Foam

[Anonymous]

I'm a newbie at this train stuff and have lots of questions, but let's start with the reason for laying down a layer of foam on top of the plywood. I'm sure there's a good reason for it but it just seems like an extra step to me. Please advise.

--don--

[Jetrock]

If it really bothers you, then skip laying down the plywood!

Foam is primarily used as scenery material--because some features drop below the level of the tracks (cuts, rivers and creeks, etcetera.) A foam layer under the tracks lets you cut down through the foam instead of making "cookie-cutter" holes in your plywood--foam cuts easier than plywood.

[skerber]

Foam can be very messy, but also provides good sound deadening. All you need is a knife and a vacuum to work with foam, not a saw.

[Adelie]

There are a few ways to do this. Laying foam on a plywood base is one. Laying thick foam with no plywood base is another. Laying plywood is a third, and cutting the plywood around the shape that the track will be laid is a fourth (cookie cutter). The smoothest way is to use a spline, but it is also the most work intensive. I'm sure there are more.

There is no right or wrong way to do this. Many like foam, I'm among the many who like the plywood "cookie cutter" method. Whatever works best for you is what you should do.

It is sort of like the foam vs. cork vs. homasote vs. instant roadbed debate....Whatever works and you are comfortable with is the answer.

[ARTHILL]

Like the rest of us, when you first start, you have to experment to see what you like. Some times there are clear cut advatages of certain ways. Most times there are many good ways and the only way to choose is to ask questions, read answers and then experiment. Good luck and have fun. See you soon with the next questions.

[Anonymous]

Another way that I would like to mention is to use the Woodland Scenics Subterrain System. With this, accordian-style risers made from foam are glued to the plywood base under your track. This raises the track level above the plywood. I suggest you pick up some of Woodland Scenics' literature on their systems--you'll probably be using their products at some point anyway; they're pretty good as far as quality goes. They have books and videos for their subterrain and terrain systems. Their website is www.woodlandscenics.com. Hope this helps. And, no, I do not work for Woodland Scenics [:D]

[roadrat]

One very good reason for a layer of foam is to make dips, cuts, drainage ditches, ponds, rivers, streams. just yesterday I re-did a 2' x 8' section of scenery because it just looked too flat after cutting ditches beside my roadbed it's 100% better. the world is very rarely flat.

bill