Painting foam roadbed

[Anonymous]

Anybody have any experience with painting Woodland Scenics foam roadbed?

[Anonymous]

TT40,

I will be using the WS foam roadbed on my current layout. I will not be painting my roadbed. Instead, I plan to cover the roadbed with ballast. If any of the black foam roadbed happens to show through, it can just be thought of as the cinder base under the track.

Dale B

[Anonymous]

Hi Dale, thanks for the reply.

I tried ballasting over unpainted WS foam roadbed, and I did have a few spots where the black showed through. That's why painting the roadbed occured to me. Also I wanted to try laying down a thinner layer of ballast to save some time, so I would probably have an even greater problem with the black color showing through. I don't know if my prototype used a cinder base under the track. Was that common?

[Anonymous]

TT:

Roads typically ballasted with whatever was available and cheap. Even clam shells were used. If you are modeling a prototype simulate what they used. Stay away from anything metalic...its hell on motors and electricals.

Randy

[AntonioFP45]

After securing your road bed, spray gray "water based" primer on it with an airbrush. If you don't have an air brush you can purchase it in a spray can. Even if it's waterbased you should have good ventilation. After drying, you should have no problem applying a thin layer of ballast and glueing it down with the "time and tried" 50/50 water & Elmer's white glue method. Hope this helps - God Bless!

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the replies Gentlemen. I think I will try the spray primer; the black of the foam peeking through the ballast just doesn't look right to me. Thanks again for the help.

[AntonioFP45]

Let us know of your results.