Tommy has been in touch with his HO scale tunnel and stone walls.
Have a look at the pics, even unfinished they are amazing.
Sadly, as you’ll read Tommy couldn’t finish them, but as you’ll also read, he’s still carrying the torch for this hobby, he want’s to inspire somebody out there:
“Hello, I’m Tommy from Sweden.
I had a project to build a layout on my attic.
But there was a change in life, so I had to tear it down again.
I made a supporting stonewall with arches and a tunnel openings for the layout.
Maby the photos can bring some inspiration to you.
HO scale tunnel and stone wall:
I also made this Helix as well as the HO scale tunnel.
I constructed it, disembled it and build it back up on the attic.
The HO scale tunnel, stonewalls and so on are not ready.
They still need some colors and greenery on them.
The mountain is not ready – made between the pain.
Just made them to look a little better for now.
Tommy”
I asked Tommy how he made his amazing HO scale tunnel, stone walls, and er, he mentioned the pain?
He came back with this reply which got me thinking a lot about the wonderful people this hobby attracts:
“I was in an accident and broke my back, one of the reasons why the attic layout was stopped.
I was lucky, I did not get paralysed. I just have other problems with nerve function and a lot of very high pain.
I was operated, got two flat titanium rods and ten screwes into my spine.
The stone walls:
Brick walls and tunnel openings are made from styrofoam (pink or blue are the colors I know), used to insulate houses with. So You will find them at Your Home Depot.
Make the surface uneven with something, roll something over the surface to make dents in the surface, or hit it with a steel brush.
Make try outs and practice on a piece of foam first.
Then decide wich one you like.
Once You get the hang of it, you never buy ready made brickwalls again…
Nothing is right, nothings is wrong.
You are the one to be happy with the finish and how you do it.
Then I just form the bricks with a small charp screwdriver, pressing it gently down into the foam.
If you do bricks, it helps with horizontal guide lines so they get the uniformed look, but don’t press to hard on the pen.
If you plan to do natural stone, just go on making them on free hand.
Only think about the scale, so you get it right. Mine is HO scale tunnel.
I also rub in some ready made plaster, the one you even out the walls at home with, before painting.
Then before it’s dry, clean the surface gently with a moist sponge until you get the depth of joints you like.
As I said before, have some piece to try on, until you get the hang of it.
When it’s dry, I paint with waterbased color, I use Liquitex or you can use simular paint. But only waterbased color or glue.
By the way, the drain pipes coming out under the arches, are made from Johnson cotton sticks, the one some use to clean their ears with.
Sorry for my English I am in Sweden.
Best regards
Tommy”
A huge big thanks to Tommy for sharing his HO scale tunnel and stone walls, and for sharing his advice – for me this line says it all:
“Nothing is right, nothing is wrong. You are the one to be happy with the finish and how you do it.”
Please, if Tommy has inspired you in any shape or form, please do leave a comment and below.
And I wish him health and the best recovery possible. Tommy, thanks so much for sharing.
Tommy’s post reminded me of a two others.
When it comes to making a helix – Lawrence’s springs to mind:
And when it comes to HO scale tunnels and stone walls (and other scales come to that), John’s video on the printable buildings:
How to make a viaduct for your model train.
That’s all for today folks.
Please do keep ’em coming.
And if today is the day you get started on your layout, just like Tommy did, the Beginner’s Guide is here.
Best
Al
PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.
PPS More HO scale train layouts here if that’s your thing.
