Timber tunnel portal

[MasonJar]

I have recently "discovered" that I will "need" one of these... but I'd like to scratch build it.

Can anyone tell me, or point me to a source, that would specify the dimensions of the timber used? Seems it would have to be pretty heavy stuff - maybe 10x10 or 12x12 (or bigger?) backed by 2x10 or 4x10?

Comments, advice, suggestions please!

Thanks...

Andrew

 

[Fred_M]

The ones I seen in real life appear to be made from ties. Heres on I made in HO using bass wood from 3/32 square stock. They are prob. a tad small, but no one seems to notice. The big beams are 1/4. DASH

 

[MasonJar]

Thanks dash for the measurements... 3/32 scales to about 8 inches, and 1/4 is just under 22 inches. Those are "big" big beams, and the smaller ones seem about right for ties.

Is that ceiling tile "limestone" visible in the cut?

Andrew

 

[Fred_M]

Yes, ceiling tile. The lights spots are due to the flash and are not seen under overhead light. DASH

 

[Drew1125]

They would be heavy support timbers, anywhere from 8x8's to 12x12's...
In most cases they would have been produced by a RR timber & tie plant, & treated with creosote.

 

[RailRon]

I built a few wooden tunnel portals from a drawing in a RMC or MR. (Didn't find the drawing at the moment, sorry! )

This one is on a H0n3 diorama (scenery is not finished - no, that's not snow! )
As you see, the timbers really are on the heavy side, I'd say in the 12"x12" range.

Ron

 

[RailRon]

And here another one, this time in N scale.
Again, the timbers are quite heavy. For sure they are more massive than the ties of the RR track.

Ron

 

[MasonJar]

And here it is...

Thanks for the help everyone!

Here is what I came up with. The blue "hill" in the picture is just to make things a little darker in the "tunnel" so you get an idea of how it will look.

Andrew

 

[MasonJar]

Another shot

I will add the external bracing (a la Railron) later. I built the portal from "funwood" - it is also from Midwest, but is cheaper, and not really "to-scale" sizes.

This is my P2K 0-6-0 hauling the local run.

Andrew

 

[Fred_M]

Looks good. I don't know that there really is a scale when it came to rough cut wood in the old days. I don't think some sawmills even owned a ruler before 1900. They just cut them to get the best yeild. Our old barn was built out of hand sawed oak beams between 6X6 and 14X14. DASH

 

[Matthyro]

Lookin' good Andrew. It will look right at home once you scenic it in place.

 

[Arlaghan]

Looks great, Andrew!

I guess you will need another for the other end of the tunnel?

:thumb: :thumb: :thumb:

 

[jon-monon]

Looks great Andrew!

And so does your Ron! (No Swiss portal jokes from the peanut gallery)

:thumb: :thumb: :thumb:

 

[MasonJar]

Thanks everyone for the kind comments!

Originally posted by Arlaghan
Looks great, Andrew!

I guess you will need another for the other end of the tunnel?

Arl - I have a plaster "stone" portal from Jordan Products for the other end. I have already painted and weathered it. I used it to get the approximate size for the wooden portal.

What I really need is a mountain in between!

Andrew