laying roadbed and track

Kurt Moose Jun 20, 2005

  1. Kurt Moose

    Kurt Moose TrainBoard Member

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    Hi everyone! On your layouts, what are you guy's using for roadbed and track? I have Itty-bitty Lines cork, but that Inst-roadbed from Zthek looks interesting, (and easy :D ). Is there other ways? [​IMG]
     
  2. JoeS

    JoeS TrainBoard Member

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    I have mentioned this before, but I use a cork tack board as my base and glue my track right to the cork. I use several books pressed on the track to keep it level while drying. Then I ballast with the alcohol mist and 50/50glue mix method to hold the ballast in place.

    [ June 21, 2005, 12:19 PM: Message edited by: JoeS ]
     
  3. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    I was doing handlaid track on N Scale cork (1/2 slice of it) but it warps in the sun, so I am switching to Peco Flex and Marklin turnouts.

    I plan on using Midwest N Scale cork again, as it's cheap and readily available, and by cutting it in half you get 2 pieces for the money.

    -Robert [​IMG]
     
  4. Kurt Moose

    Kurt Moose TrainBoard Member

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    Thanks for the info fella's! I have glued down my 2" pink foam and have laid out the track to trace. I just wanted to get off on the right foot. [​IMG]
     
  5. Bill_K

    Bill_K In Memoriam

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    Kurt:

    We still use the old fashion way down here.

    * Midwest N scale cork, cut down on a table saw on the 90 degree side, then the two pieces placed on a computer generated centerline (from CAD layout) with Yellow glue.

    * Peco track (1,000+ actual feet so far) gets laid down with 60/40 white glue/water and cans of beans to hold it down. All joints get soldered as wel go, and almost every 2 foot joint gets a power feeder, even if its not initially used. (short piece of 24 awg telco wire).

    * MS ballast goes down with an alcohol presoak, then 50/50 white glue/water/drop of soap, followed by a post-glue alcohol spray.

    Certainly, this is not the only way to achieve successful track. The "right way" is what your hands tell you to do (your personal skill set).

    Bill K.
    Houston
     
  6. Kurt Moose

    Kurt Moose TrainBoard Member

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    Wow! That doesn't sound very "old school" to me! I just have a simple 2'x4' layout with a wobbly loop and two stwitches on it with 2" thick pink foam glued down on it. I would like to use the "Insta-Roadbed" from Zthek, but I wanted to know if anyone has used it and how long does it last? [​IMG]
     
  7. Kurt Moose

    Kurt Moose TrainBoard Member

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    Well, cork isn't going to work for me. :( My curves are too tight for bending the cork. Sooo, I'm gonna oreder some of that Inst-roadbed from Zthek and try that. [​IMG]
     
  8. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    Let us know how well that roadbed works out.

    It looks like a kit that includes ballast, but I don't know if it is a paint product or like Woodland Scenics style ballast. :D

    -Robert
     
  9. ztrack

    ztrack TrainBoard Supporter Advertiser

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    Here is a tip that may help you with the tight curves. I buy sheets of rolled cork from the office supply store. I simply lay a track section(s) on the cork, draw a line around the track and cut on the line. This way, you can have cork strips or sections that match your track work perfectly. For instance, for my yards, I would lay the turnouts and track on the cord and cut on a custom sheet of cork to go under all the tracks. Very quick and easy.

    I also use Liquid-nails - Projects to secure the cork to my foam base. It is easy to use and makes laying the cork a quick process.

    Rob Kluz
     
  10. Kurt Moose

    Kurt Moose TrainBoard Member

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    Wow!! Your my hero!! :D After work, I'm gonna buy some and try it. Thanks again everyone. [​IMG]
     
  11. Kurt Moose

    Kurt Moose TrainBoard Member

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    Mr. Kluz, your the Man!! :D I bought a roll of 1/8 inch thick piece of cork for 3.99 and just cut it out in strips 3/4 inch wide and 5 inches long and used Liquid Nails to glue it down and using small nail braids to hold it to the curvature and I was done with the road bed in 45 minutes!! I'll just sand down the edges at an angle, lay the track, paint and ballast, and my railroads in top shape!! [​IMG] My GN lives! Thanks again everyone, Kurt [​IMG]
     
  12. ztrack

    ztrack TrainBoard Supporter Advertiser

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    Wonderful! It is such a simple method and works great for Z scale. Plus it is cheap! I have been using cork for even more projects like roads and parking lots. It works great painted and weathered!

    Rob Kluz
     
  13. Z Central Station

    Z Central Station TrainBoard Member

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    So, I have the peco track, I have the cork from the office supply store that Rob suggested, and I got the part about glueing the cork to my foam base with liquid nails, but..... what is the best way to secure the peco to the foam?
    -Brad
     
  14. Don A

    Don A TrainBoard Supporter

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    I use a method similar to Rob Kluz, Just do one more thing before setting the track and that is LIGHTLY sand the cork using a fine sandpaper wrapped around a small block of wood, especially at joints in the cork. I do all the straight edge cutting on a paper cutter. Curved edges are done with SHARP scissors. Once Liquid Nails gets ahold of it, or gets ahold of the track, and dries it is DOWN for good.

    --don
     
  15. Z Central Station

    Z Central Station TrainBoard Member

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    So...you glue the track to the cork with liquid nails...?
    -Brad
     
  16. Chris333

    Chris333 TrainBoard Supporter

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    I've built most of my layouts with foam sheets so I lay the track right to it with liquid nails spread thin. You can carve the foam into a roadbed pretty easy. For this reason I haven't used cork in years. You will get some noise from the foam, like a hollow sound, but it doesn't bother me. I've been told if you use cork on top of foam it is quiet until you glue the ballast down, then the sound comes back.

    On my Z scale layout I was going to hand lay the track so I wanted a hard smooth surface to glue the track to. I drew the track plan full size on a sheet of 3/16" hard board and cut it out so it was about a scale foot wider than the ties. I glued this to the foam and the track to it.

    Through the years I have used many tubes of liquid nails, that stuff is great!

    A example of the roadbed carved into the foam:
    http://www.railimages.com/albums/album272/aag.jpg
    In the foreground to the right of the double track main you see the roadbed for another dummy track. Ignore the mess.

    http://www.railimages.com/albums/album272/aai.jpg
    Hard to tell in this photo, but the middle 2 tracks are 1/8" higher than the sidings. This was all carved into the foam, this time i used a homemade hot wire tool.
     
  17. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Since my curves were sharp as well, I split N cork, and resplit each slice. That made it easy to curve. I used a low VOC latex contact adhesive, painted on the cork. The contact adhesive was much slower for track gluing than for cork gluing. Since it was slower, I broke out a tube of Walther's Goo. A thin coating under the ties, dried a few moments; you better get the alignment right the first time. It grabbed nearly instantaneously. Hasn't let go yet, I don't suspect it will. Once ballasted, it will be very well-secured.
     

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