If I decide to use non-E-Z snap track, is it required to use cork or some other form of rail bed?
That would be the smart thing to do. While you can tack the track down directly on the plywood or whatever else you're using there's going to be a lot of noise. Plus the track won't look all that great.
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
With rare exceptions, prototype track is not laid flat at the lowest level of the surrounding ground, but is elevated, sometimes a bit, sometimes quite a bit, for drainage purposes. Indeed most railroads had and have very precise standards for just how deep the surrounding drainage ditches should be. Even cork roadbed will not raise your track high enough so that the "ground zero" of your table top could accurately represent the depth of a drainage ditch.
That is why I have plywood or homasote subroadbed, and on top of that the cork roadbed material. But since sidings should be at a lower level than the mainline, it is not out of the question that I could put some sidings directly on the top of the benchwork, or perhaps use the thinner N scale cork roadbed or the Woodland Scenics black foam product.
I see in another thread you ask about what I call integral track systems that have cast plastic roadbed and ties and rails all in one piece, that click together. I have seen some surprisingly effective layouts that use the Kato N scale unitrack and the advantage is the layout owner can change his track plan freely any time he pleases. Also Kato offers a matching ballast that can be used to hide the cracks between pieces.
However I like easement curves that are not at one consistent radius or degree of curve, and thus I use flex track. For me the integral track systems from Kato, LifeLike, Maerklin, and others, just do not look realistic enough to my eyes particularly on curves.
Having said that I have given clinics showing how the integral track systems can be painted and weathered and dressed up with additional ballast so that they look more realistic, and can even be blended in seamlessly with regular track and cork roadbed although the need to match the heights poses a few challenges. You might even recall that former MR editor Terry Thompson advocated using the turnouts from the integral track systems into any layout because that eliminates the always fussy issue of ballasting a turnout.
To each his own, and we should be grateful that we not only have the choice but can obtain nice looking results almost any way we go.
Dave Nelson