So.... Ya think you're ready for roadbed, huh.

[Anonymous]

On my current layout I'm using 2" foam over 3/8 plywood. I then drew my track plan fullsize on large sheets of paper (chartboard paper or cheap butcher paper) I try to detail where some of the buildings will fit and sketch out roads, rivers etc. Once satisified I will cut along the centerline and start laying roadbed right over the paper track plan using liquid nails. Works great!!

[WM-skipper]

I have a copy of Atlas' "Custom-Line Layouts, 2nd Edition" (ca. 1971) right here, and it has specific instructions for this kind of thing. To quote from the book:

"As you get the track into position, locate it with an occational thumbtack or temporary nail through one of the holes in the tiestrip. Then take a soft pencil and draw lines along the ends of the ties. Hold the pencil nearly horizontal and it will move along quite smoothly, making this a quick job.

"Now pull up the tacks or nails, disassemble the trackage into chunks as big as you can conveniently handle, and lay it aside for the moment. Either by eye or with the help of a ruler [or other track-width block with a center mark on it] draw a centerline approximately midway between the end-of-tie lines. On straightaways, use of a straightedge is worthwhile. [I also use a piece of shirt cardboard cut to the curve radius to help draw smoother curves] Note that the centerline does not need to be precise, as the shaping of the cork roadbed and ballasting the track will hide any imperfections."

Oh, and some other points from the book:

"Operation into a curve is smoother if there is a gradually increasing rate of curvature at the start of a bend, an arrangement which is always used in full-size railroads and is called and easement. You would use one section of 22-inch radius track at the start of an 18-inch curve, or a section of 18-inch radius track at the start of an 15-inch curve."

"If one section of track curving to the left is joined directly to one curving to the right, an S-curve situation is created. At this point, the end of one car will be projecting to one side of the track while at the same time the adjacent and of the next car is projecting to the opposite side. The couplers will therefore be at a more severe angle than they would in entering a single curve of the same radius, increasing the likelyhood of derailment and causing cross-pull tension on the couplers. Therefore, do not arrange your track in an S-curve with less than one car length of straight track between the curves. Be especially wary of turnouts or wye switches at the end of curves. You may need to insert some straight track after the end of a curve before a turnout or wye switch."

"[When] you're ready to lay the cork roadbed, the individual half-strips are laid against the centerline you have drawn, and held in place with 5/8 or 3/4 No. 19 or No. 18 flat-head nails (smaller ones preferred). Space the nails every two or three inches and locate them approximately in the middle of the half-strip so that they will come under the rail and be hidden by the track. The second strip is laid alongside the first, with nails opposite those in the first strip so that the cork will have no tendency to wiggle from side to side. [...] Avoid lining up the joints between adjacent sections across both half-strips. Offsetting these joints will provide a smoother appearance, and avoid 'uplift' of the track in the future."

[oleirish]

TrevorG has the right idea,keep it simple do'nt over think it or you will mess up!!!!Mark the center line in the middle of the ties,connect the dots,lay cork road bed.!!!
JIM

[orsonroy]

I use a sharpie and trace the outside of the tracks, and just lay my roadbed inside the lines. And since I have such a large layout, I generally work on a section at a time (generally, one "scene", or the mainline between two scenes)

[Anonymous]

Jarrell,

I may be repeating others since I am to tired to read all the replies, but basically you trace your temporarily laid track, preferable making a centerline. I used a sharpie fine point marker to fit between the track ties. You use this as the center line of the roadbed. I used cork which is laid in two pieces so the center line was easy to follow. Once the center line is drawn, and you are satisfied that you haven't missed any spots, you take up all of your track and lay it all aside. Then start laying down the roadbed.

If you go with cork you'll find it very easy to work with.

Trevor

[jacon12]

Thanks guys for the answers. It sounds like this is another one of those, ' there ain't no one method to do this' model railroading things, you do what works best for you. It seems like I did read one time that IF you use cork you need to stagger the two halves for a better join at the ends.
Oh well, I'm still a good ways from doing that. The mountain is getting more modifications and the track up to it will have to be positioned.
Much obliged,
Jarrell

[MisterBeasley]

I made some templates and guide pieces. I took a piece of Atlas snap track, 18-inch radius, and centered it on roadbed. (I'm using WS foam, but the concept is the same for any material.) Then I took another short piece of foam roadbed, about 2 inches long, and put it on top of the rails, notching the end where the rails would fit in. At the same time, I cut a piece of heavy paper the size of the roadbed, and notched the ends of that at the rails, too. I made a straigtht template, too, but it's so easy that I don't use it anymore.

Now, I place the track right on the foam, and put one of the templates down on top of it. Then I draw a line (with a purple sharpie, because that's what I stole from my daughter's art supply pile, and because it works great on foam) at the edges of the roadbed as I move the template along the track.

[selector]

Jarrell, someone answered earlier, I believe, but the idea is to ensure that your track plan is doable and solid. If you know that you can make it work where you want it to go, then lay it loosely fastened (or pinned) with all of the curves and turnours in place. When it all seems to be right, including grades, then take a fine marker and make marks just as you suspected...every few ties, at the centre, and then connect the dots later.

Before you lay your track permanently, you have a couple of decisions to make. Do you intend to ballast? If so, you probably needn't paint the foam up to the track ties. If not, you might want to paint under the ties all & along the track right of way, leaving the centre line bare and visible, of course. Or, paint the right of way entirely first, and then lay your track for the centreline drawing. You kinda have to work this out for yourself, but do deal with it, okay?

[2021]

I don't lay track until after I determine the route by drawing on the center line first. This then becomes the centerline for the roadbed. I drew my layout on paper then modified as I measured and drew lines and studied the result. Different strokes for different folks. The main reason for this response however, was to remind you to be sure and use easements on those curves for better tracking. Having said that, I guess you can mark distant points for straight sections and several points on curves and switches. You could always lay a flexible stick along the outside edge and trace a line, and the when you lay roadbed start on the edge rather than the center. Same result only much easier.
Ron K.

[jacon12]

No, not quite.. still rearranging track here and there.. maybe in a month or so though.
But while looking over the track today I got to wondering how exactly do you do that. I mean, here you have all that track, running this way and that, turnouts here and there and how do you start the roadbed work. Do you take all the track off the layout, or just a section at the time? And another thing, how do you get that centerline marked for a guide for the roadbed? The only way I could see doing it would be to take a pen and place a mark in the center of the rails between the ties every few ties , move the track and kinda connect the dots with a line. Or, draw a line on the outside of the track on both sides, move the track and try to figure the center, *groan*, even around curves.
So, if you can shed a little light on how that center line is drawn I'd sure appreciate it.
Jarrell
P.S. make that 2 months! I have a yard I'm not satisfied with and that has to be fixed.