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Model Railroading > Roadbed for yards?Date: 02/21/21 12:48 Roadbed for yards? Author: TEEKAY My mainline has cork roadbed underneath, is it realistic to have individual cork roadbed underneath my yard operation? Or is it more prototypical to have none?
Posted from iPhone Date: 02/21/21 12:50 Re: Roadbed for yards? Author: JasonCNW try cork sheets for yard tracks,,would look more realistic.
JC Posted from Android Date: 02/21/21 13:06 Re: Roadbed for yards? Author: tomstp I agree.
Date: 02/21/21 13:52 Re: Roadbed for yards? Author: funnelfan You can buy thin sheets of cork from Micheals or Hobby Lobby. Takes several several heavy books to flatten the rolls of cork, but it's the way to go.
Ted Curphey Ontario, OR Date: 02/21/21 14:21 Re: Roadbed for yards? Author: railstiesballast The Engineering Standards and in many States the Public Utilities Commission safety standards call for a level walkway alongside yard tracks: the body tracks and leads.
Anywhere an employee is likely to need to walk alongside a cut of cars, to step back to clear a moving car, or back in the day to get on or off moving equipment. So yes, a flat sheet of cork is good. And the ballast size should be small. We used 3/4" rock in walkway areas and 1-1/2" on the main lines, later up to 2". Date: 02/21/21 14:21 Re: Roadbed for yards? Author: TEEKAY Thanks all. Will do!
Date: 02/21/21 17:12 Re: Roadbed for yards? Author: JimMRL Remember to have your Main Line a little higher than the yards. Over the years little or no ballast is added to a yard, but the Mains get ballast regularly, hence they end up taller.
Jim Date: 02/21/21 17:21 Re: Roadbed for yards? Author: SPDRGWfan Or Homasote. That's what I use. Holds spikes and track nails better.
(dang autocorrect) Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/22/21 04:20 by SPDRGWfan. Date: 02/21/21 18:53 Re: Roadbed for yards? Author: SOU3921 I've used the Woodland Scenics Foam sections for yards. It's easy to handle and works well for me, but I also use the Woodland Scenics Foam roadbed.
Cooper Date: 02/21/21 18:54 Re: Roadbed for yards? Author: LarryDoyle Doesn't matter which material mentioned above that you use for substrata, you will need to add some kind of ballast material between the tracks and between the ties to bring the ground up to the base of the rails. In the above posted pics, https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?3,5201994 I used sand.
-LD Date: 02/21/21 20:56 Re: Roadbed for yards? Author: RRBMail TEEKAY Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > My mainline has cork roadbed underneath, is it > realistic to have individual cork roadbed > underneath my yard operation? It is if you are modeling the German Railways DBAG! Date: 02/22/21 06:17 Re: Roadbed for yards? Author: AVR3001 Here is an image for using 1/16" cork under the ties in the yard to get a low profile above the subgrade.
Date: 02/22/21 08:08 Re: Roadbed for yards? Author: BAB JasonCNW Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > try cork sheets for yard tracks,,would look more > realistic. > JC > > Posted from Android OH yes first time building a layout friend helped me that had done it before so mine got installed with normal main line width resulting in several hours of work filling in between them. Oh how I wished for sheets instead each track is 12ft amd six of them. Date: 02/23/21 10:55 Re: Roadbed for yards? Author: NCA1022 funnelfan Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > You can buy thin sheets of cork from Micheals or > Hobby Lobby. Takes several several heavy books to > flatten the rolls of cork, but it's the way to go. I haven't examined the cork sheets sold at Hobby Lobby, but here is a source that might be more economical. I don't know if Hobby Lobby's cork sheets are packaged as a roll, but these are absolutely dead flat 2' x 3' squares so there is no fighting the cork to counteract the rolled-up memory to get the cork to lay perfectly flat. I used the 1/4" thick cork version for my HO layout. This cork will be the main base for the yard. More heavily used yard tracks (yard lead, departure tracks) will have n-scale cork roadbed laid on top of the cork sheet to get a bit of elevation. BTW - Sheet cork is waaaay easier to work with vs. Homasote. Cuts like butter with a sharp utility knife and there is no messy dust to contend with. I use clear adhesive caulk to lay track. Ground throws are attached using wire nails that are long enough to extend thru the cork and anchor in the plywood sub-roadbed. https://www.widgetco.com/cork-underlayment - Norm Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/23/21 11:32 by NCA1022. Date: 02/23/21 23:35 Re: Roadbed for yards? Author: bearease This looks like a great way to go. One question though: looking at their site, it looks like you can only purchase these in boxes of 16 sheets (for 1/4") There's no way I'd need all of this for my N scale layout. Were you able to buy individual sheets or were your yards big enough to justify buying the whole box?
Good tip tho. Thanks for the post. --Barry NCA1022 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > funnelfan Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > You can buy thin sheets of cork from Micheals > or > > Hobby Lobby. Takes several several heavy books > to > > flatten the rolls of cork, but it's the way to > go. > > I haven't examined the cork sheets sold at Hobby > Lobby, but here is a source that might be more > economical. I don't know if Hobby Lobby's cork > sheets are packaged as a roll, but these are > absolutely dead flat 2' x 3' squares so there is > no fighting the cork to counteract the rolled-up > memory to get the cork to lay perfectly flat. I > used the 1/4" thick cork version for my HO > layout. This cork will be the main base for > the yard. More heavily used yard tracks > (yard lead, departure tracks) will have n-scale > cork roadbed laid on top of the cork sheet to get > a bit of elevation. > > BTW - Sheet cork is waaaay easier to work with vs. > Homasote. Cuts like butter with a sharp utility > knife and there is no messy dust to contend > with. I use clear adhesive caulk to lay > track. Ground throws are attached using wire > nails that are long enough to extend thru the cork > and anchor in the plywood sub-roadbed. > > > > - Norm > Date: 02/24/21 08:19 Re: Roadbed for yards? Author: SPDRGWfan NCA1022 Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > BTW - Sheet cork is waaaay easier to work with vs. > Homasote. Cuts like butter with a sharp utility > knife and there is no messy dust to contend > with. I use clear adhesive caulk to lay > track. Ground throws are attached using wire > nails that are long enough to extend thru the cork > and anchor in the plywood sub-roadbed. > > - Norm I've never used cork except for Midwest cork roadbad under mainline parts.. For large area's like yards I MUCH prefer sheet Homasote. I had Home Depot cut it into one or two long sheets so I could fit it in the car. Then I used a utilty knife if I needed to cut it further - no dust that way. It takes a few passes so no big deal there. I save my butter for toast! ;-) I've used Homasote on my previous 3 layouts and like it so much for yards, I'm using it again on my current layout. It's so easy to lay track. Draw centerlines, and track is down instantly with track nails or ME spikes; no waiting for caulk to cure. If track needs changed, I can simply pull the nails or spikes out with needle nose plyers and relay. No peeling track up from the caulk. I highly recommend Homasote. Cheers, Jim Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/24/21 08:21 by SPDRGWfan. Date: 02/24/21 11:25 Re: Roadbed for yards? Author: NCA1022 bearease Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > This looks like a great way to go. One question > though: looking at their site, it looks like you > can only purchase these in boxes of 16 sheets (for > 1/4") There's no way I'd need all of this for my N > scale layout. Were you able to buy individual > sheets or were your yards big enough to justify > buying the whole box? > > Good tip tho. Thanks for the post. > > --Barry > > > NCA1022 Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > funnelfan Wrote: > > > -------------------------------------------------- > > > ----- > > > You can buy thin sheets of cork from Micheals > > or > > > Hobby Lobby. Takes several several heavy > books > > to > > > flatten the rolls of cork, but it's the way > to > > go. > > > > I haven't examined the cork sheets sold at > Hobby > > Lobby, but here is a source that might be more > > economical. I don't know if Hobby Lobby's > cork > > sheets are packaged as a roll, but these are > > absolutely dead flat 2' x 3' squares so there > is > > no fighting the cork to counteract the > rolled-up > > memory to get the cork to lay perfectly flat. I > > used the 1/4" thick cork version for my HO > > layout. This cork will be the main base > for > > the yard. More heavily used yard tracks > > (yard lead, departure tracks) will have n-scale > > cork roadbed laid on top of the cork sheet to > get > > a bit of elevation. > > > > BTW - Sheet cork is waaaay easier to work with > vs. > > Homasote. Cuts like butter with a sharp > utility > > knife and there is no messy dust to contend > > with. I use clear adhesive caulk to lay > > track. Ground throws are attached using > wire > > nails that are long enough to extend thru the > cork > > and anchor in the plywood sub-roadbed. > > > > > > > > - Norm > > They don't sell iidividual sheets. I bought a box of 1/4" and used it over the entire layout. My 10' x 13' around the walls plan used all but about 3 sheets. Mainline will have the usual HO-scale cork roadbed laid on the 1/4" flat cork sheet to get the vertical separation from sidings (N-scale cork roadbed) and industry tracks (no roadbed, track laid right on the cork sheets). You might be able to find individual cork underlayment sheets at a flooring store, or maybe a flooring contractor will part with a few sheets if that's all you need. - Norm Date: 02/24/21 13:59 Re: Roadbed for yards? Author: sawdust By the way, the hand-laid yard track looks great! And i like the idea of PC board ties and soldering. Looks to produce a more consistant track gage.
Date: 02/24/21 20:13 Re: Roadbed for yards? Author: osp1729 I bought cork sheet in different thicknesses and various widths/lengths from Bangor Cork. https://www.bangorcork.com/
You can also email them at sales@bangorcork.com Phone: 610-759-0323 Good luck, Shawn Date: 02/26/21 21:08 Re: Roadbed for yards? Author: MP4093 I laid a yard on Homasote and used no ties. Just spiked the rail in guage directly on the board a little paint and thin ballast with a few tie butts exposed in the dirty ballast and debris. Most older yards have not seen ties for decades.
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