quieting down an existing layout

[Anonymous]

Hi
Question for you sound experts out there. I have an existing o scale layout-that can run two trains on two loops. Layout is 24'x12'. Tracks are screwed down do osb 1/2" thick. I want to quiet it down some-it is much noisier than I thought. If I staple some carpet padding to the underside of the table, will that help? What about foam board glued underneath flush w/the osb? I want the easiest, least invasive way to quiet down the layout. (My 7 and 5 years old hate train downtime for repairs)
Thanks
Tom

[Anonymous]

"If I staple some carpet padding to the underside of the table, will that help?"

Not enough to make it worthwhile doing.

"What about foam board glued underneath flush w/the osb?"

Not a chance

"I want the easiest, least invasive way to quiet down the layout."

You're not going to like it but you have to install something between the track and the table top. Track is acting like a drumstick and OSB is acting like the skin of a drum head. Normally you have to isolate the track completely from the table top, i.e. track is attached to foam/cork/homasote and this stuff is attached to the tabletop. No connection between track and table (i.e. screws do not go down through the whole setup). Best shot for a retrofit s to install foam roadbed under the track. Unscrew a few sections, slip foam under it, re-attach. This is going to be quieter than what you have but not as quiet as a complete isolation system.

[jimhaleyscomet]

I do not know if this is easy enough for you BUT....remove all track screws, purchase 1/2" foam board and put between layout and track. Glue foamboard to layout base and glue track to foam board. If the layout is not portable you will not even need the glue. This assumes you do not already have a buch of landscaping.

Jim H

[Buckeye Riveter]

QUOTE: Originally posted by northernpikefish

Hi
Question for you sound experts out there. I have an existing o scale layout-that can run two trains on two loops. Layout is 24'x12'. Tracks are screwed down do osb 1/2" thick. I want to quiet it down some-it is much noisier than I thought. If I staple some carpet padding to the underside of the table, will that help? What about foam board glued underneath flush w/the osb? I want the easiest, least invasive way to quiet down the layout. (My 7 and 5 years old hate train downtime for repairs)
Thanks
Tom

Tom, What brand and type of track are you using? Is your layout on the floor or on benchwork? Is there something in the room that enhances the sound, ie. concrete floor, concrete block. etc.

[Sturgeon-Phish]

A skirt around the table will suppress sound, especially using a heavy material. If you go to Goodwill or a second hand store you can sometimes find old draperies that can be cut down, re hemmed and used.

[Dr. John]

I have heard of folks that have glued celotex ceiling tiles or extruded foam sheets to the underside of their layouts with some success at lowering track noise.

I do agree, however, that the best method is putting a sound insulating material between the track and the plywood, isolating the track.

[Frank53]

remvoing teh screws would help some

[jimhaleyscomet]

Often the table noise is a low "rumble" booming noise. There is also significant noise comming directly from the wheels. Sound absorbing landscaping and buildings next to the track can help reduce wheel noise. Slowing down the trains will reduce noise dramatically and look more realistic.

Once I had a layout on plywood that was very noisy. I ballasted all the track with sand and woodland scenics glue. It was MUCH quietter after I was finished.

Jim H

[Anonymous]

What i use, is the nonslip rubbery stuff that is sold in the housewares section of the stores. It's what you put in the drawers of the kitchen. It's very tough, but has a nonslip surface as well. Put it between your track and the wood

It's sold in 6 foot rolls, and pretty cheap, and it has work miracles for me.

[Dave Farquhar]

Here's a fairly non-invasive way to get material between the track and the table. Get a few packages of foam weatherstripping, then put a piece of it under each tie. Then attach the track to the table using nylon zip ties instead of screws. Drill a small hole, push a tie through, then use the zipper part of a second tie to secure it tightly. It helps a lot, it's cheap, and you can do it a few track sections at a time.

[FJ and G]

I think that Buckeye has picked up on a point that is missed by many. That is, the sound-deadening quality of a room, or lack thereof.

Carpet, curtains, sofas, tiled ceiling supress sound, while concrete, glass and tile amplifies sound to the point there can even be an echo.

Personally, train sounds on noisy roadbed doesn't bother me. The louder the better.

[tschmidt]

I used a foam roadbed under my track and it's very quiet. i would recommend it. It comes in 3 foot lengths and goes down easily. It actually splits down the middle the long way so you can bend it around corners easily. It is also tapered on the edges.

Tom S

[Anonymous]

If you can't get rid of the track screws, in addition to sliding foam rubber roadbed bewteen the track and the table top, make up some "washers" from the "fun foam" they sell in craft stores for art projects. It comes in multiple colors and you can probably get a close match to most tubular track ties. The "washers" will allow further isolation by keeping the screw heads from direct contact with the track ties and should cut down on sound transmission.

[Jumijo]

Our layout has 2 FasTrack loops on top of 2" foam boards and man is it loud. How loud? You can't hear the loco's bell unless it's right in front of you. You can't hear what anyone is saying unless you shut the trains off. The layout is in a carpeted basement room without much else to deaden sound. No curtains, etc. The sound doesn't bother me at all. But it's impossible to run trains AND have a conversation at the same time. So do you wanna run trains or talk?

Jim

[ChiefEagles]

I think the Master Engineer, Buckeye, is trying to get to the problem. He says that by changing the materials that the sound travels through helps "kill" it. Since you do not want to take down your layout and put foam under the track, the suggestions above of foam, carpet and etc. under the layout will be the way to go.

[Buckeye Riveter]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jaabat

Our layout has 2 FasTrack loops on top of 2" foam boards and man is it loud. How loud? You can't hear the loco's bell unless it's right in front of you. You can't hear what anyone is saying unless you shut the trains off. The layout is in a carpeted basement room without much else to deaden sound. No curtains, etc. The sound doesn't bother me at all. But it's impossible to run trains AND have a conversation at the same time. So do you wanna run trains or talk?

Jim

Jim, Thanks for the report. I built my daughter's under the tree layout for her Polar Express with Fastrack. It is very noisy, but looks nice. We are going to rebuild the layout for next year and I am looking to use a different type of track so you can hear the whistle and the music from some of her accessories around the track. (BTW, if you have one of the new HOT BOX Lionel Box Cars, you can hear that thing squeal a mile away. It screams!!)

The Chief's comment about material changes for sound deading is accurate. Getting the sound waves to cancel out each other is the key. (And now a useless fact: If you look at new concrete highway pavements (not on the shoulder) you will see grooves perpendicular to traffic. If you get down on your hands and knees and measure the spaces between the grooves, they are not the same. This random pattern is "supposed" to knock down the tire noise from you car's tires by cancelling parts of the sound wave.)[:D]

From discussions with Roy, and others, it seems that most of the noise from Fastrack comes from the hollow rails.

[Jumijo]

FasTrack looks great and stays together well. I had originally planned to use O-27 track on our layout, using a combination of bought track and a bunch generously given to me from our favorite Southerner, the Chief. I began laying track. and became frustrated with just getting 2 sections to go together without cutting my hands to shreds! Then I couldn't get each section to connect completely without some of the pins showing. I guess I was spoiled by the ease and great connectivity of FasTrack. I took down the O-27 and switched back to FasTrack. No regrets other than not using Chief's generous donation to our layout.

The FasTrack is loud, but I never really appreciated how loud until I went to a train show a month ago. Huge display layouts, some of them standard gauge, and almost no noise at all. I was amazed at how quiet the trains were. On one layout, all I could hear was the loco's running gear. It sounded like ice skates skimming across a rink!

Even with my daughter talking directly into my ear, I have a very difficult time hearing her when the trains are running at our layout. We are going to learn sign language to overcome this issue. [;)]

Jim

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all of the tips, guys. My layout is on a concrete floor. It is 031. I screwed the track down and used the gray fleck paint for the ballast. It looks great, but with both trains running, it is hard to hear someone talk.

[Buckeye Riveter]

[?][?][?][?][?][?]
Another question.
Isn't it more expensive to manufacturer the hollow rail than the solid? It seems there would be additional steps in the manufacturereing process. [%-)][%-)][%-)][%-)] Does anybody know? Have you ever seen track made?

[cmrj]

I set up my son's polar express oval, he also wanted to run his 2 Disney hand car's. So I went down and grabbed a tube switch some track and adaptor's. The differance is nite and day on CARPET!! you fast track guy's can keep it' I will stick to the tubular. MY 2 cent's. As for noise some green indooor outdoor carpet , and reinstall the track. probly same work as crawl under table and glue insul. cmrj

[Anonymous]

If your table top has no scenery yet might I suggest this approach. Purchase1" or 2" thick insulation board (pink or blue variety) and the same amount of "cheap" wood paneling the cheaper the better. If you unscrew all your track you can as I did on my 24X12 layout,carefully slide the insulation board under the track and then the paneling upsidedown over the foam board. If you could glue them all together it would be better yet. You can get cheap rolls of 1/4" thick cork form home depot and cut that in sections to go under the track. You then screw the track to the paneling and the foam insulates that from the base board. you know what, It still will be loud. One thing I have noticed is that the engines with rubber tires are more quiet than the older engines.

This may seem like a lot of work, but its not that bad, I did it on my old layout.

The best way to minimize that sound is always going to be to not use a plywood table top, do like the ho guys do and just use wood under the track. There are also guys that have used foam insulation board for the table with no plywood.

Bottom line is you will need to do about three or four things to really quet the nois and it will take a little work and time.

Good luck

[Jumijo]

WHAT DID YOU SAY??!

TALK LOUDER. I CAN'T HEAR YOU. I'M RUNNING TRAINS ON FASTRACK! [:P][;)]