My staging yard is gonna be about 7' X 2' (more or less). I am using cork strips for my track roadbed and Ross cutouts for my switch machines. What is available out there that you folks use and are happy with so that I could get some 1st hand guidance on installing underlayment on my switching yard. I was thinking maybe a rolled cork I could cut. Heck, I don't know. Gargraves, 3 Rail, RCS, Legacy, MTH. is my game plan. Need your input. Thanks, Tommy
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If you're building a yard where all movements will be low speed, then there is no need for cork. You can lay track directly on the plywood. Cork, Homasote, etc. are useful to reduce sound where trains are run at higher speeds.
My layout is 1/2" Homasote glued to 1/2" plywood, with cork under the main lines. The newest staging yards are just Gargraves and Ross switches directly on plywood. Slow speeds do not make noise.
For my yard I didn't use roadbed, I have plywood and Homasote, I just laid the track on top. For the test of the layout, I use 1/4" foam roadbed.
All my bench work is Homasote on plywood. I put my yard tracks right on the Homasote but my local and mainline tracks are on foam roadbed to give the impression of “high” iron.
Photo of part of my yard with modified "Timesaver" arrangement.
Plywood (3/4") with ceiling tile + Woodland Scenic roadbed. Heavy ballast in yard area ... light ballast on through tracks.
Here is how I take a spur down to plywood level…..sanding it down over a few pieces of track.
Peter
Hi Guys, thanks to all of you for your input. Not using a roadbed on my yard tracks is GOOD. Tommy
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