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My present layout started with 3/4" plywood as a subroad bed with homasote as the roadbed. I do not handlay track, but do spike down the flex track. This was solid as a rock, stable as the Rock of Gibraltar. A friend (?) pointed and laughed at my roadbed. So I try foam. Not as strong as the plywood, but really ok. Cutting 2" foam with a table saw? Blue scuz sticking to everything in the garage where the saw is located. Tried a little cork, a little foam and went back to homasote on top of the foam to hold the track. Then I did what all good modellers do, I began re-building the layout. Track plan stayed the same, the old roadbed came out and was replaced with 3/4' x 1/4" splines bent to shape and glued. This provided the equivalent of easements into each and every curve and made for better flowing track. The actual track mounting surface was constructed using, of all things, Upson board. Upson board is one of those "never use for trackwork" kind of products. I ripped 1/4" x 1/4" strips and glued them, sawn edge up, to the spined roadbed. Then I painted the Upson board with a mixture of 50% carpenters glue and 50% water and let it dry. Sanded the top suface, and laid the track. Talk about hold spikes, and as solid as a political party (well, I thought it was funny). I have also rebuilt my hidden double ended staging. I used 3" foam cut into 3/8" wide strips. I built a spline bed with these. I spiked the track directly to the foam, then put a drop of gap filling super glue under every second tie. All of these systems work quite well. I do handlay all my turnouts to fit each situation, so I have a preference for the wood spined roadbed with the glue treated Upson board as a base for track, but that is just my preference. I can honestly say I do not understand the emotions expressed when people talk about track roadbed. The old systems work very well, and the new systems seem to work every bit as well. Foam is the easiest to handle and work with, and provided the thickness is sufficient, is as strong as you will ever require. I would suggest you make up your own mind as to which system yoiu prefer, which system works best for you, then go for it. I do believe in model railroading there is no "best" way for everyone, there are just personal preferences. I keep reading questions about achieveing the 45 degree bevel on the roadbed. I might suggest you purchase a small router (under $40) and a 45 degree chamfer bit with a ball bearing guide and use this to create the bevel on the roadbed. Used carefully, this little weapon will chamfer anything that is currently being used as the base for track laying. I appologize to those whose egos I may have trampled on, whose Holy Grail may have been dented. Tom
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