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Plywood choice for ribbon subroadbed
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[quote user="selector"]<p>If I building roadbed of the type you describe, I would use some good quality (at least GIS, or good on one side) 1/4-1/2" plywood. It kind of depends on the support you'll have. Will you have it on risers, and if so, how far apart will they be? If on more longer solid blocks carved and planed to act as wedges contoured to the grade, then you could just use luan or masonite. The wider the span under any one section of the roadbed, the thicker the product should be, as a general rule.</p><p>If you would be more comfortable with a thicker product, then what you can do is use 5/8" for the majority of your roadbed, but use a more flexible, thinner, product to form the transitions you'd like. Glue/screw the thinner stuff flush with the table surface at the commencement of your grade and then bend the end furthest into the grade up to a riser or support....there will be your transition between the two extremes. With the tension imparted by the flexure, you might only need a single small riser block midway under that transition span for support/insurance.</p><p>[/quote]</p><p>I'm using open-grid L-girder benchwork, so I can put joists and risers almost anywhere (but it would seem best to not clutter things up with too many if possible, especially near turnouts). I hadn't thought of using thinner stuff for the vertical curves, but that's a neat idea--thanks.</p><p>Incidentally, I'm planning to use cork roadbed, so that won't add any strength. I thought about Homasote but just can't see any reason to go through cutting out the whole track plan twice (subroadbed and then roadbed), not to mention the dust. </p>
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