Hello all,
I had a thought about using cork sheets for a switch yard. Staples has three kinds of cork sheet ,in different thicknesses 1/8 1/4 and can’t remember what the other one is.
Just a thought…I figured someone else might have done this also.As a matter of fact ,every store I go to,I’m looking for model railroad related gear.
Patrick
I used cork sheet for my yard. Works fine. Don’t remember where I got it from, but it wasn’t Staples. Probably a hardware or home building supply store. If it’s the same thickness as your cork roadbed you won’t have an elevation change on the mainline which will likely be running through the edge of the yard.
Pelle Soeborg wrote an article in Model Rairlaoder once, (Before his current Daneville layout. I think it was a couple of Diaramas he made that also linked together to form a swtiching layout) That he made his roadbed from sliced up cork sheet. He found that it more economical than buying cork road bed as A roll of cork sheet cost as much as a roll of cork but the roll of cork contained nearly twice the material. He sliced it up into about the normal half width of cork road bed, but he said he found he can make more realistic track profiles because the ballast did its own sloping away from the track rather than following the cork under layer.
So give it a try. Can’t hurt anything I think except a few spent hobby dollars if it doesn’t work out.
James
I had a post going last week about what people use for switching yards that are usually flat. A lot of people mentioned Home Depot, Staples and Hobby Lobby as sources for cheap rolls of cork. I beleive the thicknesses were 1\8" and 1\4" . Someone quoted Hob Lob @ $12.99 for a 2’x8’x1\8" roll. That’s the way I’m going to go.
I bought two rolls of cork - 4’ wide by 50’ long, one 1/4" thick and the other 1/8"thick - from a company on the internet called cork direct. I cut all my roadbed from it. Initial cost was high ($130 for the 1/4" roll and $110 for the 1/8" one), but on a unit-lenfth cost, the 1/4" strips are about 8 cents per foot for single track roadbed, somewhat less than Midwest Products’ 42 cents per foot at retail.
I use the 1/8" for sidings, yards, etc. The 1/4" is for all mainlines.
Any store that sells flooring should have rolls of cork that is used as underlayment. The 1/8" thick stock should be close to the cork roadbed thickness. I use sheet cork for turnouts and crossing diamond bases instead of trying to piece cork roadbed together or use those expensive pre-cut cork pads. With a little practice in holding a hobby knife at the correct angle, you can even cut it with the tapered edge.
I spend a lot of time looking for in other stores for things I can use on my railroad, there are lots of craft and hobby items out there that will work one way or the other for a Model RR so, keep your eyes open you never can tell what you might find!!
I have purchased rolls of cork at auto supply stores; it is used as gasket material. Since I model in N, I have purchased 1/16" thickness; but it also comes in 1/8" thickness. The roll is 12 inches wide by 36 inches long. I think it cost about $5 or $6 a roll. I use it as roadbed and lay it down with silicone caulk.