Here there be roadbed!

[Anonymous]

Just happy to report that after almost 4 months of construction, I have a bit more than 1/2 of my sub-roadbed done, and finally started laying the roadbed itself (Woodland Scenics foam) tonight.! At least, in and around the future yard, anyway. I may reach my goal of having trains rolling, or at least sorting cars, by Thanksgiving.

The first 'spike' can't be too far away now -- and perfect timing, too, since there's a Greenburg Show in my neck of the woods this weekend, and I can pick up the various bits and pieces of track I need to fini***he yard.

Progress is fun! [8D]

[rrinker]

Reminds me to get to the basement tonight, I laid in a stock of track and roadbed, now I have to actually get it installed.
How are you fastening down your Woodland Scenics roadbed? That's what I'm going with too.

--Randy

[Anonymous]

I'm trying their Foam Tack Glue, and it seems to work fine for attaching the roadbed direct to the painted plywood sub-roadbed. The trick seems to be to use their second attachment method -- apply a thin layer of glue to both the surface and the back of the roadbed, let both dry about a minute or two, and then stick them together. Works like a charm! There's just enough play in it for a little bit so you can reposition the roadbed, but once you really press it in place, it sticks like the glue is already dry. Only place I had to add some weight to hold it down was on the cut areas where divergent routes run (like for under turnouts), and a piece of scrap 1x2 was fine.

I also tacked down the very ends and on curves with track nails just to make sure they stayed down while the glue dried (takes about an hour or so). I let it sit overnight and it was solid this morning -- not going anywhere.

I plan on using latex adhesive chalk to hold the track to the roadbed, and I may try some of that to see how it holds down the roadbed too. I'll probably try that in the yard area, since I'll be using the 5"x24" roadbed sheets there, and it'll take a lot of Foam Tack Glue to hold them down.