Dave Vollmer wrote:I'll offer my standard caveat with regard to this issue...I used WS Trackbed. I think it's a wonderful product. But it has a big disadvantage in at least one area I've experienced: superelevated (or banked) curves.Unfortunately, I found WS Trackbed was so forgiving and "sponge-y" that it practically absorbed my shims (I model a heavy-duty mainline in N scale and so I shimmed the curves with 0.020" styrene):Cork would have been better on the curves.
I'll offer my standard caveat with regard to this issue...
I used WS Trackbed. I think it's a wonderful product. But it has a big disadvantage in at least one area I've experienced: superelevated (or banked) curves.
Unfortunately, I found WS Trackbed was so forgiving and "sponge-y" that it practically absorbed my shims (I model a heavy-duty mainline in N scale and so I shimmed the curves with 0.020" styrene):
Cork would have been better on the curves.
I used stripwood to shim my HO track on the curves and I too did not have a problem with it sinking in to the foam. Doesn't seem to sink in or level out when a heavy loco runs over it, so I can't imagine it happening with N scale. I don;t see how wood vs palstic shims would matter wither, My strips run parallel to the track, about 3 ties long for each shim. I use caulkt o fasten the track to the foam,a nd slide the shims in after the track is down but before the caulk dries, so perhaps the bit of caulk they pick up being slid in is really what holds things up.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
TheK4Kid wrote: Hi Engineer Jeff! Glad you asked,a buddy of mine was over today, and we did another experiment, using 8 feet of flextrack on mounted a scrap piece of 2 inch foam.Cork on one side, WS foam on the other, both glued down with clear latex caulk.I have a very sensitive DB meter I used to use on a micrphone setup I used for model airplane engine noise measuring in the past( I also build and fly RC).The Ws foam setup was quiter by just a sllight amount over the cork setup.Several engines were tried on each side.Each time, Ws foam was slightly quieter, and as engine speed was increased, the cork was noisier, by 1 to 2 Db at top RPM's.On plwood, it may make less of a difference, but we didn't try that setup.So if someone wants to experiment and report back, have at it! TheK4Kid
Hi Engineer Jeff!
Glad you asked,a buddy of mine was over today, and we did another experiment, using 8 feet of flextrack on mounted a scrap piece of 2 inch foam.Cork on one side, WS foam on the other, both glued down with clear latex caulk.I have a very sensitive DB meter I used to use on a micrphone setup I used for model airplane engine noise measuring in the past( I also build and fly RC).
The Ws foam setup was quiter by just a sllight amount over the cork setup.Several engines were tried on each side.
Each time, Ws foam was slightly quieter, and as engine speed was increased, the cork was noisier, by 1 to 2 Db at top RPM's.
On plwood, it may make less of a difference, but we didn't try that setup.
So if someone wants to experiment and report back, have at it!
TheK4Kid
I guess my ears are more sensitive than your meter....
jbinkley60 wrote: TheK4Kid wrote: jbinkley60 wrote: TheK4Kid wrote: Hi Engineer Jeff! Glad you asked,a buddy of mine was over today, and we did another experiment, using 8 feet of flextrack on mounted a scrap piece of 2 inch foam.Cork on one side, WS foam on the other, both glued down with clear latex caulk.I have a very sensitive DB meter I used to use on a micrphone setup I used for model airplane engine noise measuring in the past( I also build and fly RC).The Ws foam setup was quiter by just a sllight amount over the cork setup.Several engines were tried on each side.Each time, Ws foam was slightly quieter, and as engine speed was increased, the cork was noisier, by 1 to 2 Db at top RPM's.On plwood, it may make less of a difference, but we didn't try that setup.So if someone wants to experiment and report back, have at it! TheK4Kid Interesting. Those are the results I would have expected. If you are into experiementing, I'd be curious as to whether yellow glue exhibits the same properties as you've seen with the white glue on foam. I've found that yellow glue has a better bonding agent and may not. I've only used white glue for scenery and ballast. Hi Engineer Jeff,I would imagine that yellow carpenters glue isn't much different than white glue.Anytime I have used the yellow glue on wood ,it usually hardens after it sets up.I once used it on an RC sailplane wing maade of balsa, and after about hundred landings, glue joints inside the wing started to come aprt because they didn't flex enough,instead, the glue joints that broke apart had rough to sharp edges indicating it became brittle.Also take into account this wing set in the sun , and heated up and coooled down a number of times, which certainly had to effect the glue joints.It certainly is less flexible than latex caulk.TheK4Kid I see in the other thread folks are talking about it getting louder with ballast. I suspect it may be the type of ballast and how it is applied. I use real stone from Arizona Rock & Mineral with 50/50 white glue and water. I haven't noticed any increase in sound. I'll do some additional testing this weekend, since I have just over 50% of my layout ballasted. I do know it gets louder if I get the ballast to high or in an area where the wheels can hit it. I generally use a small screwdriver to remove unwanted ballast. I'll let you know the results of my testing this weekend.
TheK4Kid wrote: jbinkley60 wrote: TheK4Kid wrote: Hi Engineer Jeff! Glad you asked,a buddy of mine was over today, and we did another experiment, using 8 feet of flextrack on mounted a scrap piece of 2 inch foam.Cork on one side, WS foam on the other, both glued down with clear latex caulk.I have a very sensitive DB meter I used to use on a micrphone setup I used for model airplane engine noise measuring in the past( I also build and fly RC).The Ws foam setup was quiter by just a sllight amount over the cork setup.Several engines were tried on each side.Each time, Ws foam was slightly quieter, and as engine speed was increased, the cork was noisier, by 1 to 2 Db at top RPM's.On plwood, it may make less of a difference, but we didn't try that setup.So if someone wants to experiment and report back, have at it! TheK4Kid Interesting. Those are the results I would have expected. If you are into experiementing, I'd be curious as to whether yellow glue exhibits the same properties as you've seen with the white glue on foam. I've found that yellow glue has a better bonding agent and may not. I've only used white glue for scenery and ballast. Hi Engineer Jeff,I would imagine that yellow carpenters glue isn't much different than white glue.Anytime I have used the yellow glue on wood ,it usually hardens after it sets up.I once used it on an RC sailplane wing maade of balsa, and after about hundred landings, glue joints inside the wing started to come aprt because they didn't flex enough,instead, the glue joints that broke apart had rough to sharp edges indicating it became brittle.Also take into account this wing set in the sun , and heated up and coooled down a number of times, which certainly had to effect the glue joints.It certainly is less flexible than latex caulk.TheK4Kid
jbinkley60 wrote: TheK4Kid wrote: Hi Engineer Jeff! Glad you asked,a buddy of mine was over today, and we did another experiment, using 8 feet of flextrack on mounted a scrap piece of 2 inch foam.Cork on one side, WS foam on the other, both glued down with clear latex caulk.I have a very sensitive DB meter I used to use on a micrphone setup I used for model airplane engine noise measuring in the past( I also build and fly RC).The Ws foam setup was quiter by just a sllight amount over the cork setup.Several engines were tried on each side.Each time, Ws foam was slightly quieter, and as engine speed was increased, the cork was noisier, by 1 to 2 Db at top RPM's.On plwood, it may make less of a difference, but we didn't try that setup.So if someone wants to experiment and report back, have at it! TheK4Kid Interesting. Those are the results I would have expected. If you are into experiementing, I'd be curious as to whether yellow glue exhibits the same properties as you've seen with the white glue on foam. I've found that yellow glue has a better bonding agent and may not. I've only used white glue for scenery and ballast.
Interesting. Those are the results I would have expected. If you are into experiementing, I'd be curious as to whether yellow glue exhibits the same properties as you've seen with the white glue on foam. I've found that yellow glue has a better bonding agent and may not. I've only used white glue for scenery and ballast.
Hi Engineer Jeff,I would imagine that yellow carpenters glue isn't much different than white glue.Anytime I have used the yellow glue on wood ,it usually hardens after it sets up.I once used it on an RC sailplane wing maade of balsa, and after about hundred landings, glue joints inside the wing started to come aprt because they didn't flex enough,instead, the glue joints that broke apart had rough to sharp edges indicating it became brittle.
Also take into account this wing set in the sun , and heated up and coooled down a number of times, which certainly had to effect the glue joints.
It certainly is less flexible than latex caulk.
I see in the other thread folks are talking about it getting louder with ballast. I suspect it may be the type of ballast and how it is applied. I use real stone from Arizona Rock & Mineral with 50/50 white glue and water. I haven't noticed any increase in sound. I'll do some additional testing this weekend, since I have just over 50% of my layout ballasted. I do know it gets louder if I get the ballast to high or in an area where the wheels can hit it. I generally use a small screwdriver to remove unwanted ballast. I'll let you know the results of my testing this weekend.
Sorry for the delay. I did some testing last night. Except for a couple of spots on the track, I found no difference in sound between areas where I had WS foam on 1/2" plywood glued with yellow glue and other areas where I have the same configuration ballasted. On the couple of spots I found some ballast that I missed that was hitting the wheels (i.e got caught near turnouts where wheel flanges could rub against it). I fixed those spots. I am using Arizona Rock & Mineral ballast glued down with a 50/50 mix of white glue and water.
Engineer Jeff NS Nut Visit my layout at: http://www.thebinks.com/trains/
traindaddy,
Glad I could help.Happy MRRING !!!
traindaddy1 wrote:Wow! I've read all the great posts on the subject. "?" All things being considered, which would you consider the EASIEST to use for 3-rail tubular O27 track? As always, thanks.
Wow! I've read all the great posts on the subject. "?" All things being considered, which would you consider the EASIEST to use for 3-rail tubular O27 track? As always, thanks.
Hi traindaddy,Are you referring to "superelevating" your track, or roadbed and ballast?If you are superelevating on 027 I am going to take a guess and say you could use either about 3/16 inch balsa strips, but I think basswood strips would work better.Once you know your radius, you can soak the basswood strips in some warm water such as in a bathtub, then take them out, let them dry slighlty, but start to form your radius, and pin them in place as you glue them dowwn .Once they are dry, they will hold their shape.On my track (HO) I already had my roadbed in place, so I layed down my balsa strips,holding them in place with modellers "T" pins, then glued them in place with a "hypodermic" type of glue gun, forming a very small bead of glue on both sides of the strips, let them dry, then used grey latex caulk ,spreading it evenly with a putty knife, so it went just over the balsa strips, then placed my track into it, pinned and weighted the track in place, and let it dry.
As far as going from flat to elevated track, I simply sanded a taper into my balsa strips before I set my track in place.This effectively worked for me, but everyone has different ideas and methods.What I liked about the balsa strips all the way around my radiused curves, is all of the track ties are supported, and I also could sand in the taper from flat track into the "superelevation", instead of using varying thicknesses of materials.Once I was ready to run a train around it, I tried several of my different steam engines, from a BLI J1, a BLI M1a, and a BLI T1 duplex, then a IHC Mountain steamer, and my Proto 2-8-8-2 steamer, and they all negotiated the radiused and superelevated curves just fine, so I started to add cars behind them, and all went well as they made more passes around the curves.My curves on the ends of my layout are 34 inch radius.Since I was using WS foam roadbed, I felt that by putting down the balsa elevating strips, I wouldn''t have to wedge individual pieces in later, under the track, and risk the "dimpling effect" which some guys are experiencing with the foam roadbed.Hope this helped.
Ed
I shimmed my curves with 1/16 inch high by 1/8 inch wide balsa strips, worked just fine, without any of the issues you guys mentioned.I glued them in place FIRST ,then layed my track with the balsa strips underneath the outer edges of the ties.Worked great!
Dave Vollmer wrote: I'll offer my standard caveat with regard to this issue...I used WS Trackbed. I think it's a wonderful product. But it has a big disadvantage in at least one area I've experienced: superelevated (or banked) curves.Unfortunately, I found WS Trackbed was so forgiving and "sponge-y" that it practically absorbed my shims (I model a heavy-duty mainline in N scale and so I shimmed the curves with 0.020" styrene):Cork would have been better on the curves.
I shimmed one of my curves the same way. I wouldn't say it practically absorbed the shims but there is some give. I didn't find it to be too much of an issue.
Modeling the Rio Grande Southern First District circa 1938-1946 in HOn3.
TheK4Kid wrote: I made an interesting discovery today!I took a putty knife and carefully pried up an 8 foot section of WS foam roadbed on my center table, and carefully glued it backdown with clear latex caulk.So when my train is running on the first table ( glued down with white glue) it is noisy), as soon as it runs onto the center table, it gets real quiet, and as it rolls onto the last table( glued down with white glue) it gets noisy again.So I will slowly pry up all of my outside roadbed, and reglue it with clear latex caulk.I read elesewhere that white glue dries hard, and acts like a noise conductor, while clear latex stays soft, and is less of a noise conductor.It works!!!Moral of the story, don't use white or the yellow wood glue to glue down raodbed on foam subroadbed. TheK4Kid
I made an interesting discovery today!I took a putty knife and carefully pried up an 8 foot section of WS foam roadbed on my center table, and carefully glued it backdown with clear latex caulk.
So when my train is running on the first table ( glued down with white glue) it is noisy), as soon as it runs onto the center table, it gets real quiet, and as it rolls onto the last table( glued down with white glue) it gets noisy again.
So I will slowly pry up all of my outside roadbed, and reglue it with clear latex caulk.
I read elesewhere that white glue dries hard, and acts like a noise conductor, while clear latex stays soft, and is less of a noise conductor.It works!!!
Moral of the story, don't use white or the yellow wood glue to glue down raodbed on foam subroadbed.
I use yellow glue with no issues but I am gluing to wood not foam. Was it quieter than cork or the same ?
jbinkley60 wrote: TheK4Kid wrote: Thanks for the reply Engineer Jeff, but that is not the problem. The foam is quite rigid with the 1x3's under it. As I lay my secod inside mainline, I will try a slghtly different method for attaching the WS foam roadbed to the foam.Once my undertable work is done, I will fill the spaces with fiberglass insulation held in place with some kind of tape, so I can take it down to work if I need to .I am going to put some rubber or foam washers where the elg bolts attach, and see if isolating the legs helps any.Also will try rubber mats or something under the legs between the adjuster screws and the floor.TheK4Kid Ok, I'll be curious as to the outcome. Just remember that even if the foam is rigid, it is still a big flat surface that can resonate. Plywood can too but one of the things which helps is that the layers each go different direction. As example, a solid piece of wood with the grain all in one direction will resonate more (assuming the same dimensions) that an equivalent [piece of plywood. If you've ever done any speaker design bracing of long side of a cabinet is very important. This is no different. Again, only a theory. I'll be curious to find out how foam can appear to be louder than cork.
TheK4Kid wrote: Thanks for the reply Engineer Jeff, but that is not the problem. The foam is quite rigid with the 1x3's under it. As I lay my secod inside mainline, I will try a slghtly different method for attaching the WS foam roadbed to the foam.Once my undertable work is done, I will fill the spaces with fiberglass insulation held in place with some kind of tape, so I can take it down to work if I need to .I am going to put some rubber or foam washers where the elg bolts attach, and see if isolating the legs helps any.Also will try rubber mats or something under the legs between the adjuster screws and the floor.TheK4Kid
Thanks for the reply Engineer Jeff, but that is not the problem. The foam is quite rigid with the 1x3's under it. As I lay my secod inside mainline, I will try a slghtly different method for attaching the WS foam roadbed to the foam.
Once my undertable work is done, I will fill the spaces with fiberglass insulation held in place with some kind of tape, so I can take it down to work if I need to .
I am going to put some rubber or foam washers where the elg bolts attach, and see if isolating the legs helps any.Also will try rubber mats or something under the legs between the adjuster screws and the floor.
Ok, I'll be curious as to the outcome. Just remember that even if the foam is rigid, it is still a big flat surface that can resonate. Plywood can too but one of the things which helps is that the layers each go different direction. As example, a solid piece of wood with the grain all in one direction will resonate more (assuming the same dimensions) that an equivalent [piece of plywood. If you've ever done any speaker design bracing of long side of a cabinet is very important. This is no different. Again, only a theory. I'll be curious to find out how foam can appear to be louder than cork.
Good point Engineer Jeff.
I am thinking of any solutions I can.One of the main reasons I used this table construction method is it is light and can be taken down and moved easily if need be.If I were to brace in between underneath, I just don't understand how that would change anything.I could brace at an angle, or go at 90 degrees to the existing 1x3's
Or lay another set of 1x3's flat across the bottoms of the existing ones, then screw them in place. Perhaps two or three on the bottom of each table?
The idea I was originally thinking of using fiberglass batting insulation was that it would eliminate the empty space between the 1x3's and soak up the sound.I'm still open to any other ideas or suggestions.Your theory sounds good though and I understand where you are coming from on it.
I resarched all of this before I started and saw this same method used on other layouts, but no mention of noise was ever brought forth.
If I may sugesst a different idea. I used N cork under my HO track in spots where it wasn't seen. In tunnels I used Camper tape which was about 6-7 dollars at HD. It's sticky on one side.
I am using 1/2 OSB board and 1" foam for the base with mostly cork as the road bed and the house is air conditioned and low humidty year round.
I used a hot glue gun to set the cork with a few short sections about 1/2 to 1 in about every 1 to 2 feet. More if I was doing a curve just enough to hold the shape. I would then slide in the second side and again glue a spot every once in a while to hold it. The track got a short dab of glue to hold it in place usually one/two ties and check with a ribbon rail and set the curve or straight edge for staight line.
I would run a couple of cars along the rail and observe anything that looked out of place like a wobble or derail. Turn the power on and test an engine or two to see if power(DC) was ok. A short hit with cheap brown spray (99cents from Wally World) on the rails and I could ballast any section I want along the way to really set the track. I could lay 2-3 or more 3 ft sections at a time. I would before completing the ballast go back and add feeder lines for future DCC ops as I wanted. This way I could run a train around or a least think I could while I was planning where things were going.
Mistakes, sure I made a few and because it wasn't held down but by a couple of glue spots a kitchen steak knife would slip under the track or cork and cut through the glue. I could then reuse or if it was beyond saving throw away a short section of track after I cut it with a dremel.
As to the N scale cork I used, that on most all of the branch lines and it lowers the rail a slight bit from the main. I just placed the cork the width of the rails which leaves a section down the middle to be either filled in or if you're lazy like me I just spread some oil dry material (Wally World $3 or so) and carefully would make sure it was below the ties and balast over the top. Heck I think I even paint it too. A lot less work and no one will ever see it.
It's your road----have fun with it.
TheK4Kid wrote: Hi Engineer Jeff, I used a product known as "Loctite Power Grab" I purchased at Menards. It's similar to Liquid Nails. I put a bead of Loctite Power Grab on the 1x3's and layed down the 2 inch pink foam on top of the 1x3's and let it dryMy framework is quite sturdy.Right now my tables ( 3 of them, 6 by 8 feet), are setting on a concrete floor,but I plan on using indoor-outdoor carpet with a thick foam base under them, and I figure that will also help quiet it down a bit.My tables are 1x3's on 16 inch centers, and outside framework is 1x4's , all screwed and glued together with woodscrews and Locttite Power Grab.My legs are made from 2x4's with cross bracing, and fastened on with bolts. At the bottom of my 2x4 legs are adjustabe screw pads for height and leveling adjument. I may try the insulation underneath just to see what happens, if it doesn't work, I will use it in my overhead rafters, since my layout is in the basement, and right now, all I have is bare concrete floor and walls around my walkaround layout, and at this point there really isn't any sound absorbent materials around the layout to abosrb sound.As I recall, I did use yellow carpenters glue to fasten down the WS foam roadbed to the 2 inch pink foam tabletop, and not white Elmers glue. Has anyone else used this method, and what are your results? TheK4Kid
Hi Engineer Jeff,
I used a product known as "Loctite Power Grab" I purchased at Menards. It's similar to Liquid Nails.
I put a bead of Loctite Power Grab on the 1x3's and layed down the 2 inch pink foam on top of the 1x3's and let it dryMy framework is quite sturdy.Right now my tables ( 3 of them, 6 by 8 feet), are setting on a concrete floor,but I plan on using indoor-outdoor carpet with a thick foam base under them, and I figure that will also help quiet it down a bit.
My tables are 1x3's on 16 inch centers, and outside framework is 1x4's , all screwed and glued together with woodscrews and Locttite Power Grab.My legs are made from 2x4's with cross bracing, and fastened on with bolts. At the bottom of my 2x4 legs are adjustabe screw pads for height and leveling adjument. I may try the insulation underneath just to see what happens, if it doesn't work, I will use it in my overhead rafters, since my layout is in the basement, and right now, all I have is bare concrete floor and walls around my walkaround layout, and at this point there really isn't any sound absorbent materials around the layout to abosrb sound.
As I recall, I did use yellow carpenters glue to fasten down the WS foam roadbed to the 2 inch pink foam tabletop, and not white Elmers glue. Has anyone else used this method, and what are your results?
An option may be that the 2" foam is not as rigid as 1/2" plywood and is reasonating due to the vibrations. That would amplify the sound. That's the best idea I can come up with right now. One way to find out is to add a brace across one of the 16" spans under the track and glue it to the foam. If it gets quieter then you know that's the cause. The cork may provide more support and is more rigid than the WS foam which helps dampen the resonance.
TheK4Kid wrote: I have a question.I am using WS foam roadbed, my last track loop is fastened to the subroadbed with Elmers white glue. Is there a possibility it would be quieter if I used latex caulk to fasten it to the 2 inch foam subroadbed, or should continue to use Elmers white flue?I am curious if it will be a little queter if I use latex caulk instead of glue to fasten down the WS foam roadbed.The track is fastened down with grey latex caulk.My other idea is to try and put fiberglass insulation underneath my tables between the 1x3's which are on 16 inch center after all my wiring, etc is done under the table and make the insulation removable by just placing it in place and using some DUCK TAPE to hold it in place. I am curious if the fiberglass insulation will soak up a lot of the sound board effect I am getting now.Everything I read said that WS foam would be quieter or is quieter than using corkIt seems that when my trains are running, I am getting more noise through the foam than I should be.I figure it can't hurt to try, if it doesn't work, the fiberglass insulation can go overhead in the rafters .Anyone have any opinions? TheK4Kid
I have a question.I am using WS foam roadbed, my last track loop is fastened to the subroadbed with Elmers white glue. Is there a possibility it would be quieter if I used latex caulk to fasten it to the 2 inch foam subroadbed, or should continue to use Elmers white flue?I am curious if it will be a little queter if I use latex caulk instead of glue to fasten down the WS foam roadbed.The track is fastened down with grey latex caulk.My other idea is to try and put fiberglass insulation underneath my tables between the 1x3's which are on 16 inch center after all my wiring, etc is done under the table and make the insulation removable by just placing it in place and using some DUCK TAPE to hold it in place. I am curious if the fiberglass insulation will soak up a lot of the sound board effect I am getting now.Everything I read said that WS foam would be quieter or is quieter than using cork
It seems that when my trains are running, I am getting more noise through the foam than I should be.I figure it can't hurt to try, if it doesn't work, the fiberglass insulation can go overhead in the rafters .
Anyone have any opinions?
I am thinking that any noise might be coming from the 2" foam acting like a resonator. I use 1/2" plywood with WS foam and it is very quiet. I don't think it is the glue. I use yellow glue. How is the 2" foam secured to your 1x3s ?
tomikawaTT wrote: Jake, I don't know your geographic location, but here in the dessicated desert cork has a rather limited lifetime before it dries out, hardens up and begins to crumble.I have been using thin extruded foam (fan-fold underlayment) for roadbed, fastened to the plywood subgrade with latex caulk. It takes a little work to carve 2 x 4 sheets of foam into roadbed shapes, but once in place it seems to be dead silent. My quieter locomotives seem to have acquired stealth capabilities.Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Jake, I don't know your geographic location, but here in the dessicated desert cork has a rather limited lifetime before it dries out, hardens up and begins to crumble.
I have been using thin extruded foam (fan-fold underlayment) for roadbed, fastened to the plywood subgrade with latex caulk. It takes a little work to carve 2 x 4 sheets of foam into roadbed shapes, but once in place it seems to be dead silent. My quieter locomotives seem to have acquired stealth capabilities.
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
I dont think I need to worry about that all the way in SE Massachusettes.
Loco wrote:I was thinking (it happens ;) If one where to try and do a bit of super elevating, would not the WS foam be useless???
No, WS isn't that soft. It is dense foam. I use styrene shims under the outside rail. It works fine.
I used WS foam on 2inch pink foam, used white glue to attach the WS foam roadbed, then grey latex caulk to attach the rail to the WS foam roadbed.
I tried laying down a 10 foot stretch of track with coark roadbed, although the cork wasn't glued down, I layed a ten foot stretch of track, without any glue,etc.
Then I ran one of my steam engines ( HO) on the cork test section, then tried the same on my
WS foam which is a complete loop around( first mainline) a 24 foot long by 6 foot wide walkround layout, built up from 3 - 6 foot by 8 foot tables, with 1x3's every 16 inches, and 1x4 sides.
The cork section ( unballasted and not glued down, just layed on the cork, and the cork just layed on the 2 inch foam base) was much quieter.
But I am thinking of trying something once I get all my wiring and under table work done.
Taking and putting fiberglass insulation( like you use in between wall studs when insulating a room) stuffed up under the table in between the 1x3's to absorb sound. I won't permanently attach it, but perhaps just tack it in place with either DUCK TAPE, or something similar.
That way if I need to work under the table, just pull the insulation down and lay it out of the way.
I am thinking this will absorb sound, and eliminate the drum board effect.
As far as super elevation, I super elevated both my ends of my layout ( 34 inch radius) by using 1/8 inch wide by 1/16 inch thick balsa strips, and using Elmers white glues. layed down a bead of glue, and using modelleres pins, pinned them in place so they would be underneath the outside of the track ties,raising the outside of the track by 1/16 of an inch, then when that dried, I attached my track with grey latex caulk.
Works just fine