Getting ready soon to start laying the new double track main and I am thinking about using Homabed instead of cork for roadbed. Any thoughts on using it as opposed to cork. From what I have been told it's definitely quieter then cork and some say cork drys out and cracks over time fortunately haven't had that happen but I guess it can.
I have used it and like it better than cork. Personal preference. Plus I think it holds spikes better than cork.
Elmer.
The above is my opinion, from an active and experienced Model Railroader in N scale and HO since 1961.
(Modeling Freelance, Eastern US, HO scale, in 1962, with NCE DCC for locomotive control and a stand alone LocoNet for block detection and signals.) http://waynes-trains.com/ at home, and N scale at the Club.
I wouldn't use anything but Homabed, particularly since I handlay track. I do recommend it be painted after installation to seal it, but I know a fellow that never did and didn't have a problem with moisture (in central California). My experience is with the stuff made by the original manufacturer. I presume the product put out by the current manufacturer in California is equal or superior to the original product.
For a large expanse like a good-sized yard, you may want to purchase 4 by 8 sheets of homasote from a building supply outlet to save money, but the product won't be as uniform.
Mark
Having used both regular Homasote and cork roadbed on a least 2 layouts each, I will never go back to cork. 3 separate batches of cork dried out and crumbled on me, and some other cases did so on my father's layout. Admittedly, it took 5-10 years for the cork to disintegrate. One case dried out right in the box I bought it in after being stored for 8 years. After laying, cork needs to be sanded to remove ridges and high spots, especially around turnouts.
Homasote is a far better material for hand laying track. And I never had expansion/contraction problems that some have reported. I never sealed it, either, while moving the first layout with Homasote through a wide variety of climates and humidity situations. Sheet Homasote is messy to cut - a plain knife or knife blade in a jig saw produces the least dust.
my experiences, your choices
Fred W
I know all too well the joys of working with Homasote, homabed is a product made by California roadbed which by all accounts is consistent and smooth as a baby's butt. I wasn't aware that the guy in California wasn't the original manufacturer. What methods di you guys use for securing it to you sub roadbed?
I had planned on using it on top of homasote which is glued to spline subroadbed, I was thinking of gluing it in place with straight white glue.
Allegheny2-6-6-6 What methods di you guys use for securing it to you sub roadbed?
What methods di you guys use for securing it to you sub roadbed?
White or yellow wood glue works great, with strategically-placed short finishing nails to assure alignment nailed into the Homabed.
Allegheny2-6-6-6 I wasn't aware that the guy in California wasn't the original manufacturer.
I wasn't aware that the guy in California wasn't the original manufacturer.
Well, you probably weren't an active model railroader in the 1970s and 80s.
I have used Homabed for years now and love it. I nail it down with a pneumatic brad nailer and then attach the track with adheasive caulk. Turnouts are left unglued with just a track nail or two.
Sheldon
I will echo the sentiments of others. Really good stuff. I first started using Homabed in the early 1980's as I started building my current Santa Fe in Oklahoma. It was made by a guy back east in those days. the new owner has expanded the options of the roadbed, plus making switch blocks available, which weren't in the old days. All three decks are homabed laid on plywood and have lasted very well. Changes are realatively easy, ballasting is too. I do paint the homabed with a clear finish before laying track which I think helps preserve it.
Right now, I have several bundles of curveable, straight, and switch block homabed on the shelf so that I can react to changes if the current manufacturer should go belly up. Never know in these times.
Bob
I think it might be mentioned that Homabed, which uses kerf cuts to make it bendable so it is very good for making natural easement curves, is not ideally suited to really tight curves. It has its limitations in bendability. And I should say that when I followed advice in MR and shellacked my homasote to prevent warping, it also made it more difficult to spike rail into it.
Ribbonrail also makes a roadbed, made of Upson Board (not homasote) that comes in fixed radius curves down to 15" and I would have to think the products could be mixed together although i have not done so. Upson Board is also a paper based product but tightly compressed and fairly resistant to warping. It doesn't take spikes quite so well in my experience but may be worth investigating for those seeking an alternative to cork.
Back in the 1960s Atlas experimented with a rubber based roadbed that was very flexible -- it came in one piece not the two pieces like cork, so was a little tricky to lay to a center line. When my mom died and I cleaned out the basement including my old layout board some of that roadbed was still in place and still surprisingly flexible. I never knew why Atlas gave up on it.
Dave Nelson
dknelson I think it might be mentioned that Homabed, which uses kerf cuts to make it bendable so it is very good for making natural easement curves, is not ideally suited to really tight curves. It has its limitations in bendability. And I should say that when I followed advice in MR and shellacked my homasote to prevent warping, it also made it more difficult to spike rail into it. Ribbonrail also makes a roadbed, made of Upson Board (not homasote) that comes in fixed radius curves down to 15" and I would have to think the products could be mixed together although i have not done so. Upson Board is also a paper based product but tightly compressed and fairly resistant to warping. It doesn't take spikes quite so well in my experience but may be worth investigating for those seeking an alternative to cork. Back in the 1960s Atlas experimented with a rubber based roadbed that was very flexible -- it came in one piece not the two pieces like cork, so was a little tricky to lay to a center line. When my mom died and I cleaned out the basement including my old layout board some of that roadbed was still in place and still surprisingly flexible. I never knew why Atlas gave up on it. Dave Nelson
Not sure I would rely on MR as a source of expertise on Homabed. They seem more oriented to cork and gasket material. Making curves with the kerf cut sections requires a look at the direction of the kerf cuts as you bend it. Bend it the wrong way and it will break.
To be honest, I doubt I have any curves in the yards or industrial areas theat are less than 18", as I stick to the broadest curves I can use, but it does take some working with to find the best way to lay it.
pastorbob I do paint the homobed with a clear finish before laying track which I think helps preserve it.
I do paint the homobed with a clear finish before laying track which I think helps preserve it.
As recommended by the original Homabed manufacturer, I used cheap latex paint to seal the roadbed after installation. Seals good, yet doesn't form a particularly hard crust that could make spiking more difficult. I used earth-colored latex paint.
I reaffirm Mark above, I used homobed and painted it with a gray latex paint. I handlaid all of my my track and it was excellent in receiving the spikes (and re-spiking when I made errors). I found it very easy to use on curves. I used homobed sheets in my yards. It is definitely my choice for roadbed.
Hal
markpierceAllegheny2-6-6-6 I wasn't aware that the guy in California wasn't the original manufacturer. Well, you probably weren't an active model railroader in the 1970s and 80s. Mark
Well I was a little tied up with the US Army at that time so they took away from my train time. I spoke with the new owner a while back and I am not 100% sure but I believe he told me his stuff now comes painted battle ship gray I did paint the branch line that has been installed now for about 6 or 7 months with gray paint but haven't painted the homasote subroadbed yet. I think it wise to wait till the new Homabed is down and paint int all at the same time before laying track. I ordered a bunch of it this am curvable 45 degree main line and a hand full of turnout pads. I believe the combination of the two should make for some nice quite track work. It's the one amazing thing about Homasote/homabed as compared to any other stuff I have used or seen used is how quite everything is when using it. Even my wife pointed it out unknowingly when she was watching me test run some trains and said that car right there needs a little oil as it's squeaky. It's kinda nice to be able to hear the squeaks. The one thing that I have noticed and I guess it's normal but things seem louder once you glue down the track and ballast.
Plywood, then Homabed.I LOVE homabed. Love, love, love, love, LOVE IT!!!
Also...Get the thickest O scale 30 degree Homabed. Install it with a 1/2" gap in the middle (1/4" on either side of the centerline). Then install the 1/8 thick 30 degree HO roadbed on top of it.It will PERFECTLY match the ballast and subroadbed contour for track in both the CNW and Soo Line standards!
Disclaimer: This post may contain humor, sarcasm, and/or flatulence.
Michael Mornard
Bringing the North Woods to South Dakota!
Well, many years ago when I lived in the Maryland and Virginia I used Homasote from lumber yards and Campbell wood ties with code 70 rail spiked by hand. It worked well but was messy to cut and shape. I never sealed it with anything and just applied scenery products on top. I never had any warping, shrinking or other issues with it.
Years later when I moved to Scum City, Homasote wasn't available and they never heard of it or if they did would only order by the pallet which I was told was about 150 4x8 sheets....... SO..........I then went to using 5/8" plywood and Midwest cork roadbed. The roadbed was glued to the plywood with yellow glue then the edges that were offensive were sanded. I then painted the entire strips with the yellow glue and when dry I spiked down my code 83 Walthers flextrack.
I never had any issues with it and Houston is a very humid place among other nasty things. My layout was in the garage.
I'm now retired in Arkansas and the same thing goes for no Homasote availability so the new railroad will be plywood and cork once again. I recommend it.
Just my 2¢,
oldline1
So this topic was going on in 2009 and has been necro'd from the dead. That being the case, is Homabed still in business and can it still be bought? If not, why bump the topic? If so, is there information on where it can be bought? I used it about 20 years ago and liked it and might like to use it on a future layout if it can still be bought.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
riogrande5761if it can still be bought.
This appears to be an active website https://cascaderailsupply.com/collections
It's 3.5 mm thick, roughly 9/64" I wouldn't trust anything that thin not to warp without support, but I never used it.
I never worked with homabed but did use homasote on plywood years ago. Aside from the mess to cut it, it worked well. I looked at it 2 years ago in Home Depot. They refused to cut it and I couldn't fit a 4x8' piece in my SUV so I went with foam.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
riogrande5761So this topic was going on in 2009 and has been necro'd from the dead. That being the case, is Homabed still in business and can it still be bought? If not, why bump the topic? If so, is there information on where it can be bought? I used it about 20 years ago and liked it and might like to use it on a future layout if it can still be bought.
Possibly: https://cascaderailsupply.com/blogs/news
Yes, it is still available. I am the manufacturer. There are different sizes and thicknesses to fit almost anything you want in roadbed and custom is an option if you need something unusual.
Cascaderailsupply.com
Homabed.com
Either address works to get you to the web site.
Steve Cox
BTW, if someone really wants to go crazy or get together with a group to purchase raw Homasote, a unit of 4x8 1/2" Homasote is 60 sheets which should be the quantity a lumber yard orders it by.
If you are having trouble locating it,
Homasote.com
Has a search function for your closest supplier.
sjcoxI am the manufacturer
Then no one better to ask, what do you suggest for a subroadbed?
Plywood or spline (several types that I think are good). The foundation that your track is on is critical for the good functioning of your layout. It is not the place to cut corners.
Here are the clickable links for Steve's post:
https://cascaderailsupply.com/
http://homasote.com/
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
sjcox Yes, it is still available. I am the manufacturer. There are different sizes and thicknesses to fit almost anything you want in roadbed and custom is an option if you need something unusual. Cascaderailsupply.com Homabed.com Either address works to get you to the web site. Steve Cox BTW, if someone really wants to go crazy or get together with a group to purchase raw Homasote, a unit of 4x8 1/2" Homasote is 60 sheets which should be the quantity a lumber yard orders it by. If you are having trouble locating it, Homasote.com Has a search function for your closest supplier.
Thanks, I had heard the former producer of Homabed had stopped and wasn't sure if someone had taken it over to continue the product. I like it and might like to use it on a future layout after I move.
Cheers, Jim
Nice thing is, Steve offers different ballast profiles and heights, making it easy to have mains and sidings at different levels. And turnout pads - no cutting and splicing, which is harder with homasote than cork (at least to get a very nice neat junction).
I ordered a sampler pack from the other guy and when it FINALLY arrived (about a year and a half later) I had totally forgotten I had even ordered it. Really - a small package arrived and I was like "what's this, I haven't ordered anything" until I finally remembered placing the order. I was seriously considering it even though I don't hand lay anything, and glue my track down with caulk, but with delivery like that - no way. Thankfully, Steve had stepped in and recognized an opportunity.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Plus, Homabed is a joy to spike flextrak to.I've used foam and caulk, and I've used spikes on Homasote/Homabed.My opinion is "Phooey on caulk!"
Of course Homabed isn't only for handlayers. It works great for prefab too.
I agree - phooey on caulk. Right now I'm dismantling my 10x18 foot layout and since used spikes or track nails to fasten the track down, I should be able to save ALL my track - none of it is glued down with adhesive so it is a snap to pull up and save. Just sayin... thats going to save me a lot of money re-using most of it for a future layout.
I'm this close to starting construction on my new 18 x 12 branch/shortline layout and will be using the Homabed roadbed product spoken of in this thread. I made that decision months ago.
I'll probably go with caulk but not certain. Latex caulk is water soluable, so I was able to save all of the track from my previous layout by simply scrubbing whatever caulk remained on the track with warm soapy water and a scrub brush. Once wettened with soap and water, it came off of the shiny plastic ties easy enough.
I was also able to save glued down ballast by soaking it with a spray bottle and scraping it up. Washing it in a bucket and straining it through a sifter several times removed enough glue to where it didn't dry clumpy.
Edit: Since I believe Homabed is a paper based fibrous product, I suspect that trying to salvage it or any ballast affixed to it by wetting it might not work as well as using cork. Cork likely holds up to water and scrubbing better, but we'll see.
- Douglas
Since I believe Homabed is a paper based fibrous product, I suspect that trying to salvage it or any ballast affixed to it by wetting it might not work as well as using cork. Cork likely holds up to water and scrubbing better, but we'll see.
Sure seems like it. I've been breaking down my layout and salvaging what I can, like screws, rail joiners, track nails, track joiners, lumber etc, even cork road bed, but for me soaking and recoverign blobs of ballast may be where I draw the limit personally.