Personally, I prefer plywood for sub roadbed. Track nails ae not a problem as I pre drill the holes for a snug fit. That way I can gently tap the track nails in without bending the plastic ties. If you're spiking track and using spikes longer than the ties and cork roadbed then a sheet of homasote or 3/4" foam on top of the plywood might be useful.
As you can see from the responses here, we all have different experiences and preferences. Try one out and if it doesn't work for you, change it.
Good luck
Paul
I like riogrande's suggestion. For a 14 x 48 inch module, plywood subroadbed should be fine. Hold the cut plywood piece by the ends and if it sags down put a 1 x 2 x 48 inch or 2 x 2 x 48 inch beam underneath for support. Then you can do whtever you want on top
dstarr I don't like plywood for a layout surface. The glue layers are so hard that the track nails bend as you drive them into it. It's noisy. Plywood acts like a drumhead and amplifies the noise of moving trains. Better is homasote. A pressed paper product, comes in 4 * 8 sheets, takes track nails well, acts as a sound deadener. Homasote will sag over time, so it needs some plywood underneath it, but 1/4 inch plywood is enough to stiffen the homasote.
I don't like plywood for a layout surface. The glue layers are so hard that the track nails bend as you drive them into it. It's noisy. Plywood acts like a drumhead and amplifies the noise of moving trains. Better is homasote. A pressed paper product, comes in 4 * 8 sheets, takes track nails well, acts as a sound deadener. Homasote will sag over time, so it needs some plywood underneath it, but 1/4 inch plywood is enough to stiffen the homasote.
I don't suggest laying track directly on plywood. The topic title was about "subroadbed" which I recommend plywood. For roadbed, I use both homasote, homabed and cork.
Cheers, Jim
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
CTValleyRR The marginal spelling and grammar make it tough to figure out what you're asking.
The marginal spelling and grammar make it tough to figure out what you're asking.
He's just the product of No Child Left Behind. Cut the kid some slack.
Dave
Just be glad you don't have to press "2" for English.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ_ALEdDUB8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hqFS1GZL4s
http://s73.photobucket.com/user/steemtrayn/media/MovingcoalontheDCM.mp4.html?sort=3&o=27
I have played with most ways (some just at a club). The best way is 2" foam with cork caulked on top and track caulked to that. Worst was ply and spiking. If you are going to handlay, then homosite or something similar is the way to go. I have had some changes do to mistakes and a walboard knife works great for removing the track if needed. I did one curve wrong, lifted the track, aligned it properly and T-pined the outside edges in place so I could run the engines at varius speeds to make sure it was right this time and then ACC it to hold as it would have been a mess to try and caulk again, works great!!!!!!!!!!!!
You can get a cork or foam roadbed product to go under the track and reduce the noise. I have also read that some people use the homasote for roadbed (if they are not already using it for the whole table).
I used two inch foamboard on my layout. It is plenty strong enough to hold up model trains, but not strong enough to allow you to climp up on it. It shapes nicely for details like culverts, ditches, and the like. It won't hold fasteners of any kind. I made roadbed out of 1/4 inch white pine and glued the roadbed down to the foamboard with acrylic caulking compound. I nailed the track down on the pine roadbed.
David Starr www.newsnorthwoods.blogspot.com
STANLEY O MONTGOMERY on 14inch wide x 4ft module which is better for top luan or foam, I have untrack,peco flex and atlas flex n scale. I have used foamboard and unitrack on a cuple but I read unless not going below track level luan is better. and if no cork roadbed is used to have ground level track luan is good. I do love kato track . anyone had simalar experance with this issue ? help and idea's are welcome ;thanks
on 14inch wide x 4ft module which is better for top luan or foam, I have untrack,peco flex and atlas flex n scale. I have used foamboard and unitrack on a cuple but I read unless not going below track level luan is better. and if no cork roadbed is used to have ground level track luan is good. I do love kato track . anyone had simalar experance with this issue ? help and idea's are welcome ;thanks
Texting on cell phones is destroying our command of the language.
If I understand your question, I top my benchwork with plywood.
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
sorry about the spelling, trying to rush myself, track was my other concern i have used all three brands of track stated before my concern is for the ground level look for a switching layout which would be at slow speeds anyway, would I get just as good performance out of peco or atlas as I would get out of unitrack on this kind of layout, I use kato on a oval layout thanks
The marginal spelling and grammar make it tough to figure out what you're asking. If it's just whether to use lauan or foam insulating panels, really this is largely a matter of preference (and price). Either will work fine. So will birch plywood or the regular softwood stuff. The only reservation would be if you plan to handlay and spike track, in which case foam is a tougher proposition.
If there was another issue in there, I missed it.
Connecticut Valley Railroad A Branch of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford
"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right." -- Henry Ford