I need some advice/opinions on how to proceed. I am building a small switching layout with an urban theme. Do you think I should use anything like cork roadbed to lay the track on, or just lay the track directly on the plywood top. My concern is that if I use the roadbed, I will have to raise the level of all of the structures by the height of the cork in order to have the cars properly line up with the loading/unloading spots.
Hi Southern Rail Fan, I wouldn't lay track directly on plywood if I was in your place. This material is subject to warping and is not sound deadening. You could try large cork sheet (usually found at home improvement stores)or even foam sheet (pink or blue board) I recently discovered myself the qualities of this material.It is easy to cut (you only need a heavy duty cutter),very light,and surprisingly rigid. Moreover,being based on water resistant materials,it will never warp from excess humidity or lack of it. If your benchwork is already done with wood, you can even glue foam sheet to it with white glue. Naturally, more experienced modellers could give you better advices... hope this helps, marc
I agree with Marc.You can get extruded styrofoam in many different thickness's from 1/2" up to at least 2".You can tack the track in place with track nails long enough to ballast it. [ 30 September 2001: Message edited by: Catt ]</p>
