What trackbed do you use?

We used VinylBed, and it worked out beautifully. Very easy to work with and nice and quiet in the finished product.

RossBed

 

 

 

 

 

With Atlas track....

 

Peter

Johnson roadbed, but no longer available. On the PE layout, we used Woodland Scenics.

I believe VinylBed is now called FlexxBed, which is available for O gauge in either 1/4" or 3/8" thickness. Then there is cork road bed and the Woodland Scenics foam that you already mentioned. There was a Homasote road bed, but I don't know if it is still readily available?

 

I have samples of FlexxBed, tried it out and was set on using it when I got my layout plan finalized. That Ross Bed sure looks very nice though, may do a little investigating.  

 

One really good thing I like about the FlexxBed is that you can get it in sheets as well as road bed. I believe the cork road bed is available in sheets also, as is Homasote.

I used to use cork. What I discovered is that it dried out and shrank a little over time.

 

On my current layout, I used Woodland Scenics. It's 8 years old now, and still working fine. It seems a bit quieter than cork, too.

cork is a great choice if you're creating your own curves (eg Gargraves flex).  the split roadbed allows you to accurately follow the center-line and then the track can be contoured to the roadbed.  the sloped edges also give you a good base for ballasting.

 

cheers...gary

No need for track bed if you choose Gargraves. The ties are thick so you can provide a simulated built up roadbed using shaved styrofoam strips on each side.

Homasote that I cut and beveled using a bandsaw.

 

Peter,

 

Is the Ross Roadbed solid, or is it hollow inside (and thus noisey).  I bought 3 pieces of the Atlas Realistic Roadbed last year (no internet pictures or discussion anywhere available) to see what it was like.  Great, looked like it was solid, but was hollow inside, and thus made the super quiet Atlas track no longer quiet.

 

 

I used Woodland Scenics foam roadbed with Brennan's Ballast and Lionel tubular track with K Line 096 curves and Ross 096 switches and it is very quiet.

Mikey

The Woodland Scenics stuff is junk. I've tried to use it twice (key word = tried). 

 

It may be OK for HO or N but it is far too "squishy" for O gauge and the track does the "wave" as the train passes over, easily swells with glue, water or paint and expands, is hard to work with, etc. Awful stuff. DOn't waste your time or money. 

I use Flexbed  by Hobby Innovations and have been very please with it ease of use and performance.

 

Happy Railroading,

Don

Kevin.......RossBed is solid.....cuts nicely to fit custom sections.

 

Peter

Thanks Peter

I use cork, and spray paint it gray. Toy Train Layout.

Gary

• Cheers from The Detroit & Mackinac Railway

  Click on photo to enlarge.

I see a few responses about the Woodland Scenics, I am going to be using Lionel tubular track. How well does the Woodland Scenics trackbed work with tubular track. Also that Ross bed looks great too! I guess I am after a bed that would work well with tubular track and be easy to work with. In terms of long lasting how long have certain trackbeds  lasted?

 

It's a bit tedious, but with my tubular track, I've done my imitation "Johnson's Roadbed" by using a exacto knike and cutting out rectangular holes where the track ties are.  The steel rails then are resting on the Woodland Scenics.

Well Keaton, I see one very negative review of Woodland Scenics foam roadbed material; however, I have my original WS roadbed off a 4 year old layout, and have re-used it on my newest layout without issues. I have Atlas"O" track and Brummy's rubber ballast glued to it and have no issues in Florida's humidity. 

The WS foamed does split down the middle just like cork and Homabed does, so working curves with it is easy.

I can't comment on using tubular with it, but I surmise it would work just fine. It is also very quiet under the Atlas"O".

Keaton,

 

I just went and made up a section of my Woodland Scenics/Tubular and took some photos for you.

 

 

Gargraves with Woodland Scenics Track-bed; by the case. For the club modular layout, Atlas track with Rossbed.

 

+1 on the Woodland Scenics

I have carpet underlay on some parts keeps noise down.

Dark Green carpet under others and more permanent parts sound deadening board over the plywood works well.

 

The favorite is Homastote

 

All of the above work well if you have lots of tracks and just want to lay down sheets. The rubber or cork bed seem to work well if you have a single track winding its way through a more sceniced layout.

 

The key with anything you use is not to have screws or nails going into the plywood or wood underneath, as this transfers the noise.

 

Ballast with glue holding it and track in place is best over the roadbed.

Midwest Products cork roadbed under Gargrave Phantom tracks, under Gargrave and Ross switches I use plywood underlayment that is cut to match the contour of the switch base. 

I don't use any commercially available product. I lay my GarGraves track on what is generically known as fiberboard. Then I carve the profile along the mains only.

 

Here it is after carving.

 

And here it is ballasted.

 

I use Midwest cork. I paint the cork the color of ballast and then lay down my track (gar graves )......................Paul

I used midwest cork with atlas track for my current layout and I also used woodland scenics roadbed on my previous layout with atlas track. When I pulled up the track from my old layput the WS bed easily tore. It also does not work great with track screws because it gives to pressure causing uneven track if you are not careful so I would recommend glueing the track down with the vinyl roadbed although certaim glues may eat through the foam. While cork dries out if you use glued down ballast it should not matter too much since that will create a seal. The corkbed is also a bit cheaper if I remenber. Plus for me I actually found cork to be a little easier to work with for corners, but not a big difference either way. I think the neat thing about cork vs WS is that you can paint it to look like ballast as noted previously. I think the noise is about the same, some claim WS is quieter , but not in my experience
Finally cork is more env friendly if that.matters to you.

Atlas makes it's own moulded trackbed that precisely fits their track and switches. The ballaat is moulded in. It was hard to find , but recently I stumbled uoon some at a retailer so perhaps it is more readily available. Worth a look. Advantages are that  iy is easy to install, probably quiet, and eliminates the need to ballaat. However, it is very expensive and not available for all Atlas track pieces.

I personally like the cork, very easy to work with and does a great job imho.

I used 28 cases of Midwest cork and I am very happy with the performance of it.

I also used Midwest Cork under Gargraves track and Ross switches. I'm very happy with it.

Rossbed is solid foam specifically made for either Atlas O track or their Ross track. Rossbed is FAR superior than the chincy Atlas O roabed. The only discussion of Atlas o roadbed was when it first came out and the reviews were not too positive. Those reviews were somehow deleated when the ogr converted the forum to hoopla. The good idea with Rossbed is if you paint it with fleckstone paint, it looks like ballasted track .

I have all Atlas track that is screwed down on WS foambed.  I haven't ballasted yet, but so far I like it very much.  I tried tests using different materials and it was the best for soundproofing.  The second best was foam sill gasket, but I would have had to sculpt the sides and make sure it was completely painted and ballasted so the color wouldn't show through.

 

Art

Midwest cork with Atlas track for the club layout, Fastrack with plastic for home.

 

Kevin, thanks for the pictures! I really like they way you did that. I am thinking with what people have said that I may go with the Woodland Scenics, and go with something like you did in your photos. Thanks again i really appreciate the feedback!

Stealing a famous tag line:

 

I don't always use roadbed, but when I do, I use Midwest Cork. Stay O Scale my friends.

 

I'm using woodland scenics roadbed on my layout -  so far so good -  I'm getting smooth results - the key is to use glue heavily and use a pro-grade - I like pl375.

 

 I can see where the toy train guys might not like it as it would require splitting for curves under O-96.  I'm at 100 / 106 for all my curves which go down real easy - so plan accordingly based on your layout size.

Ditto...... In comes in 24' rolls.....

 

 

Midwest cork under Gargraves flextrack-ballasted.

On our old layout we used Johnson's rubber roadbed. It worked like a dream.

I have a more 'stylized' layout (as compared to 'realistic') and have used cut outs from roofing tiles to represent ballasted (or rather 'cindered') trackbed. They were very inexpensive. More recently, I've used... nothing, choosing to lay the track directly on indoor/outdoor carpet.