WS Trackbed

[jjsjjs]

What is the current experience with WS foam trackbed.  I'm trying to decide whether to use it or cork under my code 83 Walthers or Micro Engineering flex track.  I plan to glue the track down to the trackbed.

Thanks,

Jack Scullen

[e-mail]

[91rioja]

Jack:

I am currently using it on my layout.  I have the strips in HO for the track, and the sheets for my yard.  Nice and quiet; goes down with a small coat of white latex caulk, and if I mess up, it comes right back up.  I used cork on my last layout, but I like the WS stuff better.

Chris

[cacole]

I used both the foam roadbed and cork on my HO scale home layout.

One day, as I was applying scenery, I leaned onto a piece of track with foam roadbed, and the foam did not recover from being mashed although the track did.  I had to remove the track and roadbed and start over in that area.

Cork roadbed is more durable and resilient than the foam, and cork is also slightly thicker than the foam, so some shimming is necessary where the two types butt together.

Foam is slightly quieter than cork until ballast is applied, and then you can't tell much difference at all between the two.

[Stevert]

While I generally use cork, I do have a section on my layout where it made sense from a scenic perspective to use the WS stuff.   I'm glad I used it there for the scenic effect, but I can't imagine using it for the entire layout.

Steve

[jbinkley60]

I use the WS stuff and really like it.  Easy to put down and pull up.

 

 

[ARTHILL]

I am a fan of WS foam. The ease of laying and repair are the main reasons. The quiet bit is not mu style, railroads are noisy. I use latex caulk, but I like the clear variety.

[Anonymous]

... The quiet bit is not mu style, railroads are noisy...

I agree - where did all this concern come from about having a "quiet" model railroad?

[Adelie]

I've used both and like the WS foam slightly better.  The main advantage is that it comes in 24' rolls, which makes it easy to put a lot of it down quickly.  It also seems to be more forgiving if you need to pull it up down the road.