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9 Responses to Using Cork Under The Rails?
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I would. The profile of a main line with cork is a nice and easy elevation.
I would as well. Like other said, it will look nicer and give a better overall look. Also when you ballast it will look more prototypical .
Whether or not to use cork (or another shaped roadbed like that from Woodland Scenics) depends on your model railroad plan. If your plan is all engine yard or space where concrete or asphalt pavement fills all the area between the tracks, a formed roadbed isn’t needed. But if you have sections of main line, branch lines, and even switch yards, the cork or foam roadbed saves time and materials. It provides the common shape of the ballast used under the track. In addition to just the cork between the track and your 1 inch foam board you might consider elevating the track an inch or two above the foam board. That will allow your scenery to have places at lower levels than the track so you can have rivers or creeks that “flow” under bridges. This can be accomplished with splines, with Woodland Scenics “sub terrain”, or with sheet goods (like thin plywood) supported by blocks. The bottom line is what you want your model pike to be. If it gives you pleasure without cork or other roadbed, that’s totally acceptable. It’s your pike. It’s not needed for smooth operation, just for looks.
I have used mid west products cork and itty bitty lines for cross overs. They all have bevelled edges and look really good and save a lot of time when ballasting.
If you get a hollow sound when running your trains on foam over pong table, you need to add cork.
I would lay a section of track but don’t ballast it or finish it. Then try a train , if noisy pull it up and cork it. If you are doing a yard go to a home supplies store. You can get sheet cork there cheaper than using roadbed cork.
Using cork or foam roadbed is a sound deterrent. It also brings tracks up to grade as the real proto-type Track on any hard surface (plywood, Press board, hollow doors, and yes ping-pong tables yes even foam sometimes the sound has an echo sound kind of like coming from the road bed area and cross a bridge. The sound amplifies. One of the Railroad magazines a few years back showed the way it should be built for the best results. There was foam board Cork and some other layers. it was like building the roadbed up to grade level. But besides the noise level is reduced the grade is more realistic as most tracks are built up some above the regular ground level. It really does help the noise level.
from Newman Atkinson
Using an old ping pong table is a light weight but fairly sturdy idea, for ease of re-positioning within the model train room or space. The addition of a 1″ thick piece of foam, is a nice addition, also. Depending on if it is, the blue or pink foam. White Styrofoam miniature pebbles formed into a sheet, is the least desirable.
The question of cork under the rails, might be a personal appearance preference. The addition of the cork roadbed (Midwest Cork Roadbed), in HO Scale will provide a manicured shoulder look, close to the prototypical appearance. It just depends on the individual, and what they wish for the pike (layout) to look like or represent. Cork can also separate the heighted of the two mainlines as most Class 1 Railroads do. Example, westbound main is at an elevation of 63′ above sea level, and the eastbound main is at an elevation of 62′ above sea level. The appearance of the different height will add to the overall scope of the view when, observing the consist in motion and passing each other.
In a word, Douglas, yes. Just do it and forget all the trial and error of with cork and/or without cork. Just bite the bullet and lay the cork.
Yep I agree just lay the cork from the beginning you will be happy that you did. I install it with APEX clear caulk and it holds well and if you don’t like where you laid the track a nice thin pddy knife will work it right off so you can shift it if you need too. I have also been installing the track onto the cork using Apex clear caulking I quit using nails to hold the tracks and like I say you can pull it up and re-position it if you need to. from Newman Atkinson