Track underlay

[Spraymanandy]

Hi

What track underlay do you guys use.

Thanks 

Andy

[brossard]

Woodland Scenics/Hattons foam:

 

https://www.hattons.co.uk/stocklist/1000484/1000588/1000678/0/woodland_scenics_oo_gauge_1_76_scale_track_underlay/prodlist.aspx

 

Mine's 0 gauge, I assume you are on 00.

 

John

[RFS]

I use Plastizote closed-cell foam. Very similar to the Woodlands Scenics product, but much cheaper if you buy it in large sheets such as 2mx1m. 

 

Typical seller here - https://www.efoam.co.uk/zotefoam-plastazote.php

 

It's very easy to cut. For awkward places, especially for curved areas, I laid pieces that were wider than needed and then used a sharp knife held at an angle against a wagon to cut to shape with a suitable chamfered edge. 

[John ks]

I used to use 3mm cork sheets cut into 35mm strips 

My latest extension uses cork from a US based company, Midwest Products   https://midwestproducts.com/collections/all/products/ho-cork-roadbed?variant=704666415

I comes in strips with a diagonal cut along it centre line,

Split it into 2 halves, rotate one & butt them together & you end up with a roadbed with bevelled edges(see drawing, medium sandpaper will remove the indicated lip )

 

 

Draw a centre line on your baseboard, glue half to that centre line & when the glue has time to set  add the other half

I have used it for 600mm radius  & is should be OK for tighter radius 

John

[Trofimow]

I use an industrial closed cell foam, similar to the plastazote referenced above.

 

It can be obtained in strips just the right width for 00 track, and self adhesive on one side.

 

Comes in 10 metre rolls and an be quite economical if purchased in bulk.

 

The downside is you have to cut it for curves.

[Derekl]

Does the foam type underlay transmit noise once ballasted (as cork does)?

[brossard]

I've only just finished laying track and haven't run anything yet.  My reading says it does damp noise.  You will want to use a glue that dries flexible.  I use Tacky Glue.

 

John

[ITG]

I too am interested  In this.

Trofimow and RFS - can I ask, what colour is the foam you use? And does it need painting? And do you then add loose ballast on top in the normal fashion?

thanks

ian

[ColinK]

I use Peco foam underlay. Once it is blended in with the scenery and the track is painted it looks fine.  It doesn’t last forever though, mine has been down about 10 years and isn’t showing any sign of breaking up yet. It does dampen the sound too.

[Trofimow]

33 minutes ago, ITG said:

I too am interested  In this.

Trofimow and RFS - can I ask, what colour is the foam you use? And does it need painting? And do you then add loose ballast on top in the normal fashion?

thanks

ian

Mine is black and I don't paint it. Its own adhesive sticks it to the baseboard (extremely powerfully) and I use a latex adhesive to fix the track.

 

I have not yet started on the scenic part of the layout build, so have not added ballast at this stage.

[RFS]

Mine is black too and I don't paint it because it will be covered by ballast in the scenic area and I'm not bothered about its appearance in the storage roads.

 

You do get reasonable sound reduction by using it, but ballasting does impact its effectiveness. As trains come out on to the ballasted scenic section from the unballasted storage roads the noise does noticeably increase. But I'm happy with the effect. I'm using 5mm thickness - same as Woodlands Scenics.

 

This is what it looks like when first laid when my layout was being built. As you can see I've removed the excess using the knife against a wagon method to retrieve some foam for use elsewhere.

 

 

[ITG]

Thanks Trofimow. Forgot to ask, which width did you use as being right for 00?

i can see the sheets being useful for multiple tracked areas, but for single or double running lines maybe strips are better.

[JimFin]

I use Tracklay rolls - cuts the ballasting process to a minimum. Use it slightly differently to the way they describe, apply it sticky side to the underside of the sleepers and pin in place temporarily. Apply a bead of PVA along each edge of the strip and sprinkle the ballast on, firm into place with a foam roller and then remove excess when the PVA is dry for reuse, remove the temporary pins.  As the foam is only fixed at the edge, noise is reduced as it is not a "hard" fix. Attached gives a fair idea of the end result.

[Ben Alder]

Another thumbs up for Tracklay used this way although I ballast mine beforehand while straight and have had no problem with curves. I also pre lay a 5mm closed cell foam on the baseboard top and the Tracklay sits loosely on top of this, held in place by 1/16th cork infill in stations and a bead  of latex glue with a sprinkling of ballast on it.  This results in quiet running and a degree of flexibility in movement as well. Has suited me well for decades now and I'm surprised more don't take advantages this product. Having said that Peco foam can scrub up well - there was a feature in RM some years ago showing it painted  and bedded in and it looked good. It also gives a sort of suspension for stock. The big railway don't glue their track down as a rule, and after one go at it as a teenager I never went back to it.One of the pioneers of modern railway modelling ballasted his track on paper which was placed on a shaped under former and glued down at the edges, leaving the track free to float. His name was Joe Brooke Smith or something like that, but we are talking many decades  ago.

 

[Trofimow]

18 hours ago, ITG said:

Thanks Trofimow. Forgot to ask, which width did you use as being right for 00?

i can see the sheets being useful for multiple tracked areas, but for single or double running lines maybe strips are better.

 

I use 25mm x 3mm. Other widths and thicknesses are available.

It works well for straight track, but neerds cutting and shaping for curves, which can be a bit of a pain.

 

[Dungrange]

On 25/04/2020 at 19:22, RFS said:

I use Plastizote closed-cell foam. Very similar to the Woodlands Scenics product, but much cheaper if you buy it in large sheets such as 2mx1m. 

 

Typical seller here - https://www.efoam.co.uk/zotefoam-plastazote.php

 

It's very easy to cut. For awkward places, especially for curved areas, I laid pieces that were wider than needed and then used a sharp knife held at an angle against a wagon to cut to shape with a suitable chamfered edge. 

 

Can I ask what grade if closed-cell foam you opted for? 

 

The website you linked to automatically quotes for LD33, but I note that for LD45 you have to e-mail for a quotation.  From the specification sheets, the LD45 appears to be slightly stiffer (ie it compresses less under the same load).  If it's the LD33 you went for, how does it compare to the Woodland Scenics product in terms of firmness?

 

Finally, did you order the sheets with self adhesive backing or did you use something else to fix the sheets downs?

 

[RFS]

On 19/07/2020 at 11:55, Dungrange said:

 

Can I ask what grade if closed-cell foam you opted for? 

 

The website you linked to automatically quotes for LD33, but I note that for LD45 you have to e-mail for a quotation.  From the specification sheets, the LD45 appears to be slightly stiffer (ie it compresses less under the same load).  If it's the LD33 you went for, how does it compare to the Woodland Scenics product in terms of firmness?

 

Finally, did you order the sheets with self adhesive backing or did you use something else to fix the sheets downs?

 

I believe I opted for LD45 but it's a few years now since I laid it.  I did subsequently need a small amount following some changes and opted for a Woodland Scenics pack, and it seems about the same. I did not use self-adhesive but instead used PVA I seem to remember.