Swing-out canyon scenery

摘要

Dramatic scenery with trains passing through canyons, tunnels, and other hidden areas are always favorites of layout visitors, but they can provide challenges when accessing track for maintenance and the inevitable derailment. In order to model the towering cliffs on both sides of the tracks at the mouth of the Eagle River Canyon, I used two large hinges to create an access hatch. Pulling on a handle swings the fascia and front half of the canyon out into the aisle, allowing one to reach easily to the tracks and the tunnel beyond. When closed, guests must peer down a narrow opening where Water Street runs past a sewage treatment plant, crosses the railroad tracks, then enters the village of Red Cliff. Only small glimpses of the structures and trains are visible, giving the scene a great deal of realism.