Roadbed?

On my last layout which I started about 10 years ago, I used cork roadbed. I've since moved and I'm putting together a new layout. Is there anything better out there than the cork roadbed? If not, I'm considering no roadbed at all...just track on table. Advice anyone?

 

If it ain't broke don't fix it, and if it's fixed don't break it. CORK! Liquid Nails and your golden. Nails transfer vibration to the sub-board (plywood).

 

I kinda like the Woodland Scenics foam roadbed. It is relatively inexpensive-about $6.50 for a 24 ft. roll, and it can be glued down securely with Aleene's Tacky Glue. I have both cork and foam roadbed on my layout and I believe that the foam sections are slightly better when it comes to sound deadening. Plus, it can already pass for cinder ballast right out of the box, although it looks better with some "real" ballast on it.

Pat Moreland,
Union Mo.

 

OK Good Talk
Let's hear it. Some in Florida use:
1) plywood
2) then 1/2 inch insulation foam
3) then cork or camper tape
4) then Track with Ballast
What is the best?

Bill Jackson

 

I prefer cork.

 

In the early days of HO (Early 50's, when I was still "doing" Lionel trains) there were several wood roadbed products by "Tru-Scale" including milled roadbed with ties for those who hand laid and spiked their own track. Tru-Scale also had a wood roadbed product with the same profile as the cork products that you would lay (Nail or glue) flex track on. In the magazines, a lot of modelers objected to the noise from solid wood roadbed, but I rather liked the hiss and click clack of the trains going down the line...

Tom G.

 

After reading all of the replies to my threads, "pros and cons of flextrack" and "roadbed," I'm leaning toward flex track & cork. I've learned a lot about why I had the problems I had a decade ago with flex track and cork from all of you who use this sight. I actually bought some of the "DAP" product or whatever it is now back in Aug. but I haven't opened it yet. I like the idea of avoiding nails to reduce vibration noise. Can I lay cork on painted plywood with DAP and lay flex track on cork road bed with DAP... with few temporary push pins while it dries?

 

I would suggest that you lay your track out and then draw lines around it. Paint everywhere but inside the track width. Anytime paint and glue mix, it is never a good thing. It makes a mess and can inhibit the proper curing.

 

This is the topic of a million opinions, of course. My concern is working right on the plywood. Many of the layouts in our NWA group use Homasote over plywood. Some sound deadening but it holds spikes, takes glue and looks a lot better than plywood when it's got a coat of paint. Then you can carve ditches in it or take a piece out to represent a stream. I use cork for mainline only, ramp down for spurs and yards.

 

That's good to hear since I already painted the table top green.

 

Keith,
That's good to hear since I've already painted my entire table top. BTW, can you send me a link to the pictures you mentioned? Thanks
- Brandon

 

To expand upon Steve's post, I actually go one step farther. Some may look at this as overkill, but I love the results. I start with 3/4 in. cabinet grade birch plywood upon which I use white glue to bond 1/2 in. Homasote. I then paint the Homasote with earth color latex paint to effectively seal it. Then the following is where I go one step further. For the mainline only I use adhesive caulk to lay 1/8 th. branchline 60 degree tapered Homasote on top of the base Homasote. I purchased switch pads for the turnouts. The track is then adhered with the same caulk either on the base for the yards of the raised Homasote for the mainline. Below is a picture that shows the technique. The track in front of the yardstick is the branchline track on the painted Homasote base and the part behind it is the mainline showing the raised switch pads.

 

Yardmaster - yes tru-scale is still around - http://www.troutcreekeng.com/bkho.html and go to the bottom of the page.

Back in the day, my next door neighbor was the plant manager at the wood shop where Tru-Scale was produced. He let me go through their trash bin and I still must have 400 feet of the stuff left. Not sure how I will use it for the new layout as yet.

 

Bob, I have been able to pick up a few sheets of Homasote from Garner Building in Rogers, but I can't say if they are still keeping some around. City Lumber in Fayetteville seems to keep some, the other fellows around here usually go there.
Come on over to see cork on Homasote (N code 55)