Vinyl roadbed

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Anyone out there using vinyl roadbed products?

I just sent for a sample through the website, but it seems kind of expensive. Is it worth it?

Thanks.

2

Yes Expensive, but re-usable. Not so most other products.

One advantage is they have had super-elevation on curves.

3

Don,
I didn’t see anything on their order sheet about elevated curves. CAn you tell me any more? Do you just glue it down like cork?

Also I’m guessing that the roadbed is in one piece unlike cork. Is this stuff easy enough to work with follow curves without binding on the inside? I’m going to be running 24" min radius curves. Would I have a problem?

Here is where I have been looking:

http://www.vinylbed.com

Thanks for the help.

4

Wes: I wished i knew.

The ‘old’ Vinyl bed was solid , and they had pieces that was thicker along one edge than the other ,for creating super-elevated curves

This looks like an entirely new product of compositional material fused together. Since I have had no ‘hands on’ with this product, I cannot offer anything worthwhile. I suggest you compare it to non-plastic cork. I’m sure it provides ‘sound-deadening’ - however if you secure track with ATLAS nails that reach through to the plywood, you will have eliminated the sound deadening propereties.

MY 'Roadbed D’Jour is HO cork laid on top of O gauge for dual profile , and 1/4" ply with HO cork for yards. This forms a removable section. I can fill in between tracks with Ballasting if i wish, but since railroads don’t, I follow. Laying is simple: Scribe a cicular radius section and glue or nail one half along the mark. The next one pushes up against the first one and still preserves the center line. I also nail the top layer being careful the lengths don’t penetrate to the board underneath ( I have on board sound).

I don’t mind gluing or nailing the roadbed down, but spiking the more expensive flextrack will allow adjustments and replacements.
Let us know what you do.

Don