Hi guys i have been working on my ML&PTC RR and have been using Atlas code 80 with Midwest cork roadbed. I have almiost finished tracklaying on phase 1. wich is a 4x8. Now for my next section 36x84 i was thinking of covering the whole thing in sheet cork[?] Then putting scenery/buildings were there is no track. any body tryed this before?? Thanxs Tim
Why bother adding cork to the entire layout base? What benefit will you gain from it?
I’m serious; what’s the point? Roadbed material on a model railroad is a scenic element, not a necessity. It’s there to create the same look that real track roadbed has. Adding cork to the entire surface will eliminate that look, so you might as well save yourself the cost of the cork and the time to lay it, and just lay the track directly to the plywood base.
If you’re worried about your lineside structures not matching the height of the tracks, add them to the layout with a foundation of cork, or even better, build them a plastic foundation (most real buildings have visible foundations, something that most model buildings lack). Blend the foundations into the layout base with a little spackling compound (or some other scenic material)
If you want the cork to add scenic comtours onto your layout base, don’t bother, as it’s very hard to cut and almost impossible to shape properly. Instead, use a 1/2" or 1" thick piece of extruded foam insulation to the layout base and carve that.
I personally haven’t used sheet cork over the whole layout, but keep in mind that the purpose of the cork roadbed is twofold:
- Sound deadening on plywood surfaces
- Gives the railroad a profile.
Using sheet cork will still give you #1, but you will not have #2 because the rest of the scenery will be at the same level. If you’re modeling a yard, or if you’re otherwise satisfied with no profile, that shouldn’t be a problem.
Also, I’m not sure how much sheet cork costs, but I’d bet it’s kind of pricey, and maybe more expensive than using the Midwest strips.
Not sure how cork is for a generic scenery base. If you’re just going to use a layer of cork over the whole surface, I recommend going with extruded foam insulation instead. (the pink or blue variety available at Home Depot, etc.)
Good luck!
I want it to match hight with the track coming from the first section. but I do not want to lay strips because its is a annoying (my least favorite task of mr) I can get on to scenery faster. my track work will be better laid. Its only 36x84 (a door so price is not a big issue). Most likely i will go with the sheet cork. Tim
I get where your coming from. It’s a pain in the butt. Switching yards and round house areas are pretty flat when you look at them.You still want to have these areas a little bit higher than "ground "level. You can put down rolled cork sheets and then lay your track, but you will still want to cut some of the cork out to give a sence height differance.I’m doing the same thing in a yard myself right now. You can also do this to make up the height differance between your moduals.
Heya Tim,
I’m currently building my third layout (previous two in N this one HO) and have always used the same technique for laying the cork roadbed.
Assemble the track for a given area and lay it out on the table where it’s meant to be when finished. Mark the center points of the track with a Sharpie, just dots at the center line. Then you connect the dots and use the resulting line as your reference for the cork strips. I’ll usually lay one half down dry with pushpins holding it in place and then run a squiggle of white glue down the path of the second strip, again pinning it down as I go. When the first is glued and laid I repeat with the second.
Remember how heavy water and canned goods are and use them to hold the cork down till it dries pretty well. Luckily my wife has a collection of flower vases that have served me well on this latest pike. [8D]
There is no instant result in this hobby and anything that’s going to serve such an important purpose as your roadbed deserves an honest effort. Good luck!!
dwRavenstar
What scale are you modeling. If it is in HO I have a cheaper alternative than cork (at least the cork I priced). They make extruded foam in 1/8" sheets (about 2’X4’) that come bundled and folded like an accordion. I used it for my large yard and it works great and since it is almost exactly the same height as Woodland Scenics foam roadbed, its easy to create the transition. Very easy to cut and profile as well.
Where did you find this stuff?
The fanfold foam is exactly what I use on non-roadbed areas (loco terminals, yards, etc.). Avoids having to mess with creating “mini grades” between roadbed and flat areas… I’ve never seen it in 1/8" thickness though…
Lowe’s sells the “blue” stuff from DOW which is 1/4" thick, and Home Depot sells the pink (owens corning) which is 3/8" thick.
Even though the track will not be higher then the ground bit will still work better. The roadbed will not be messed up. I really think this is the best way (and funnest) for me. Everybody has diffrent ideas on Modeling and thats ok. I just no what mine is. Happy Modeling[^][8D] Tim