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Question on Roadbed
http://fast-tracks.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1133		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  cdavis2747 [ Mon Aug 30, 2010 11:25 am ]
Post subject:  Question on Roadbed
Does anyone have experience with using foam roadbed (Woodland Scenics Track Bed) with fixture built track and wood ties? I don't especially like cork and I bought a batch of homasote but I'm having a very difficult time bending it to the small radii (12.5 inch n-scale) without breaking.

I thought I'd try the Track Bed, but wasn't sure what kind of difficulties it might pose. I'll be gluing, not spiking, so the softness of it shouldn't be an issue, but I'm wondering what other "gotchas" there might be with using this stuff. I'm hoping it will be quieter than other types of roadbed, which is the primary motivation for using it.

Comments? Suggestions?

Thanks!
Author:  emccamey [ Mon Aug 30, 2010 1:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Question on Roadbed
I'm not experienced with N scale. But, on the quietness issue - do the ballast with matte medium (I like to sue the Modge-Podge) for the gluing and binding. The medium stays 'flexible', hold well, and does not transmit sound.

If your 'homasote' is actually the homabed roadbed - using the 'curving' pieces should give you flexibility to make the 'normal' curves. IF you are doing tighter than normal curves - you may need to use a jewelers saw and cut the angled slots jsut a hir bit more for the curve. Be sure that the slots are always aligned to the inside of the curve.

-ed-
Author:  FenixThundrbird [ Mon Aug 30, 2010 10:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Question on Roadbed
Hey cdavis2747,

Good for you for trying something new, I wish you the best. I bought some of the same woodland scenic track bed that you have for a time saver I was going to put together, just got on Fast Tracks and things started looking very exciting...

There is a gentleman, David K Smith, who has used a similar product on his layout. http://jamesriverbranch.net/part_9.htm I've also purchased two rolls of this tape and can hardly wait till I get to use it -- so much summer left. This tape (http://www.tapecase.com/p.2520.641/blac ... thick.aspx) is about half the width of the N scale roadbed and would go down much like the cork: Left side -- right side, except no wait time for the glue to set. The down side is that there is no wait time for the glue to set if you need to adjust it a bit. We'll see.

Good luck

FT
Author:  FenixThundrbird [ Wed Sep 01, 2010 11:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Question on Roadbed
Hey my Friend,

Sorry I didn't answer your question the first time. There's a grip of folks who have used the WS foam product found w/a google search http://www.google.com/search?q=woodland ... 8&oe=utf-8

I thought this one was helpful for me http://forum.atlasrr.com/discussion/top ... hichpage=2

I think Ed is right again in that finished it shouldn't be rigid. Perhaps latex caulk or http://www.tapecase.com/p.2506.636/doub ... -tape.aspx
(you might think I don't like watching glue dry)

Keep us posted on your progress as I AM very interested in this topic. Here's a picture of some scrub rail and the foam. Notice the two rolls of tape and their size compared to the nice and quiet foam. If you have ever used preformed rail/roadbed you know what I mean. Also hard cork on an elevated ply base echoing through the hillside beneath...



Many happy thank yous.

FT

Attachments:
WS Foam & tape.JPG
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Author:  INprinter [ Fri Sep 03, 2010 10:07 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Question on Roadbed
In the current issue of Model Railroader magazine there is an article about making your own roadbed out of some flooring underlayment material. Looks like a foam product that comes in sheets. You would have to cut it to size and form the sides for that "roadbed" appearance. I have used foamed products before and it stayed nice and soft for a couple of years and then gradually got fairly hard and brittle. Check out the article and good luck.

Inprinter

Model Railroader Magazine
Make your own roadbed Page 45
By Jim Richards
An innovative building material used under tile proves to be roadbed in disguise
Author:  Mike Murray [ Sat Sep 04, 2010 3:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Question on Roadbed
Have you looked into this guy's stuff? http://www.hobbyinnovations.com/ I have some of the Woodland Scenics foam roadbed and compared it with samples of Vinylbed (you can spend a couple of $ to get samples of it; worth doing) and like the Vinylbed better. The Woodland Scenics stuff did come in handy when attaching the vertical supports for my layout to the finished/painted wall in the trainroom. I used it as a backing on the supports to help keep from marring the walls. We will see if that was a bad decision should I ever take the stuff down... :shock:

One person I know personally used Vinlybed on his layout and told me he likes it: http://flash.jtwice.com/irongoat.html
Author:  cdavis2747 [ Tue Sep 07, 2010 9:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Question on Roadbed
Thanks for the tip on the Vinylbed. I will certainly order a sample of it to try.

One thing I've learned already: When using QuickSticks tie strips, it may not be a good idea to spread glue all over the roadbed and then stick the quicksticks down on top of it. When you do this, you glue the web down to the roadbed, which makes it more difficult to remove after the glue dries. With the soft vinyl roadbed, it's impossible to cut the web out with a knife, so you have to clip it off with diagonal cutters, then pull it loose from the glue.

I also found out that the roadbed and ties need to be dead straight, because the track sure is! If you put a piece of perfectly straight track on top of roadbed or ties that aren't perfect, it is really painfully obvious!
Author:  cdavis2747 [ Fri Oct 15, 2010 5:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Question on Roadbed
I got a sample of the Flexxbed (www.flexxbed.com). It really looks like great stuff. It is very soft and flexible - which should mean it is fairly quiet. I flexed it to a 10 inch radius (n-scale) without any need to split it down the middle and it lays perfectly flat. Much more flexible than the Woodland Scenics stuff. I glued it to foam with some Subterrain foam tack glue and it seems to be holding great - I glued wood ties on it with regular yellow wood glue and that also seems to work great. I haven't ballasted it yet, but I can't see why that would be an issue.

I think I'm going to order a case of it (35 feet) and lay track in my staging area first. If that works out, I'll do the rest of the layout with it. Cost is about 65 cents a foot for n-scale - only a wee bit more for HO and larger. That makes it quite a bit more expensive than Woodland Scenics which is about 25 cents a foot. Cork also seems a bit cheaper.
Author:  FenixThundrbird [ Fri Oct 15, 2010 11:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Question on Roadbed
Thanks for the update, cdavis2747.
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