Foundation and roadbed materials

[Anonymous]

I'm just beginning my "big" layout. It will be an "L" shape, 8x8x4. The benchwork is constructed and I'm ready to make the "next move" I have been reading Model Railroader and "consulted" the NMRA webbie and I am a tad confused. What are your (highly valued!) opinions concerning homasote-vs-pink foam? How about roadbed? Cork? Homasote? Woodland Scenics foam roll?

[orsonroy]

The decision between homasote and foam is really mostly a choice between how you want to do scenery and lay track. If you use foam, you have to use an adhesive to lay track. If you want to handlay track or have the option to make lots of changes to your track plan, you'll want to nail down the track, which means using homasote.

Scenery is also a consideration. If you use foam, you've got your subroadbed/roadbed and base scenery layer down in one shot. If you want to use Homasote, you'll need a LOT more tools, since you'll be cutting the homasote to include only the track areas, and will have to use some sort of hardshell technique to fill in the scenery. Cookie cutter layout construction takes more time because of it's precision work, while you can play with track arrangements after foam is down and dry.

Dimensional stability is also an issue. Homasote is paper, so unless you seal the heck out of it, it'll expand and contract with the weather (not a nice thing with model RR's). Foam is dimensionally stable. It WILL NOT expand/contract with the weather, making it a better option for layouts.

Using homasote is also more expensive than using foam. It's also relatively harder to find homasote, since almost no one but model railroaders uses it any more. In general, using foam is about 2/3 the cost of traditional layout construction methods. With foam, you've already got your benchwork, subroadbed, roadbed, base scenery layer, and areas for detailed scenery already installed, all in one 4x8 sheet that cost around $20. With traditional layout construction, you have to buy lumber, screws, homasote, screen wire, plaster, cardboard, newspaper, etc., and you STILL need to assemble each layer.

Using foam isn't perfect. Unles you have some sort of support under it (1/4" plywood is fine), it resonates sound. You can't nail anything into foam. You can't dance on top of foam. And you can't cook with the scraps.

As for roadbed, anything goes. Roadbed is really a scenic element, and isn't necessary. If you do choose to use it, they're all nice products, and have their plusses and minuses. I now cut my own roadbed out of 1/2" thick foam, contoured to final shape after it's laid on the layout. The best part about making yout own roadbed is that I get 140 linear feet of it out of a 4x8 sheet that costs $7!

[Anonymous]

Excellent insight...especially for a "rookie"! Thanks
BTW: I meant MYSELF as the rookie! *G*

[nfmisso]

Ray has given a great deal of excellent information, following his suggestions will result in an excellent layout.

[orsonroy]

Um...thanks for the compliments guys! I'm just relaying what I've learned over the years in this hobby. I know what works FOR ME, and I try to be careful not to say that my way is gospel. There are plusses and minuses to everything we do in this hobby, and it's up to individuals to decide what's going to give them the most enjoyment. An educated hobbiest is a happy hobbiest!

I'm off to bed now. I've finshed laying the base foam layer of my entire layout this weekend, and built the basic drop-downs so I don't have to duck under anymore. Tomorrow, I start inking in the mainline!

[CBQ_Guy]

In a nutshell, the Homasote is the old tried and true and what myself and others use in this area. However, the foam seems to be used more and more nowadays and so is probably a valid material to choose. My personal objections to it include it's noiser and if burned, drips flaming plastic and gives of poisonous fumes!
...and I hate when then happens.

Some will tell you that Homasote MUST be sealed and WILL cause expansion and contraction which will kink your rail, etc., and cause future problems. This is a perennial debate on the forums, lists and newsgroups, and ultimately you will have to decide what you feel comfortable using. Again, personal experience of myself and others in the area is that ZERO problems have been caused by Homasote in our Midwestern basements, no one everr seals it, and we dump water on it all the time when scenicing the layout. As they say, YMMV.

Myself and others in this area also use cork for the roadbed. Many will say it dries out but my reply is...So what. It will all be covered up with ballast so you'll never see or even know it, but it will still be there under the track doing the job it's supposed to of giving a raised, looking profile to your line.

Regarding the Woodland Scenics foam roadbed. I have no experience with it but have checked it out at my LHS and decided that it was way too soft and squishy (now there's a word you never see in an MR product review!) for ME to take a chance on. Others online report movement on curved sections and also ballast popping off when it's compressed. Again, no personal experience with the product .

Hope this info is helpful. Take your time, experiment, and above all DAMMIT, Enjoy the Hobby![:D]