Cork Roadbed

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I was putting down some cork roadbed and noticed that it kinda looked like the ballast that D&H is using (in my area brown and blackish). Has anyone just put down the cork and laid track on top without putting ballast down because it looked good enough already?

Bruce

2

I don’t. To me it looks to un-realistick. When you look in between the tracks there’s nothing there. I would put down ballast, but that’s my opinion, you do what you want.

3

I am certain someone has done that…but I personally don’t think it looks realistic. Definitely not as good as actual rock ballast looks.

4

If one (me) doesn’t get around to ballasting, it’s for TWO reasons:

  1. i’ve got other things with higher priority that need to be done. 2. Rock and hardened glue transmit too much noise (I have sound). 3. It looks good enough.

EVERYONE makes compromises: too sharp radii, uneven trackwork, cheaper switches, benchwork, etc. What’s yours?

5

Oh I plan on putting rock ballast down however I think around my turnouts I may leave it alone or paint it gray if I decide to use gray rock. Ballasting around the turnouts has never been my favorite part of the hobby and I always end up messing it up[:(]

Bruce

6

Another in-the-middle option is to use texture spray paint on the cork before you lay your track. It gives the ‘look’ of ballast without ballasting…and it is easy on turnouts!..

David

7

Here are the steps I take to ensure my cork roadbed will provide me with years of trouble free service: (Before I glue the cord roadbed material and as I am separating the bevel cut pieces, I will strip away the burrs and little hanging extras from the edges.)

  1. Attach the cork roadbed to the sub-roadbed with grey latex caulk adhesive. Then using push pins I secure the “wet” cork roabed to the plywood sub-roadbed and leave it to sit overnight.

  2. After the caulk adhesive has set, I remove the push pins. Then I make sure all sections of the cork roadbed are secure to the sub-roadbed.

  3. Then, using my electric sander I will smooth out the top and sides of all the cork roadbed, and ensure that there are no burrs, and the extra little cork pieces. And general smooth out the seams where all the cork sections meet. After this I vacuum up all the cork dust.

  4. Then I paint the cork roadbed with a grey latex interior flat paint. Then I let the paint dry.

  5. After the paint is dry I then lay my track on smooth, painted cork roadbed.

  6. Then I but down the ballast, oh, did I say, the ballast is grey too!