Jürg, I used Styrene, 4,5mm wide, .75mm thick. You don't want it as high as the rails: if you clean the rails, you rub the material. Make sure it is lower by a few 0.1mm. .
Jeff, you confirm these data are for MTL track? I'm very interrested because indeed myself I'm in the process to start a grade crossing as well as a few inches of track beeing embedded under pavement for a spur... Dom
I've just finished my tunnel portals (coming from Loren's store). I glued a carboard sheet inside and I airbrushed them with a clear cream paint in order to give them an appearance of concrete. I slipped small sheets of styrene on each side of the track in order to have a tunnel base about the same height than the roadbed. But I'm not too aware of what one finds in a tunnel, so I've no idea of what colour I shoud paint this tunnel base. Any idea to share here? Dom
Dom, Good choice of portals... ) I have some of the same ones on my end module and I used Sculptamold on the inside and painted it different shades of gray to simulate cut rock. I'd just suggest using the color of the rocks you would find in the area in which you are modeling. Or, it is possible the railroad had framed the sides for a ways back and poured cement, so the cement color would work fine. One time Jeff Merrill from BAZ discovered his Husky stack cars were hitting the side of my tunnel and I found him doing some Z scale blasting, (with his Exacto blade). Fortunately for me, I had my vacuum to suck up the offending chips. Had to go back and repaint, but at least the stack cars made it through without hitting. I never did pay Jeff for all his blasting services.......
Hi Loren! I knew your portals were the best, that's why I chose them! About the inside my problem is that I don't really know. My layout depicts a freelance railroad that runs from California to Nevada, roughly going from Cadiz Junction (BNSF) to Kelso (UP), then to Baker, then to Death Valley and finally to Reno. My goal beeing to depict Mojave desert... When my rocks are molded and painted they will be with a red - gold - yellow general scheme but that's for the details one can find inside a tunnel that I don't really know. So I guess I'll follow your advise as I was thinking of cement colour. In your opinion what should be the best # for Humbrol paints? Dom
How about stone color to dull black as you enter the tunnel. Reminds me of an incident Garth and our wives saw and heard last year as we rode AMTRAK to NMRA Anaheim. The sun was out very very very brightly when all of a sudden it got pitch black. A voice came from a few seats away from us in the observation car -- "Are we in the tunnel yet??" Talk about the difficulty of not laughing and being impolite!! ...don
Dom, If you look at David's wheel details: http://jamesriverbranch.net/clinic_2.htm (scroll down to Wheels), you can see the E dimension between the wheels is as small as .205" (5.22mm). So you must be less than this. The depth is variable, depending of MTL flex or Märklin/Peco flex. With MTL, there are rail spikes closer to the top of the rail and then there are small tie plates farther down (almost the height of the tie itself) and then the tie. From the top of the rail to the top of the spike is .048" (1.22mm). to the top of the tie plate is .056" (1.43mm) and to the tie is .06 (1.55mm). Since the width must be <.2" (5.08mm), then the plastic cannot sit on top of the rail spikes, only the tie plates or the tie itself. Again, the top of the tie plate is .056 (1.43mm) below the rail so you could use .050 (1.27mm) but then the top surface is literally at the rail surface. And, you will never get it that flat so in some places above the rail. You cannot clean the rail without scratching the plasting between them. So, use .04" (1.0mm) and you will be safe. American dimensions are .062, .05, .04 and .03" I can't find the track cross section detail (like David's wheel guide) that shows all these dimensions. .
Since the inside of the tunnel will look black where there is no light I would paint it black and then spray concrete colour into the portal opening in short bursts so you get the concrete colour at the very edge going to black the further back into the tunnel you get. I would not spray the top of the tunnel with the concrete colour as from our perspective you don't see it in the airplane view. As the light is cut off by the tunnel portal the concrete colour should go back further at the lowest part of the wall and at some point you get a light line where the light from outside casts the shadow on the walls. You can get a feel for this effect by dimming the light in your work area and then with a flashlight light your tunnel portal from above at about a 45 degree angle from the vertical and move the light in an arc over the entrance from about 3 feet away. Keep in mind also as you move away from the portal most tunnels get wet and the walls change from dry concrete colour to wet concrete and the roof is covered in soot. cheerz Garth
Interresting thoughts, thank you Garth. I'm going to see how I can process about what you describe....:tb-wink:. Dom
Dom, I think Garth said it pretty good. It's a matter of personal choice so if you don't like the first attempt, just take out the old paint brush and try again. No one is going to yell at you if it isn't exactly like nature does it. You have to please yourself.
I do agree with you Garth and Loren :thumbs_up: ! I'm just wondering about how I will proceed to airbrush fading colours trending to dark to the end of tunnel "duct". I guess the best way is close dark color airbrushing to tunnel's end from behind, towards the direction of the portal. I will try this in 10 days when I'm back of the trip I'm leaving for today. Dom
Dom: Airbrushing is one way but you can do just as well or better using a very small paint brush and using a very thin acrylic paint. I've done 95% of my layout painting with a 1/8" brush. Ask Loren who has seen it. Paint just a little. Then change the color to a darker color and paint a little more and just do this several times. If the final result is too light due to thinning just go over the surfaces several times. Lastly using some weathering powder like Bragdon's and coat the whole surface in different shades. Mother Nature will be asking you how "you did it". Don't forget you do NOT want an even paint job. Also make sure the painting is up-&-down to represent water and debris runoff. ...don a
fading spray in concrete tunnel mouth Dom I would start with the tunnel black and spray the concrete colour into the tunnel mouth over the black. Mist as far back as you can with the air brush and then move forward and do it a bit heavier and finally solid concrete on the sides at the entrance. I would probably use 3-4 inches (10-12cm) into the tunnel as my max dept with the concrete or even less if your site line does not allow you to look directly into the tunnel or it curves away. So less than 10% coverage at max depth and then increase the coverage as you move towards the mouth of the tunnel. cheerz Garth
Yup, I do use that quarter incher when I want to "speed paint". I have to admit bigger brushes are in the bucket for prime coats and areas of "slop", but final painting is with the small stuff. ...don a
Kit Pre Production Model StoneBridgeDesigns new "big box" kit, a trackside industry, shown unfinished. Kit will include a brick furnace w/smoke stack attached to train dock side, peel and stick roofing (not shown), 5 LED lights for special effect 4 of which are nano SMLED's for porch lights. If a creamery is desired then 3 vented cupolas are included. Good for freight depot, paper company, tobacco/produce/meats, dry goods, whatever the modeler can dream up. We're considering including a resin stake bed truck and other resin extras. Pictures are of a test model and may differ from the finished kit which we hope to release mid month or the first of next month through Z Scale Monster.
MTL TURNOUTS I've added electric motors to a number of MTL Turnouts and also used some factory assembled units. I am SURE the innards are properly aligned and engaged when I close them up. They test O.K. A little later in service the track does not move completely although the tiny point on the side is moving. I've ground down the foam under the magnet to make sure it is not dragging. Should these units be lubricated and if so with what? Thanks ...don a
