CORK - for the Yards!!!

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

What a Great Idea!!! HO 8 X 12 North Yard and South yard.

I have this thing about keeping all the track the same height so when I laid the cork roadbed, I continued it into the yards knowing it dosen’t look realistic!

So when a couple of guys on here, mentioned that they buy the sheet cork and use it in there yards! Walla what a great idea!!!

So I bought some today at Office Depot, Package of 4 12 x12 sheets. As it turns out, it is the same height as the standard cork road bed or as close as you want to get GREAT and easy to cut. SO I went to town and laid it all over the yard between the tracks. I guess you could say that I raised the yard to the level of the tracks and it looks much better!!! and more realistic.

Its not cheap but I think worth it!

DON (River Rat JunctionRR)

P>S> I am getting close on finishing another scratch built building, or I should say bldgs. The Sarasota Seafood Company. Hope to have some pics soon.

2

hmm thanks for the help i need to do a 11’x3’ yard and i was planing on useing cork but was not shure were to get it and now i know

THANKS !!![:D]

3

DONNNNN:

Great idea! I’m planning to use Woodland Scenics roadbed all the way. On the main line and on the yards to make it easy for myself. And then fill in between the tracks on the yard. Is there any other material then cork that I can use for this, foam maybe? If someone have done this, please tell me the result.

Thanks in advance.

4

Woodland Scenics makes their foam roadbed in both strip and sheet form. I haven’t tried the sheets yet, but I’m very happy with the strips.

5

I found the cork (4, 12"x12" pieces) at wal mart and it was cheeper then at the office depot accross the street. I am using it for building bases because some of the buildings i have were missing the base when i bought it. Great idea DONNNNN I might try it.

6

You can also find cork in rolls at school supply places. I bought a roll of 1/4 inch cork that was 4’ x 12’. My yard is 10’ by 30". I just cemented it all down with contact yellow glue and trimmed the edge with a carton cutter. It was very easy and has no seams. It is not cheap but my time is worth something too.

7

I should have bought the cork at Walmart! I am sure its much cheaper than at Office Depot. I guess theres other things you can use. I just found the cork quik and easy to use and it lays really flat and glues to the foam nicely with good old Carpenters glue

DON

8

I bought 4’ X 50’ rolls of cork for my roadbed - 1/4" for the mainlines and 1/8" for the yards and other trackage. For single tracks I cut the cork into 5/8" wide strips and use two side-by-side. For yards and what-not, I cut it to whatever width is necessary.

This link describes my “roadbed factory:” http://www.thecbandqinwyoming.com/CM%20-%20Roadbed%20Factory.htm

I bought the rolls at http://www.corkdirect.com/underlayment.html - the price comes out to a small fraction of the cost of commercial cork roadbed, assuming you’re using the entire roll…