# New Tunnel and Portals



## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

I am replacing the one track tunnel under my waterfall(has a leak-so have to tear it out for repairs anyway). I am putting in a two track tunnel to cure a bottleneck and thus create two separate loops. Sides are made of pressure treated 2x12's ripped down to 10 1/2" by 4'. My wife used to have a sign business and we had some scraps of double layer aluminum sign board with plastic honeycomb in between for the top and bottom. So more weather proof material. The portals were made with plastic brick molding pieces I had left over. They were ripped down to the sizes I wanted to use. Sort of made this up as I went along, combining some ideas I saw of different portals on the internet. The inside of the tunnel has some thin strips to give an idea of the beams inside. I kept them thin so I can get large locos through it.


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## silverstatespecialties (Jan 2, 2008)

Very nice Jerry! Sorry to hear about your having to replace your waterfall; hopefully it will turn out to be a blessing in disguise. 

LOVE the tunnel portal! And the interior even looks like real tunnel lining....very nice!!


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## Big65Dude (Jan 2, 2008)

Jerry -


Love the portals, too. Great job! I'm anxious to see the whole tunnel _in situ._


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Nice looking tunnel. I like the portals. 

Dan Hoag of EAGLEWINGS IRON CRAFT had a tunnel that leaked on his RR. I thoght it added realisiam to the layout. This year the tunnel was gone. Must have become a big problem.


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## jmill24 (Jan 11, 2008)

Jerry, nice tunnel but what is plastic brick molding and where can I get some. What ever it is, it looks very nice.......jim


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## jimtyp (Jan 2, 2008)

Really nice, one of the best I've seen!


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

You get plastic brick molding at the lumber yard. If you know a carpenter, he probably has scraps you can get for free. I ripped down the back some to overlap the piece on top. The curved part is a flat piece of plastic 1x4. I just cut and fit in the brick molding and flat board stuff till it looked okay. No plans/etc..... Used the table saw mostly, bit with the band saw. Jerry


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## Rayman4449 (Jan 2, 2008)

Wow, another nice one Jerry. When you do something you do it very clean and neatly. Very very nice! Interesting idea to make the tunnel almost premade... hmmm.... 

Raymond


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## truman (Feb 15, 2008)

I will be building a tunnel (4' long) with a slight curve that will be under a waterfall, and am wondering the best material to use. 2" x 12" treated limber sounds good and relatively easy to build. What would you suggest for the top of the tunnel that will be under a layer of pond liner, dirt and rock? I don't have access to 'sign material that you used. 

To accomodate the curve, and if I used 'straight' material (2 x 12s), I thought I would make the the tunnel wider, 12"+. 

I also heard that chimney flues also have been used. Do you have experience with this material?


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

You can get the sign board from any sign shop, I used some scraps, I'm sure they'd give you a good deal to get rid of a small piece!.Ron Brown(Steam in the Garden) made his whole steam layout with it. Treated plywood would hold up well also, I would think. Might cover the roof with a pond liner scrap, just in case. Jerry


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## Richard Smith (Jan 2, 2008)

Jerry, 

That's a classy looking tunnel. Definately big time mainline. When are we going to see it planted? I bet it'll look great with a train emerging or disappearing into it. Great idea!


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Too hot right now to rebuild the waterfall-tunnel goes under it. 

Jerry


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