Model Railroading > Using foam as base for laying track....

Once again I am looking to you guys as pro's at this stuff. I finally built a 11 ft by 4 ft table for a n Scale layout using 1/2 luan as a table top. Before laying tack I am looking at what to use as a base, I am using kato N track and I read before a few peolpe have used the 3/4" pink foam. I assume gluing it to the table surface and then gluing the track to the surface after I paint it or nailing it down. Now here is the question, what are the advantages to using the pink foam compared to the disadvantages? How do u cut the foam with out getting it all over the place?

Peter

I used cork roadbed under the track to get the right contour. other than that glue just as you said.

couple of ways to cut it: the messy way (like i did): a serated knife, followed by a sur-form to smooth, and a handy vaccuum cleaner.

or hot wire cutter: neater but costs a few $$.

I placed the track directly on the foam on some sidings, a hint: paint the foam a "dirt" color first, then glue it down.

To cut the foam, I use a large kitchen knife coated in parafin wax. No beads and no mess.

The pink foam I used actually had grain, like wood.
If cutting with the grain, there is not a beaded mess at all.
If against the grain, I heated up the tip of an XCTO knife,
sliced along the desired break, then folded the sheet until
it popped in two. The mess was minimal and the cut fairly clean.
I used liquid nails to glue the foam to the plywood base. Gluing
cork like KenW suggested finishes it off nicely. Oh, and I would
also paint the entire surface of the pink foam with latex paint
just to seal it. You can get cans of paint at Lowes or Home Depot
for next to nothing - people return cans of paint daily due to wrong color and they sell those really cheap-o.

Ditto on painting the foam with bad color matches from the store. I got 2 gallons of 'Cat Box Brown', at least that is what it looks like to me, that I use as a base coat on all my scenery. Make sure it is 'Flat' as opposed to 'Satin' and 'Semi-Gloss'.

Amount of layout covered: A lot!
Ease of application and clean up: Very easy.
Results: Satisfying.
Cost per gallon : $ 8.00!


SV

I've used pink foam board over all sorts of material for my H.O railroad.Homasote,plywood,drywall(no warping)or just lay it right on the frame if it's thick enough.I have tried many different types of track and am currently using Bachman E-Z track. I have been very satisfied with it. I don't glue my track down because I want to be able to reconfigure my track plan on a whim. I have found that using straight pins as track nails work extremely well. They push in to the foam board with ease and can be removed just as easily.Give 'em a try.That Kato stuff is too expensive to be gluing in my opinion.Hope this helps.Joe.

last week being online and a bit bored I thought about 2"foam,no underlayment :)so i found the Owens-Croning web site surfed around a bit found the part number.Then emailed the company [Sunday night]Monady afternoon i had my answear...YeeeHaaaa 2'x8'sheets can be had special order[order #84wg]..Home Depot or Lowes.jst thought i'd pass this along.Liquid Nails for projects as well.

My local Home Depot stocks the 2" 2X8' foam board. I built half my layout on 2" foam(upper level). I screwed 1X3's onto shelving brackets and screwed the brackets into the studs. Then I glued the foam onto the 1X3's using latex liquid nails. Put bricks on top till it sets. Did my whole upper level that way. Very strong. Been in use over 5 years. As for road bed, I used the following. Homabed for the mainlines, vinylbed for the sidings and the yards were laid directly onto the foam. All was secured with white glue. Very strong. There is a new product out called Liquid Nails for Foam. Bought some this past weekend from Home Depot also. This is what you want. URL for picture of the foamboard setup below. I highly recommend this setup.

http://www.chessiesystem.com/TRAINS2002/Constructionx.html


brfriedm

As Bruce has stated foam board is the way to go. I used 3" DOW brand blue board mounted on wooden wall brackets on 32" centers. Layout has been up for over 6 years and has endured temperarure extremes quite well. I too used Homabed as I was concerned with fastening the track down securely. Worked out great. Makes scenery additions or track modifications real easy.

Check out Bruce's layout at:
http://www.chessiesystem.com/TRAINS2002/Bruce_Friedmax.html

Check out SandingValve's layout at:
http://www2.cdepot.net/~elyoung/Modelers_Workbench.html


SV

Sanding Value,

Very nice layout and the website is good too. The SP tunnel motor looks real good and I have always loved D&RGW GP30's. Your work is real good.

brfriedm

The wisest heads seem to agree that having a hard material
under your track is a good thing.

That said, I've made plenty of layouts on blue foam, and right
now have a couple modules where the track (flex in one case,
hand lay in the other) is directly on the foam.

From your posting it looked as if you were adding the foam
only because you wanted it under the track. In that case, you'll
find the bare luan is a much better choice. Save the foam for
making scenery.

As far as cutting foam, get a pack of replacement wire for
the woodland scenic cutter. The cutter's useless, but the wire
for it works just fine. Hold it between two improvised cutters
and pass current from your power pack through it.