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Anyone out there got any good ideas for removable scenery sections. I have to cover 2 turnouts (hidden staging) with a mountain side and there is not enough room underneath to service them. So I want to create an access panel in the mountain without it showing. Maybe someone remembers a magazine article, or has delt with this before? Thanks, Scott
Posts: 127 | From: Gunnison, CO, USA | Registered: Jul 2000
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Build the outside of the mountain (or small hill) & scenic it as a gravel pit, with only the outside showing. Then you can leave the inside open & just reach inside as needed. Alternately, if the inside can be seen, make it as a lift-out section that would be scenicked as a gravel pit - OR COAL STRIP MINE to generate more revenue for the railroad. Hope this helps. Tom H - Spring Lake Railroad
Posts: 57 | From: Hudson, Fl USA | Registered: Jul 2000
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Scott, Have you already built the mountain? If not there are some design elements tha can make an access panel easy. If the mountain exists, its a bit harder, but possible. Also, how often do you expect to access the turnouts? This is important because your panel can either be semi-permanent, or temporary depending on whether you will access it once per session, or once per year. Let me know what you have going and I'll try to help. I have built access panels in mountains so maybe I can help. Happy Modeling!! John
------------------ The Santa Fe and Southwestern, Chief of the Southwest!
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John, The mountain has not been built yet. The access panal can actually be the portal end as a "lift out". There are going to be tracks on the top of the mountain but I figured to have the sub-roadbed for the top track as a shelf fixed directly to the wall so I will have a strong base for the lifout portion "frame". My biggest question is how do I disguise the line where the lifout section connects with the fixed scenery? I will probably want to be able to service the turnouts on a regular (every couple of months)basis. Scott
Posts: 127 | From: Gunnison, CO, USA | Registered: Jul 2000
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OK, here are a few suggestions, as I have a similar situation between semi-permanent modules. You could take a strip of duct tape and attach it to the leading edge of the fixed portion of the mountain, making sure there is good overlap on the side of the pull out segment. Dont attach the tape to the pull out segment, but make sure it is pretty close to the surface. Paint and scenic in regular fashion. To hide the obvious gap between the pull out and the tape, use bushes and rocks in front of the tape. See ?
Another possibility is to take the area between the pull out and the fixed portion of the mountain, and instead of a straight line make it jagged. build it up as a stream bed, one bank on the fixed side, one on the pullout (crack in the middle). Cut a piece of plexiglass to fit the bottom of the river (over the crack). Remove the piece of plexiglass, tint with river colors and cover with liquid nails. When dry cover with matte gloss for protection. You now have a removable river to fit into, and over the crack, keeping it hidden. I don't know if these will help, but you get the idea. Unless I saw the plans for your mountain, I could'nt be more specific. Good luck, let me know how it goes and Happy Modeling!! John
------------------ The Santa Fe and Southwestern, Chief of the Southwest!
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