Sub Roadbed material

[tranz4mr]

Which is safer? White, Blue, Pink? Check it out!

http://www.scaletree.com/foamsafety.html

Does anyone know if pink or blue work as well as white for scenery?
 

[Anonymous]

Has anyone used or heard of this stuff before?  Looks interesting... I may use this in the new house construction for the Home Theater and the Train Room...

 http://www.supressproducts.com/

Not sure if it makes a decent sub roadbed though since it is engineered drywall.

[Jumijo]

LIONROAR,

   I use fasttrack on two of my loops and used 1 inch dry wll screws with no problems.

laz57

 

I used 1" deck screws to secure my FasTrack to 2" foam. They hold the track solidly. Hasn't moved a micron since I put it down over a year ago. Not one micron!

 

 

Jim 

[laz 57]

LIONROAR,

   I use fasttrack on two of my loops and used 1 inch dry wll screws with no problems.

laz57

[Anonymous]

Thanks laz.  Will keep that in mind when I start the big layout, hopefully next year or 2008.

I may have to travel North to PA to find the 2 inch foam since I live in MD, but will have to check around first.

[Anonymous]

Impressive!

Thanks for the tips.... I use FasTrack so not sure deck screws will work with the #4 screw holes in the FasTrack system...  I'm still a couple years out from starting the big layout, so the info has gone into the big layout info box!

Thanks again!

X-Mas layout photos coming soon.  Just finished screwing down the last sections last night.  Tonight it is attaching the building lights to the layout and moving the beast upstairs to its final resting spot for the holidays!

[laz 57]

laz,
Do you use ply under the foam to attach to the benchwork, or do you attach the foam to the benchwork?

Just currious how the 'layers' affix to one another.

LIONROAR,

   Go with what BUCKEYE said he is the GURU of foam board and yes they do have it at Lowes, Home Depot and even your local lumberyards.  I think about 10 bucks a sheet for 2 inch stuff.

laz57

 

[Buckeye Riveter]

Buckeye,
Nice pics!  Thanks!  One question... where did you find the 2inch foam?

I'm glad you liked the photos.  This is how the initial phase was finished.

I purchased the 2 inch foam at Lowe's and Home Deport.  It is very common in our area of the country but the Chief claims it can't be found in NC. 

On another note, if you or for that matter anyone else is trying to cut foam,  Scenic Express now is selling the Tippi foam cutter.  I have used it, as can be seen in the previous photos to cut the 2" foam. 

http://www.sceneryexpress.com/prodinfo.asp?number=PC4774

There was also a question about attaching the deck to the foam.  In the photos you can see I am using MTH RealTrax.  It is connected to the foam with wood deck screws.   I put about one screw into each section of track.  It hasn't moved.   

 

[Anonymous]

Buckeye,
Nice pics!  Thanks!  One question... where did you find the 2inch foam?

[Buckeye Riveter]

Yes, Chief I can remember the days when people told me 2" foam wasn't strong enough for my layout.  Hasn't moved in 6 years.  The two inch foam went down fist, then I put a 1" lightweight foam on top for more sound deadening.  The new phase of the layou on has the 2" foam.

BEEN THERE,  DONE THAT. 

From a past posting.

I used pink, blue and white.

You can see more of my construction photos at this Shutterfly website.  One of the photos shows the hot knife cutter in a c-clamp.   It worked!

share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8ZYtnLVwx8A

BTW, Chief I have lost count how many times I have posted my foam construction photos, but it is well over 15 times in the last two years. 

[ChiefEagles]

Forget the foam and just put the homasote on the plywood with some 1" deck screws.  Use the foam for scenery.

NO YOU DON"T.  Use pink [or blue] insulation foam board.  Lowes or Home Depot will have it.  I am putting down an inch [tow sheets in NC as only can find 1/2 inch.  Styrofoam is not the answer.  I am going to call a quality building supply and see if I can get 1 inch.  Carolina Builders in Raleigh [10 miles south of me] might have it.  I'm using the subflooring from Lowes as subbase and putting the insulation foam board on top of that.  Some have used just 2 inches of foam and it hold great.    

[trainbrain]

Forget the foam and just put the homasote on the plywood with some 1" deck screws.  Use the foam for scenery.

[Anonymous]

laz,
Do you use ply under the foam to attach to the benchwork, or do you attach the foam to the benchwork?

Just currious how the 'layers' affix to one another.

[laz 57]

NCTRAIN GUY,

  Use the foam as underlayment then use the homosote attach with liquid nails.  Homosote works great for your track to screw it down.  Screw track down with #4 half inch screws.  That is what I do on my layout.

Have fun.

laz57

[Anonymous]

Before I moved from Pittsburgh to Baltimore... don't ask how a Steeler fan survives down here amoungst all the purple - I had a layout where all my substraight was homasote, no ply.  Homasote is strong enough to use by itself as a substraight.  It deadens the sound a little, but not very noticable, IMHO.  It is easier to cut than ply though and is more flexible.

Never thought of using styrofoam as a substraight.  How do you screw the track inplace?

[laz 57]

Welcome to the forum NC TRAIN GUY!!!!!!

Hope you enjoy this forum?  Stop by the coffee pot sometime and check out the great fun there.

Whatever you do, if a guy from ROSEYVILLE offers you GRITS don't eat em.  His name is CHIEF EAGLES and is THE LORD of the CARPET RUNNERS. (wink)

Have fun,

laz57

[Jumijo]

Ohhh . . . Well, I'm sure you'll be very happy in North Carolina. Does your home have electricity and indoor plumbing?

 

And my name is Jim. My twin brother Tim died of ugliness.

 

I'm just joking with you. Welcome to the forum.

 

Jim 

[Anonymous]

Tim:

 Thanks for the info.  I've already looked up a dealer near Asheville. By the way I moved to North Carolina not from it.  My wife and I were born and raised in California.  It's definately not the same state we grew up in.  Too busy, too mean, too expensive, too crowded. 

[Jumijo]

First off, congratulations for getting out of North Carolina, the carpet runner's capitol of the world.

Homosote is definitely not regular wall board. It's a sound deadening product. The foam can be adhered to the homosote with Liquid Nails PROJECTS adhesive. You might want to consider using a thicker foam panel. I used 2" thick foam.   

 

Jim 

[Anonymous]

I recently moved to North Carolina from California and am in the process of building a new 9x14 foot O gauge layout.  I installed 1/2 in. extruded styrofoam as a sub roadbed on top of a plywood base in order to quiet the layout.  The styrofoam seems a bit fragile.  Would adding 1/2 inch wallboard (homasote) on top of the styrofoam help?  Is homasote regular wallboard?  What would be the best way to fasten it to the styrofoam?