Here's my trackplan. AnyRail software. Still needs a brushup to tie in loose ends!
Attachments
Images (1)
After studying the pix and thinking awhile, I noticed the "sawtooth" edge on the side of the RossBed on the switch panels. I think I will ballast those to make them less angular along the edges, then cover the job with scenic weeds or grass. I took mine out of the box, and they definitely need this treatment after painting and installation (whenever that occurs).
Thank you Pete and everyone else for your input! Saved me a lot of mistakes!
Now on to Amazon........$122.07 so far in the cart for primer and paint, six cans each.
Here is some ballasted Ross with Rossbed.....from the yard on the modular layout... the yard is mostly cinders with some gray/cinders mix from a previous ballasting job....
.....and, the ROWs of the 21x42 modular have Atlas track, RossBed and are ballasted.....if you mix Woodland Scenics ballast: 3 parts coarse gray and one part coarse cinders, it comes close to the Rustoleum.....
Attachments
Images (8)
Thanks so much!
I used these for all of my Ross switches. Fit perfectly and would highly recommend these. Yes they are pricy, but I think worth the money. Very easy to install. Hope this helps.
@RWL posted:So then, can anyone comment on the brittle flakey nature of this material?I am not so concerned that it is inflexible, rather, I would have liked to see the material be a bit tougher.
Does the base paint and then the stone paint actually help with this, and keep it from braking up when put on the layout?
I still, really want to go this rout, Ross Switches, Ross Track, and Ross Roadbed, but have concerns that the stuff may not hold up over time.
I have it too for my Christmas layout. The flex paint definitely makes the roadbed "ballasted" but does NOT add to strengthen the foam. The foam does tend to grip carpet fibres so all those that have "carpet centrals" out there, consider the Ross roadbed to hold the Atlas O track together better plus quiet the track noise! The edges are brittle on Ross Roadbed but not at brittle as Atlas O roadbed! Now that Atlas O roadbed is brittle and the "cork ballast" gets flakey really quick!
I see I posted in February 2016 that I would have to give Rossbed consideration when I started building. Well, by the time I got to buying roadbed, I had forgotten about it and bought the old 'tried and true' cork I have used for 50+ years. I wish I had remembered to get Rossbed this go round. I did remember the fleck paint and found out on my own to use primer before the fleck paint. My mistake was putting down the cork roadbed, then spraying indoors. The flecks go everywhere even when trying to keep a shop vac at hand. So, I tried carrying sections of plywood with cork outside. That became too cumbersome.
The moral of the story, do exactly as Peter did. Buy Rossbed and paint it outdoors first with primer and then with the stone fleck paint. And yes, buy a case of it from Amazon. If I build another layout, that is what I will do.
How does Ross match up in height with Woodland Scenics cork roadbed?
@Jeff2035 posted:How does Ross match up in height with Woodland Scenics cork roadbed?
I seem to remember that the difference is imperceptible.....the RossBed looks that it would be higher, but then the track is recessed inside it....
Peter
I use Rossbed under my Atlas switches and sectional curves. The Rossbed keeps the Atlas switches flat. Any bending or warpage of an Atlas switch after you screw it down will cause the weak switch mechanism to bind. I have about 40 Atlas switches on my layout and the Rossbed under them works great.
The Woodland Scenics foam will slide under Atlas track if adjacent pieces of track are supported by Rossbed. The WS roabed needs maybe 1/32" shimming to reach the bottom of the Atlas ties. Since I was going to ballast the track anyway, on long straight sections between track with Rossbed, I cut very short sections of Rossbed to place under the track at 6" to 12" intervals. Then filled in the space by sliding the WS foam in the gaps.
Ken
Peter, thank you.
I may try using the Rossbed for my Ross switches and merge it with my cork roadbed.
Started painting the RossBed yesterday for the initial results. I did four pieces of 13.5 straight with Rustoleum flat grey primer outdoors and in the sun. It was 62 degrees and they dried to the touch in an hour. Keeping track of how many pieces I can paint per can.
For some reason, it is difficult to find the Rustoleum Stone grey around here (Long Island). Only one can at the new Walmart in Yaphank @ $8.94. I ditched the Amazon sale I started because they want $13.06/can. I guess that premium puts Bezos in space.
We needed Rustoleum camo black and tried Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Ace. None had it and we were told that there is a paint shortage. We ordered it from Amazon and it was expensive BUT we got what we needed. 50% of what we buy is from Amazon and they have what we want unlike the local stores. We tried Tidewater, Virginia and OBX in NC.
I used Ross sectional track, switches and roadbed on my last layout (2007-2019). I'm between layouts now as we need to some remodeling in the "forever home" before I start work on the next one.
Here's what the Ross Roadbed product looks like after I sprayed it with Rustoleum's "stone" spray paint. I sprayed the roadbed outside using the cardboard trays that soda cans shipped in to grocery stores. I put some popsicle sticks in the trays, then laid the roadbed on top, then spray-painted. I let the roadbed dry for two to three days afterward and then installed it on the layout with the track. For the better part of a couple of years, the roadbed was in place with just the spray paint. I never had a problem with chipping of the paint, although I didn't do anything to damage it either!
Here's what the roadbed looks like once I ballasted. The countersinking of the tie in to the roadbed really helps in creating a realistic look with the ballast. (Yes, that's Brennan's Better Ballast if you're wondering what product I used.)
One point no one has mentioned yet that i noticed is the Ross Roadbed gives your tracks nice "shoulders" You can really see what I mean in this "between the tracks" photo of the "missile base rail yard" on my last layout.
Regarding how the Ross Roadbed helps with reducing track noise, here's a video of the last run on my last layout in 2019. We only had an eight foot ceiling in that basement, but as you'll notice, the trains do not create the "rolling thunder" noise. You will, however, hear the "clickety-clack" of the wheels rolling from track section to track section! The trains are moving at some speed under 20 scale miles per hour, probably 15 to 17 smph.
For the record, in ten years of operation, I had only one sort-of-derailment when a very light gondola car split a switch. I stopped the train immediately, so there was no damage, just a ridiculous view of the gondola straddling the turnout which one truck on the diverging track and the other on the mainline.
I hope this info is helpful!
Attachments
Images (3)
Hi guys.
During the last couple of weeks, I have been following the ross bed posts. I have decided to try this procedure since I only need the paint. (Yea, expensive I know, but I like the appearance). Amazon has many variations of this product on the web. Can anyone share the rust-oleum stock numbers of the two sprays mentioned. For my $'s spent, I want to be sure I'm getting the right stuff.
My best regards and thank you.
Tommy
Peter- thanks for your kindness.
Pat- I don't know why you ballasted the RossBed like you did. Shoulders are good, but why cover it all up? Seems to render the paint moot. And thanks for the info of using Brennan's, I had no idea about them and the ballast matches perfectly to the Rustoleum Stone Grey.
My post about the switches in Peters' post photos is to correct that "shoulder" we are discussing, to get that effect with a natural look.
Tommy- The base coat (to save the amount used of the top coat) is Rustoleum Painters Touch 2X Primer, Granite Satin part #334069. Found it at Home D. # on the back of the can.
The top coat is Rustoleum American Accents Stone Grey, part # 7992830. # same as above. Sketchy as to who has it, unless you do Amazon at $4.00 more/can. We found it at Walmart, but only one can, They say online that they have more, but don't trust that.
@452 Card posted:Pat- I don't know why you ballasted the RossBed like you did. Shoulders are good, but why cover it all up? Seems to render the paint moot. And thanks for the info of using Brennan's, I had no idea about them and the ballast matches perfectly to the Rustoleum Stone Grey.
My post about the switches in Peters' post photos is to correct that "shoulder" we are discussing, to get that effect with a natural look.
While I painted the roadbed originally and was okay to me for a few years, my goal always was to ballast it so I ended up with the very distinct look the Erie Lackawanna main line had through my hometown of Hawthorne NJ in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Their tracks had the shoulders on both sides of the track and then the lower ballasted area between the two tracks. Their ballast was a medium brown color which I really didn't care for which is why I ended up with the grey color.
My thoughts were along the same as Pat's; paint the roadbed so I see a ballast looking color between the ties and then ballast after putting in scenery.
As I mentioned a week ago or so, I forgot all about Rossbed and used my old standby, cork. I am not happy with how the cork turned out especially around my switches. This discussion has given me the notion to pull up the track a switch or section at a time and replace the cork with Rossbed. Do I really want to do that??? 
I may buy a couple of Rossbed turnout sections and give it a try and see how hard it is. 
@Mark Boyce posted:Do I really want to do that???
You mean re-doing all your track?
Mark, please post a few photos of the turnouts and explain what you don’t like. We are cork, Ross track/turnouts, Brennan’s ballast, and maybe can help. Pulling up every turnout sounds like a nightmare.
Thank you Bill and Bill for your concern! 
Sorry to not respond sooner. I didn't get back to the layout to look at things again. Most of what I don't like was caused by having to shift a couple of turnouts a few inches and the track not fitting quite where I had laid the cork. If I had used Rossbed would have been committed to moving the turnout sections of Rossbed. I can correct the problems without lifting track by shaving off some sections of cork that are now exposed and filling in with ballast areas where the ties extend beyond the sides of cork. "Do I really want to do that?" was kind of a rhetorical question anyway.
One thing about painting Rossbed which I didn't think about when I built my small layout for under the Christmas tree was dry fitting the track. I had painted the bed and let it dry a few days, I think Peter had said most recently or someone had told him to prime the Rossbed before going over with your choice of gravel/ballast color. Thing is though, I put my Rossbed on my track before popping the track together. I did pop the bed on, but I think I should have done dry fitting of the bed, remove it, assemble my track according to my track plan(was a simple oval), and then pop the Rossbed on before screwing it down.
I would imagine if I do ever get to my next project, that would be the process I would choose to do. Granted a small oval is entirely different than a larger layout, but I would do that in sections and naturally after all was in place, pop the Rossbed on and screw it down.
@Dave NYC Hudson PRR K4 posted:, I think Peter had said most recently or someone had told him to prime the Rossbed before going over with your choice of gravel/ballast color.
Economics dictated my move.....I did it to save money......with this amount of RossBed .......
......I figured to spend a fortune in Stone textured paint......the gray primer stretched it......as it is, I used 10 cans of Stone textured spray even with the 8-10 cans of gray primer (which is half the cost).
The result is as good, if not better than what I did in 2011 (on page 1 of this thread).
Peter
Attachments
Images (1)
Dave-
I thought that one through already about mounting the RossBed later. No way to join the track with it on unless you compromise its shape. I picture using a small rubber mallet carefully after all the track is assembled. I did assemble two Ross long straights with RossBed to do a test on my Hellgate Bridge. I removed the bed by carefully using a new pencil on the eraser end to ease the bed off the track. Steve makes sure that stuff fits tight, no slop at all.
Peter-
Thanks again for the heads up about the base coat of primer. I am having trouble finding it though, none here on LI, at least at HD according to them, and not even any in Conn. I scored seven more cans of the Stone Gray today from Walmart.com, $8.93/can. That's better than the $13.03/can on Amazon. I got sixteen 14.5" straights done out of one can of primer, I'm keeping track of the usage. What is your trackplan software?
@452 Card posted:Dave-
I thought that one through already about mounting the RossBed later. No way to join the track with it on unless you compromise its shape. I picture using a small rubber mallet carefully after all the track is assembled. I did assemble two Ross long straights with RossBed to do a test on my Hellgate Bridge. I removed the bed by carefully using a new pencil on the eraser end to ease the bed off the track. Steve makes sure that stuff fits tight, no slop at all.
Peter-
Thanks again for the heads up about the base coat of primer. I am having trouble finding it though, none here on LI, at least at HD according to them, and not even any in Conn. I scored seven more cans of the Stone Gray today from Walmart.com, $8.93/can. That's better than the $13.03/can on Amazon. I got sixteen 14.5" straights done out of one can of primer, I'm keeping track of the usage. What is your trackplan software?
Steve is excellent. I remember when I was thinking about building the small Christmas tree layout, I called and he was there so we talked. I told him what I was thinking about, and he advised me to plan everything out to figured out exactly what I needed. I think it was almost a month later, I called him back, placed my order and talked a bit more about a few other things to get some more advice. Steve is priceless.
Peter @Putnam Division
Do you Prime & paint the underside of the Rossbed or only the top side of the Rossbed ?
How do you fasten the Rossbed to the plywood bench top ?
What specific brands of glue, adhesive, or double stick tape do you use ?
Thanks in advance !!!
@CBQ_Bill posted:Peter @Putnam Division
Do you Prime & paint the underside of the Rossbed or only the top side of the Rossbed ?
You can just paint the Rossbed, although if you're going to do some dryfitting of the track and roadbed like I did, you might want to prime it with clear coat. The clear coat would help prevent dust and chips from its manufacturing from becoming a mess on you.
How do you fasten the Rossbed to the plywood bench top ?
I had 1/2" homasote on top of my layout, so I used the Gargraves # 808 4 X 3/4" blackened screws. Those screws went through the track's ties, into the Rossbed and into the homasote without piercing the underlying plywood. I didn't have the "rolling thunder" noise problem with that approach. Someone not using homasote on top of their layout may have some ideas on glues or other adhesives.
What specific brands of glue, adhesive, or double stick tape do you use ?
Thanks in advance !!!
You're welcome!
@CBQ_Bill posted:Peter @Putnam Division
Do you Prime & paint the underside of the Rossbed or only the top side of the Rossbed ?
How do you fasten the Rossbed to the plywood bench top ?
What specific brands of glue, adhesive, or double stick tape do you use ?
Thanks in advance !!!
Certainly.....
1. I do not paint the underside.
2. Nothing.......it barely moves, if at all......when scenery gets put in around it, it gets held in place.
3. None.
Peter
@Roger Wasson posted:I used these for all of my Ross switches. Fit perfectly and would highly recommend these. Yes they are pricy, but I think worth the money. Very easy to install. Hope this helps.
Roger,
I missed what your response was about, so I don't know what "these" are. Can you reply with what these are.
Why don’t U just use VINYL ROADBED & avoid all that trouble! Excellent sound deadner too! AND it already is the correct color ! Just saying !!
@Bill Cantrell posted:Roger,
I missed what your response was about, so I don't know what "these" are. Can you reply with what these are.
I used the Ross Bed items on all of my switches on the layout....there are 54. Never had a problem, and they added to the look. I would highly recommend these Rossbed items for you switches. I used the regular cork for the straight tracks.
