Road bed is the foundation for your railroad track, it provides a level surface for mounting your track, it provides sound reduction, it raises the profile of your track so that once your ballasting is complete, it looks like a real railroad.
There are basically three types of commercially available roadbed:
- Foam;
- Rubber; and
- Cork.
All three types are basically easy to cut and install. They can be cut with a sharp knife or scissors, can be tacked down with white glue, and the end result is a great looking railroad.
Woodland Scenics Roadbed
This roadbed product provides a quiet, smooth train operation and absorbs irregularities on your layout. It gives you a high-quality, economical alternative to other roadbeds. Track-Bed requires no pre-soaking like cork, remains flexible and won’t dry out or become brittle. It aligns well with cork on any layout and is available in Rolls, Strips, Sheets and Super Sheets. For an almost seamless application, use the 24-foot Rolls. Woodland Scenics Track-Bed products comes in N, HO and O scale.
Woodland Scenics states that their product provides:
· Quieter operation (sound deadening material);
· Smoother operation (cushions vibrations);
· Easier to use (tack or glue down, flexible, no soaking; and
· Compatible with cork, won't dry out or crumble).
Cork Roadbed
Cork roadbed can be nailed or glued down. Wood glue works well, and the cork can be taped down until the glue dries, 1-2 hours. After locating the track centre line, locate your turnouts first and install the cork switch pads. Fill in-between turnouts with strip cork.
Conclusion:
The information provided here is for reference only and I have not discussed every single type of roadbed on the market, nor do I endorse any particular brand of product, however, in my opinion, I do have my favourites obtained after years of trial and error in model railroading and building various model railroad layouts.
