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…........................... .--- Tunnel Portals Pt. 2 (Single Track) ---

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I took a count and if the track plan stays the same I'll need to have 12 single track tunnel portals and 11 double track portals plus one custom 2 portal face (have it done ). I wanted to get back to some other things on the layout out in the shop but decided that while I was using Fusion 360 I would go ahead and design the rest of the portal 'looks' that I wanted, at least at this time. I find when working with Fusion 360 that if I'm doing something that is somewhat repetitive it is best to keep going on it and not come back to it later.

For now I've settled on three main looks ( UP/D&RGW style, a stepped top and one with a stone vs. concrete arch). For the facing I'm using flat concrete, a random stone pattern, 8 inch x 16 inch blocks and larger stone blocks that are 1 ft. x 2 ft. in N scale. All of those measurements are close to those sizes.

I used the west portal of the Moffat tunnel for inspiration for one but don't want that name or dates on it so left them off. Again it is hopefully close as I didn't work from actual measurements. Close is good enough for me since it won't be representing the real thing.

I also designed some loosely based on UP's (formally and built as D&RGW) portals along the Price River in UT as shown above. The stepped top and the stone arch looks are out of my head and not representative of any one tunnel portal but I found some that were somewhat close in my searches. Most tunnel portals are pretty boring so I also decided to use a couple different facing materials to change things up a bit. Again I didn't find anything with exactly the same as what I'm using but that is fine with me. I also use these facings for some walls in other designs so it was easier and fast to use them. I'm pretty much into what looks fine to me will do. If I was younger I might take more time with some of this stuff but right now I just want to keep moving on. Later if I find something I like better I'll have a 'portal face-lift'.

I started with the double track portals shown on the right. Then decided to move onto the single track portals and came up with more or less a system to follow (shown in the pictures below). Now I've decide to fill in similar double track portals where the X's are. Some of the ones above the X's are yet different designs.

N scale portals above, at least for now. I couldn't get the camera to focus well on the group so broke the groups down into the next images.

I'll probably use the Moffat style above some place on both ends of one tunnel. Other tunnels are changes from one scene to another. In fact only a couple tunnels with be through a mountain that you see both sides of but through the two backdrops/dividers. In these cases it would be perfectly fine to have different tunnel portals as the tunnel wouldn't of been bored through a mountain at the same time from two directions.

Concrete Faced portals above.

Random Stone facing above.

8 inch x 16 inch blocks shown above. 8 inch x 8 inch x 16 inch concrete and cinder blocks are a common building material in the U.S.. I don't know about other places and don't know if they are/were used to face tunnel portals but I'll probably use this style portal a couple places on the layout. I use this block pattern for some of my buildings and walls I've designed that one can print. See my thingiverse.com account ( HERE ) or my website ( HERE ) for more info and print files.

The facing above is 1 ft. x 2 ft. blocks and for me represents stone blocks but could be concrete blocks. I'm still using a filament printer so can't really get a rough stone sculptured look but for N scale it would be hard to see any of that from a couple feet away or more. Hopefully at some point I will start using the resin printer I have and maybe come back to these designs.

I'll post some pictures with the mortar joints partially filled in and the portals painted when I get that done.

If you have an interesting portal that you like consider posting it on one of the forums I frequent or send me a picture or link. If it is something I might want to use I'll try designing it and if I feel OK about the outcome I'll post the print files.

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Print files are up for the above single track portals on thingiverse.com:

UP Style ( HERE )

Stepped Top ( HERE )

Stone Arch ( HERE )

Moffat Tunnel Portal ( HERE )

If you came into the build here you can find the main index for the build ( HERE ).

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