Of course I plan to deploy cork roadbed for all main tracks on my layout. However, I’m looking for a suitable roadbed for yard and auxiliary tracks. I don’t think I want them on full elevation with corkl, but don’t necessarily want them tacked right to the benchwork plywood. Are there some low(er)-profile options to 3/8" cork roadbed?
Thanks in advance,
Greg
if you’re modelling HO, you could use N-scale roadbed.
Check your local Home Depot or craft store for sheet cork. I’m not sure how thin you can get it but it comes in rolls of 2.5 - 3 feet wide and, what, maybe 3 - 4 feet long.
You could also try cardboard. I use it where I want a little bit of elevation, but still want the track to look like it’s right on the ground.
Nick
Itty Bitty Lines sells 6" X 18" Cork Yard Pads. I don’t know how your layout is built, but you could either rise the sub-roadbed for the main line, make a shim whatever thickness you want from 2" X lumber cut on a table saw and install it under the main roadbed or lay the roadbed for the main on top of the yard pad.
For the layout I’m building, I plan on using a thin sheet of extruded foam for the yard and cork on top of that for the double main line. Then again I might forego the foam and lay the yard track on the plywood using clear latex caulk. At slow switching speeds, hardly any noise from the wheels is being transmitted anyway.
My previous yard used regular “main line” cork, but my new yard is going to have sheet cork. I don’t know why you’d want those tracks lower. Just build up some scenery at the edges of the cork pads to make it look like it’s at ground level.
Whatever you use (I personally prefer 1/4" extruded foam, known to your vinyl siding installer as fanfold underlayment) your yard should be level. Yard workers have to be able to walk safely while inspecting cars, hooking up brake hoses, opening couplers (either to uncouple coupled cars or to make it possible to couple if both knuckles are in the closed position) etc. I believe that level ground to tie height is either an AAR recommendation or a FRA requirement.
I had thought of lowering my yard tracks below the mainline grade but I realized I would need a transition track where my yard leads are (double ended yard) and this could be a source of operational trouble at a spot that is going to see a lot of action. The track work is tricky enough in that area without introducing a change in grade level.
The cork sheets come in 1/4 inch thickness. No need to transition and the yard area is “flat”. It is very easy to put down but not cheap. You can buy the rolls in four foot widths and just about any length that you want.
This company makes roadbed of different thicknesses to accomodate various uses:
I am using Elmers Foam Board for the first time and so far it seems to be working out nicely. I think it might also be called sturdy board. Comes in sheets 20x30 inches by 3/16. It is very fine foam with gloss paper surface like a magazine cover on both sides. Tack it down with a few spots of caulk and then caulk the track on top. Nice thing is it lays flat. Cork is a pain because it comes in rolls and difficult to hold down flat.
I use 1/4 inch cork for my mainline, and 1/8 inch cork for sidings, yards, etc.
I transition between the two levels using what I call the “Dolkos method” - layers of masking tape that builds up from one layer at one end to about 16 layers at the thicker roadbed. I have the elevation change right under the turnouts, and have yet to have any of my 2-8-2s trip over it.
This photo shows the first layer of tape in place (I use 1/4" masking tape - same thing I use to superelevate curves):
This photo shows the completed ramp, from a different direction. You can see how the layers of tape overlap:
Here’s the completed trackwork. The turnout on the tape is the third one up from the bottom:
I cut my own roadbed from rolls of cork I bought from www.corkdirect.com.
In prototype practice, main lines generally have deeper ballast than secondary tracks and yard tracks. Thereby the main line is higher than other trackage.
I use 3/32 cork . I bought it from Hobby Lobby --2’ x8’ x 3/32" roll.
I cut most of my road bed from this type material. It does not curve
like the common cork roadbed.
My yard area is going to be shimmed up 1/4 inch to make it level with the main line roadbed. Track will be laid directly on the foam.
Still gotta figure out the sidings, tho. Cardboard sounds like a good idea.
I just secured the track right to my foam base, in the yard. Can’t get much more level than that 
Worked great.
Which Hobby Lobby, Aiken SC never heard of it. Got some from lowes 24x36 at $7.95 per roll. Looks OK but the yard we do next is 72"x120". Looking for rolled flooring, but no luck yet.