If you use Homasote on top of Plywood should you still use foam roadbed under Atlas O 3 rail track?
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Jerry Hiler posted:If you use Homasote on top of Plywood should you still use foam roadbed under Atlas O 3 rail track?
My personal preference/choice was vinyl road bed from FlexxBed, glued directly to the 3/4" thick plywood top. Homasote is expensive and makes a real mess trying to cut it (I used it way back in my HO modeling days). All the Atlas solid nickel silver track & turnouts was then glued down on the vinyl road bed.
Agree. If you glue down your road bed and track with titebond II, it is very strong and quiet. Did my layout this way as well. A benefit however, with the homasote, you can cut down easily for 3 dimensional surfaces such as creeks, ditches, etc.
I already have the Homasote on top of the Plywood is it still necessary to use the FlexxBed?
Jerry Hiler posted:I already have the Homasote on top of the Plywood is it still necessary to use the FlexxBed?
In my personal opinion, yes. Either the 3/8" or 1/4" thick vinyl FlexxBed does provide a VERY nice "right of way" profile for ballasting. I used 3/8" thick for main line trackage, 1/4" thick for sidings, yard lead, and industrial spurs, then glued the track down directly on the plywood for the steam locomotive servicing terminal (since everything moves so slowly there is no noise in that area). By simply pieces of cardboard shims, it was easy to taper down from the 3/8" to the 1/4", then to the bare plywood.
