.php?t=2899&page=4 Starting at post #57 shows the use of expanded aluminum gutter screen. It works well with plaster cloth, and doesn't need excessive support structure.

 

[Nazgul]

Pete
Great idea!...I bet the plastic version would work pretty good as well with a little extra support. By the way...the rest of that thread is well worth reading:thumb: :thumb: :thumb: . That is some great modeling there! I need to go back through the threads from a while back...no telling what other gems are out there!

 

[sumpter250]

Great idea!...I bet the plastic version would work pretty good as well with a little extra support.

The thing which sold me on the aluminum ( I never got to the plastic) was, after it was set in place, I could still make minor adjustments, to shape the terrain, before plaster was applied.

 

[NCMRailroad]

Sorry I haven't replied to your "replies" on this perticular thread. Alothough I would have liked to have included a tunnel on my layout (I had even went as far as ruff designing one) I opted out.
Thanks again for your views and replies to this thread!
NCMR