I purchased several MW turnout pads after reading that they a simple, easy to use, drop-in. I had assumed that these pads would minimize fitting and trimming cork roadbed. It should be a pretty simple process but my addled senior brain is not seeing it... I am using #4 atlas turnouts (HO scale).
For the starters, the package directions say the same turnout pads can be used with #4 and #6 turouts. My #4's are about 1/4" too long on the through route and 3/4 inch too short on the diverging route. Size descrepancy would be even worse with #6's.
Any advice on how to use these? Obviously positioning is critical.
I will preface this by saying I've never used the turnout pads as described but I think I have an idea based on the pictures I've seen.
You want to place the pad where it covers most of the diverging route from the points on. The hardest part of using regular strip cork is getting that diverging route bedded properly. (I have done many turnouts with the strips over the years.) The idea of the pad, as I understand it, it to take the hassle out of the joints. As you said it doesn't cover all the diverging route but it gets the important parts. Just use the regular strips to continue the bedding on the ends.
I tried them, found regular cork worked much better to get exactly what I needed and much cheaper.
rrebell I tried them, found regular cork worked much better to get exactly what I needed and much cheaper.
Hat tip to rrebell, exactly right. The turnout pads are: too expensive, not a drop in, and difficult to position for accurate results.
The conventional way of laying cork works well but I find it very tedious to trim cork to fill the gap. I'm way too much of a perfectionist with trimming and waste cork attempting a great match. I know, I know, silly and unnecessary!
FRRYKid I will preface this by saying I've never used the turnout pads as described but I think I have an idea based on the pictures I've seen. You want to place the pad where it covers most of the diverging route from the points on. The hardest part of using regular strip cork is getting that diverging route bedded properly. (I have done many turnouts with the strips over the years.) The idea of the pad, as I understand it, it to take the hassle out of the joints. As you said it doesn't cover all the diverging route but it gets the important parts. Just use the regular strips to continue the bedding on the ends.
IDRick FRRYkid, thanks for your reply. You have an accurate general picture of the issue. I purchased the turnout pads because I was in hurry and wanted a product that saves time. Unfortunately, in my experience, they are not a drop in, require more tedious trimming, and do not save time. I'm purchasing sheet cork for the yard and will probably go back to the conventional method of installing cork roadbed at the other turnouts.
As I model a railyard on my current layout, I used sheet cork for the yard area and the traditional way for the rest myself as well. (Couldn't justify the cost of the pads. The sheet cork was large sheets that I found via eBay, mostly. A small industrial area addition has a different kind as that seller was no longer there. Ended up spackling the cork to get it to look the same.)
On the edges of the yard, I used a strip of traditional cork to get the prototype slope.
Regular cork is easy to cut properly, first you run the straight peice all the way though the area (just talking regular turnouts here). Next you run the other side and then you do a back cut and run one of the other peices, same on the next.
Using strip cork the joints will be hidden underneath the turnout. There's no need for precise cuts, large gaps can be filled by small pieces of cork, joint compound or something similar, and small gaps can be left to be filled by ballast.
My opinion is that it often takes more time to make two commercial components work together than it does to "scratchbuild" one of them to custom match the other.
Same here. If you can draw centerlines of the turnout, it's pretty easy to lay split Midwest cork roadbed on that centerline and cut pieces to fit.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
AEP528 Using strip cork the joints will be hidden underneath the turnout. There's no need for precise cuts, large gaps can be filled by small pieces of cork, joint compound or something similar, and small gaps can be left to be filled by ballast. My opinion is that it often takes more time to make two commercial components work together than it does to "scratchbuild" one of them to custom match the other.
Beautiful work Rio Grande! That is the look my perfection side wants to achieve but my "eyeball" guesses and freehand cutting are not very accurate. I'm much better with a tracing or a measure and cut approach when practical. Good news is it is mostly hidden by the trackwork. I fill the "worst" holes with spackle, sand after spackle dries, and paint the roadbed with a color similar to the ballast.
I rairly freehanded, just use a metal ruler, I used a thick one off an adjustible square as I had picked up lots of those over the years being in the trades.