Tunnel size

[lrparks]

I'm planning a tunnel for my railway. I want to make the tunnel big enough for any trains I may buy in the future. What should the inside dimensions of my tunnel be?

I plan on building a box form out of 2"x12" lumber and placing styrofoam in the box to serve as the tunnel. I also plan on cutting out a brick pattern out of some 1/16" thick acrylic sheet using a laser cutter to create a brick pattern on the outside of both ends. I may use chicken wire to add strength to the concrete.

[japasha]

LGB offered a templarte in one of their publications. It has all of the info you need as it was oversize.

[Kevin Strong]

Build the interior of the tunnel as large as possible, and let the portal itself fool the eye into thinking it's smaller. This way, if you should acquire a piece of equipment that stretches the capacity of the tunnel, you need only replace the portal, not the entire structure.

Having said that, I'd plan on a portal with a vertical clearance of no lower than 10", and a side-to-side clearance of no narrower than 7". That should accommodate almost everything that's on the market right now.

Later,

K

[CCSII]

Unless it is a curved tunnel.

[Charlie Mutschler]

Good one Kevin - that 10" portal should even accommodate the anticipated motive power.  Who knows - that might even allow passage of an EBT 16? 

Charlie
-30-