In an issue not too long ago, someone suggested the idea of using 2 zip ties to secure the track to the foam and plywood base. You would take the first tie and trim it back (i.e. cut off just enough of the locking section as to allow it to still grip the rail without sticking up) and then use a second zip tie's locking section on the first tie's stalk section underneath the table to secure it. Assuming you use a long enough zip tie, you could go through the foam and plywood base and lock the track on.
Being that I have not done this myself, I don't know for certain how well it would stop vibrations and sounds, or how well it would hold the track, but the theory seems that it would be a simple enough solution. You could also push the tubular ties slightly into the foam so that there is no side to side motion and then zip tie them, offering lateral and horizontal stablilization.
If I can find the time this weekend, I will try to scan and upload the picture of this from the magazine (if anyone on here can beat me to it, feel free!)
God bless TCA 05-58541 Benefactor Member of the NRA, Member of the American Legion, Retired Boss Hog of Roseyville , KC&D Qualified
Soundstop is manufactured by Knight-Celotex.
Here's the link for the dealer locator: http://www.knightcelotex.com/pages/distribution_dealerlocator.asp
Kurt
I used 2" foam under my tubular track. After getting the track down and tested, I just pushed down on the track, using a peice of 2x4 until it made an impression into the foam. Nothing has moved it in the two years it's been in place. Only downside is that now that I'm expanding the layout some of the placement of track on the old section needs to change, leaving the impression of the ties, so I'll need to fill it with something.
Good luck.
Tim
My layout is entirely blue insulation foam board and I have come up with a good number of tricks for working with it.
With my track - traditional tubular 027 - I laid out all the track first, then tested a loco and a few cars. Then I made a diagram of where I anticipated track blocks would be, and put in insulating pins in the center rail. Once I was happy, I made wood slugs that would fit tightly beneath the metal 027 tie. I cut a piece of 3M Carpet Tape on one side of a wood slug that I cut, put the wood slug loosely into the metal tie, and then pressed in on to the layout surface. The wood slug with carpet tape held everything in place well enough to continue working.
I then drilled some small pilot holes into the wood slugs and then used Gargraves #4x3/4 screws to attach the track. I found I didn't need to attach every single section of track. But because I have heavy modifications to my switches (the metal backing plate is removed and the plastic base of the switch is cut down to literally just the track) I found I need to attach slugs and screw down the track closest to the switches.
I later added individually cut wood ties to the track and then used Woodland Scenics HO ballast adhered with watered down Elmers Wood Glue (so that it did not come loose with repeated applications of the watered down glue). I could then remove some of the screws as the glued ballast helps to hold the track down.
Most buildings are designed to come loose from the layout and are in place with foam core board pieces I cut to the size of the building, which then fits snuggly over the cut base. Trees are held in place with drinking straws that I rough sanded, then wood glued into a hole in the foam. This allows me to remove trees easily, or even switch them around. If I decide a tree was placed someplace where I don't want it, I use Expanding Insulation Foam to fill the hole. the Expanding Foiam is also a handy scenery building material.
I have my own custom designed icing station which I had orginally made as a prototype for K-Line. The building has been though several changes, but still works. Instead of gluing it in place, I made a wood "track" and modified the structure tower so the the whole thing slides nicely into the wood "track" I made.
My mountains and "tunnels" take their inspiration from all those Road Runner cartoons where the Coyote was always falling off a mountain that suddenly just ended. So the mountains are build up out of foam board and then jut out over the track, sort of as an upside down "L" shape. Once the build up foam mountains where dry (glued together with wood glue) I could use a utility knife and screw driver to make nice convincing rock formations. When I need a hole for wiring in the mountains, as one has a light tower on in and the other a Bachmann Log Cabin with a smoke unit in the chimney. I heated up a piece of brass tubing over the stove, and then pushed that into the layers of glued foam board and got a very nice hole for wires.
Accessories like light towers either have a special base made out of black styrene (which I got a mountain of for free) which I use the carpet tape to adhere the styrene base, then I can crew the light into that. Others, like the K-Line light tower or bubbling light tower are inserted into the foam base. I cut a hole into the foam the size of the base. I pushed out that piece of foam, and then cut the foam thinner to allow the light tower to be flush with the layout surface. I then used wood glue and masking tape to re-insert the thinner piece of foam into the layout surface.
I took my MTH Operating Platform and modfied it as I wanted it much smaller. So I cut off a inch or more off both sides, including the base and roof. Then I refinished it, touching up all the changes and again made a holder out of wood that the platform fits snuggly over. This way, I can remove it very easily.
My scenery material is mostly spray painted saw dust, with also cooking materials like thyme, tea leaves and fish pepper, and black, brown and normal colored sand, and also ground up tree leaves and coffee grounds. I use the same watered down wood glue to attach all this.
My layout is rather small yet very impressive for all the action, scenery and accessories. And it's lightweight and moveable if need be.
And I also put a couple of switches on the curves on the ends of the layout for the very real potential of one day expanding the size of the layout with another modular section.
brianel, Agent 027
"Praise the Lord. I may not have everything I desire, but the Lord has come through for what I need."
I started a layout a year or so ago. big. combined both tubular track for two looops and GG for two others. GG, ross and lionel switches.
the idea of foam [1 inch pink insulation type] sounded perfect. light, easy to get into the house, up the stairs and moved simply. laid it out. Tube track doesn't work simply on foam, much like you are experiencing and it will get worse over time. Of course you can spend you life making it work....
then when you add GG track and ross switches into the mix and trestle supports, 2nd level risers an the whole idea of bridge abutments--more issues than the light weight easy to move foam gave me.
Got a lot of laminate flooring, tongue-n-groove type, mixed small odd lots on the cheap---easier to lay than 4x8 plywood. laid that on the foam--which by now had been fixed to the benchwork. the color of the flooring gave a good earth tone color base for ground materials i will later lay. laminate, by the way, doesn't take screws well. holes need to be predrilled thru the holes in the ties
and glue isn't laminate friendly either--gorilla glue, which foams [forming masses like the blob] actually adds scenic value if you let it rise in natural formations worked out for me on trestles, etc. paint on the glue excesses gives the look of rocks and natural formations.
Got passed all of these items and laid the track. there is noise, but the whistles hide most of it.
Forget the foam. by plywood, let HD/Lowes cut it into manageable sizes and speed up your layout construction.
ralph
Our layout has 2" thick pink foam, and the track is held in place with course dry wall screws. Those screws in the foam hold the track very, very well.
Jim
Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale
The board can be painted before or after being installed. It can be glued to the wooden table with wood glue or Liquid Nails. A few screws wouldn't make much difference in the sound deadening effect.
c-burke9 wrote:I found a store near by that carries the sound board. Whats the best way to secure it to the layout? I take it the best way to secure the track to use screws that will only go though the sound board and not the plywood top? Do I need to paint (seal) the soundboard first before installing?
No don't. Seems to makes it bow up. Cut it and bring inside. Real dusty but a good coat of laytex will seal it. I double coated the edges and they got hard and sealed real good. You will really like Sound Stop.
This shows how the edges will be sealed and are hard. BTW: went to Lowes and asked for a brown "mis-matched" paint. They had a gallon and I got it for $6. Always do that and tell them you are doing a model RR. They will help you find the cheapest way out.
Remember, cut it outside if you can. If not, use a vac along with the jig saw. I put down three layers. Glued the first and then glued the rest, mismatching the seams, and then used drywall screws to hold the three layers together [but not into the wood below the SoundStop]. BTW: if you are doing more than one layer [as I did] don't paint the layers not exposed. Waste of paint. Just paint it all when you get it all "tied" down.
jmsiv wrote:if you use 2 or more layers you can sandwich a piece of 1/4 ply below the first later to hold track screws. won't transmit noise past the second layer.
Really not needed. Soundstop will hold drywall screws very well. I have loosen and retighten some several times without them "stripping".
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