Mark Boyce posted:George, I see what you mean about the slope above the tunnel and the backdrop. Did that slope have trees on it, or just grass and brush? Trees could cover the white spot on the backdrop of it was painted as you said, but maybe there were no trees.
Hi Mark,
The tunnel is not prototypical. I created it as a way to have the C&P River Route loop around that part of the layout. The River Route can function in either Command or Conventional modes. In Conventional mode, kids (of all ages) can run some of my older locomotives (beeps, Marx 666, Lionel EP-5, etc) using a CAB-1. The loop is totally separate from the Panhandle mainline so as to prevent Gomez Addams types of incidents. 
So to directly answer your questions:
- That slope doesn't really exist. It's a concession to utility and practicality.
- The slope can have anything on it that I decide is helpful.
Translation: I will disguise the white space with trees and / or brush. But I will try to keep the slope reasonable, at least 1:1.
Past (to the west of) the Steubenville PRR station, I am planning a wye with the rightmost leg entering the Gould No. 5 tunnel. That is strictly a dummy spur. I may put a switch machine there and use the wye to store a small switcher or I may just lock it in the leftmost position to continue the mainline.
George
