LO#5 - Tunnel Portals and Underpass

Yesterday I promised some pics of scenery profiles and details.  To create an upper level on an HO 5'x10' layout with 23" curves the track gets pushed near the edge all around.  This creates a situation where the layout is literally cut out of the earth and placed on a table.

The lower level is visible only on one side (front) and one end.  The far (back) side will have profile boards mostly up at the upper level.  The other end will have the transition from lower to upper levels including the curved turnout leading to an extension for yard and industry.

My goal is to get enough scenery above the upper level track to justify a tunnel for the reverse loop yet sloping enough to display the lower track.

The following pictures show the mockups of tunnel portals and underpass.

This is the portal on the front side with mockup scenery above.

An underpass allows access to the mine area spur.

 

This is the tunnel portal visible from the end, looking over the three section truss bridge.

Marv will have three more turnouts and connecting track to install and wire before we can get into scenery.  Some of this had to be removed to accommodate the track crew, but I now have some documentation to remind me in the future.  Another two weeks and we should be able to run trains on all the main line, top and bottom.  The fun begins!

Armchair

LO#4 - Our Summer Jobs - Layout Progress

With Summer here in Yuma and winter visitors home to cooler climes, it is just Marv and me working on the 5'x10' layout.  I have all the cork roadbed down and Marv is laying track.  He has one reverse loop and 2 turnouts down and wired, working on the curved turnout and 4 more on the upper level.

I am faking in some scenery contour with foam core board and cardboard strips, tunnel portals and bridges so we will see what we have to build in the near future.  The actual industries and scenes are still in flux.

Marv and I are meeting twice a week now, Tuesday and Saturday to make a bit more progress.  I will get more pics tomorrow.

The picture is just a reminder of what it looked like several weeks ago.  More tomorrow.

Armchair