WallyD,
I believe in Your situation....You would want a more rigid roadbed, so every time You set it up, everything always matches up the same, to the other modules. In the case of the foam...I would question whether that would be possible everytime, with any abuse.
I have used Cork a lot in the past. Have never and probably will never use foam. I like using Homasote....the good stuff....not the junk you find in big box store's and make my own roadbed on my table saw and spike my track, ballast glue does the rest, and can be removed easily, should the need arise.
Take Care!
Frank
I have used both; but my preference is cork. I prefer to nail or staple the cork down; not a fan of adhesives and trackwork.
The custom layout I am building now is all cork...
zstripe I believe in Your situation....You would want a more rigid roadbed, so every time You set it up, everything always matches up the same, to the other modules. In the case of the foam...I would question whether that would be possible everytime, with any abuse.
Rich
Alton Junction
Rich,
Well like I said.....I have never used the foam roadbed. I was going by what You said, that You use track nails for Your track into the roadbed and You had to be careful not to drive the nail too deep or it would squeeze the foam. In my opinon that would create a dip, so if Your connecting to another module that has a more rigid type of roadbed, you might have trouble, always being able to match them, to one another. Cork is more dense in that respect. If it was used for a more permanent layout, yes I can see it being used, but on a module, I would be leary.
I would most definitely, not use masonite. I use what works for me, in my 65 yrs of playing with layouts.
Here on the ATLANTIC CENTRAL we are pretty old school, homasote sheets for yards, Homabed roadbed for other trackage, as well as some left over TruScale wood roadbed.
But we are "new school" in attaching track - adheasive caulk, except turnouts, which typically only have a couple track nails since the ajacent glued down track holds them in place.
Most trackage is Atlas, but some is hand layed special work - homabed is best for spiking that.
No cork or foam........
Cost? - never compared or considered - quality/performance was the only consideration.
Sheldon
zstripe Rich, Well like I said.....I have never used the foam roadbed. I was going by what You said, that You use track nails for Your track into the roadbed and You had to be careful not to drive the nail too deep or it would squeeze the foam. In my opinon that would create a dip, so if Your connecting to another module that has a more rigid type of roadbed, you might have trouble, always being able to match them, to one another. Cork is more dense in that respect. If it was used for a more permanent layout, yes I can see it being used, but on a module, I would be leary. I would most definitely, not use masonite. I use what works for me, in my 65 yrs of playing with layouts.
richhotrain zstripe Rich, Well like I said.....I have never used the foam roadbed. I was going by what You said, that You use track nails for Your track into the roadbed and You had to be careful not to drive the nail too deep or it would squeeze the foam. In my opinon that would create a dip, so if Your connecting to another module that has a more rigid type of roadbed, you might have trouble, always being able to match them, to one another. Cork is more dense in that respect. If it was used for a more permanent layout, yes I can see it being used, but on a module, I would be leary. I would most definitely, not use masonite. I use what works for me, in my 65 yrs of playing with layouts. Well, of course, I was being kiddingly sarcastic when I suggested Masonite as a form of firm roadbed. But, that raises a thought. If it is a modular, transportable layout, whether you use foam or cork, why not make all of the edges, say the last two inches, with 5mm thick bass wood roadbed. That would surely solve the rough handling concern. Rich
Well, of course, I was being kiddingly sarcastic when I suggested Masonite as a form of firm roadbed. But, that raises a thought. If it is a modular, transportable layout, whether you use foam or cork, why not make all of the edges, say the last two inches, with 5mm thick bass wood roadbed. That would surely solve the rough handling concern.
Masonite - don't/won't use that for anything - ever.
I have used 1/4" plywood as a sub roadbed under homabed on flat serfaces where I wanted a higher track elevation from the base terrain.
5 mm? Being in the construction business, all the building materials we buy and all the rulers we use are in English measurements.
Homabed comes in .240" thickness and .125" thickness.
One more note - anyone concerned about humidity and homasote products, simply paint the homasote with light grey flat acrylic house paint before laying the track and ballasting.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL 5 mm? Being in the construction business, all the building materials we buy and all the rulers we use are in English measurements. Homabed comes in .240" thickness and .125" thickness.
http://www.historicships.com/Wood/BasswoodStrips.htm
richhotrain ATLANTIC CENTRAL 5 mm? Being in the construction business, all the building materials we buy and all the rulers we use are in English measurements. Homabed comes in .240" thickness and .125" thickness. Well, we ain't talking about the home construction business. A 5mm thick strip of bass wood matches the height of HO scale foam and cork. http://www.historicships.com/Wood/BasswoodStrips.htm Rich
Well, we ain't talking about the home construction business. A 5mm thick strip of bass wood matches the height of HO scale foam and cork.
Wow, shows you how long its been since I bought cork roadbed. Back in the day it was 1/4" thick, now only 3/16", when did that happen?
So the guy selling the bass wood - which size is the truth - metric or english?
By the specs listed on Midwest Products web site, cork is currently 5mm thick. 3/16" is 4.7mm so it is basically the same thing. The experience at my modular club with Woodland scenics foam was very poor. It did not last long at all before being replaced. We have been using cork which is ok. We are currently working with Homasote roadbed that I make. It has not been in long enough to give a definitive answer as to how well it will work in this application over the long term but we started using it looking for a stiffer and more durable roadbed for modules that travel quite a bit.