Just wondering if anyone has ever tried to use carpet padding as an intermediate road bed? My theory is to install 1/2 inch, 8 lb (a standard “Builders” Pad is 6 lb) pad over 1/2 plywood sub-roadbed with latex adhesive caulk, then install cork, then attach the flex track and turnouts to the cork, once again with latex caulk. The reason for this is to try to keep down the noise. Just so you know, I got the idea when an old roll of carpet padding slipped off a shelf while I was reading the article on using camper tape as an intermediate roadbed. Perhaps it just didn’t hit me hard enough. Forgot to add, this is for an On30 pike
I would be concerned with degradation over a long period of time, carpet padding compresses of I am not mistaken. My other thought is how easy is it going to be to attach anything (the cork roadbed) for example to it. I personally don’t care much for cork as it tends to dry out over time and crumble. I know some will disagree with that statement but thats their opinion not mine. I much prefer using Homabed (homasote roadbed) . In some sections I have Homabed glued down right on top of 3/4" oak plywood using clear latex adhesive caulk and it’s very quite. In other section I have Homabed glued over top of regular Homasote which is on 3/4" spline subroadbed the stuff results in such quiet operation that one night while test running trains my wife who was in the next room yelled to me that one of my cars needed a shot of oil as she could hear it squeaking .FYI that was the only sound coming from the train. Between the Homabed, the latex caulk and the Homasote it absorbs nearly all of the sound.and is a very stable platform.
I suggest you try your idea on a small section of track maybe a test bed of sorts to see what could possible go wrong with it if anything. If it pans out it’s a very novel idea
Carpet padding is often {squish} foam rubber.
My layout is extruded foam {blue in my case, pink in others, hard firm} over an open wood frame. I stocked up on the Woodland Scenics foam roadbed {squishy foam-rubber-ish but firm kind} - like here; http://www.wholesaletrains.com/Detail.asp?Scale=HO&Item=TRACKBED&ID=200409445
- and crafts {squishy but firm} foam for my roadbed. But I read so many threads about how badly it seemed to perform that many were going to rip it up and lay down cork,That I rethought my layout to cork. I would assume foam rubber carpet padding would have the same effects?.
I have not yet bought cork, which does have the complaint of dying out.
{I, have for the moment not decided on either yet. I still have my track tacked down directly on the blue foam.}
Good luck in your final choice.
I used the WS foam road bed on one of my modules and will never use it again. The problem I got was slight undulations or grades in the track. This was laid on 1/2 inch plywood with 1x5 frame. The foam must have compressed in areas that I did not notice until after ballast was glued down. Another point is that after ballasting is glued it is not any quieter than cork roadbed. My modules built with pink or blue foam and cork roadbed are just as quiet as the plywood and foam roadbed module only easier to carry.
On my home layout I am going cork on 3/4 plywood on open grid joists all the way. On the fascia is going to have a skirt made of some heavy cloth to contain or soak up any noises before it gets projected into the room.
Pete
Thanks to all for your insight. I think I will try a test loop and do a bit of research. I promise to post my results and techniques both good and bad. Thanks so much
Steam
Pete,
Somewhat reluctantly, I have to agree with you. I say reluctantly because I have invested a lot of time and money in the WS foam track bed, but I do agree that it is too soft especially if you are nailing down track as I did. Way too many undulations. The one advantage of the WS road bed is that you can shape it around curves. I, too, installed the foam road bed on top of 1/2 inch plywood. I held down the ballast with a 50/50 water/matte medium solution and it is noisier than if I did not glue down the allast.
Rich