Corkboard turnouts

[Anonymous]

Mine look terrible. Does anyone have a technique I could use. I have gone through 3 sections and I am at a loss.

Thanks,
CNW-Andrew

[Big_Boy_4005]

Hi Andrew. So you want your cork roadbed under your switches to look good?

The method I would use is, to have long strips leading into the switch. Using the switch as a guide, have the one strip follow the outside of the straight leg and the other follow the outside of the diverging leg. No need to cut those off, just use them for the next sections of track coming off each leg. Tack down the portion that will be under the switch with whatever you are using, glue or nails.

Now you will have half a roadbed going one way, and half going the other. On the straight leg, start with another long strip which will finish off the straight route, and cut it to fit in the space where the first two pieces diverge. You will need to remove a little bit of the bevel on that piece, where other half of the diverging roadbed needs to fit in.

A picture is worth a thousand words. What I was trying to describe is what I have drawn in figure A. Figure B is a slight vatiation, where the two center legs are cut to the same angle.

[mike33469]

I buy cork in a sheet [Home Depot/flooring dept.] I then trace around the turnout with a box cutter and in no time I have cork turnout pads. Cheap and easy.

[Anonymous]

Thank you both so much!

CNW-Andrew

[rrinker]

To get tight fitting joints - overlap the pieces where they need to be cut, and cut through BOTH pieces at the same time. Pop out the scraps and the two sides should fit together neatly.

--Randy

[Pennsy58]

I made my own as described above until I found a company that makes them. I think its Itty bitty lines, they make cork turnout pads two to a pack in various degrees. They work great and save alot of time. I am speaking in HO language. Do not know if the produce for other guages. I found that Midwest cork makes turnout pads also.