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Trains making or not making sounds on a layout is mostly a matter of sound reflection and mechanical amplification. Mechanical amplification is what we eliminate by using soft materials such as foam and cork. The top of a layout made with plywood is like a great big drum which reflects and amplifies the buzzing grinding clicking our trains make. Putting the track on cork eliminates some of this noise by absorbing it. Covering the plywood with soft materials such as homasote or foam help absorb more sound. So do flock and ground foam. Plaster works against us as it's a hard reflector. Trees absorb sound, buildings and envirotex reflect sound. Ceiling tile (homasote, upson) is a good absorber of sound. Adding more framing under the layout also cuts down on the drum effect if the plywood is secured to it with screws (makes smaller drums). If the screws are left out the sound sometimes gets worse due to friction at the plywood frame interface. So the best way to be rid of the sounds are a strong, secure, and rigid benchwork with soft materials on top of it. All this sandwiching of materials is really unnecessary. FRED.
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