shad3925 Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 I am on my first layout and at the stage where all the baseboards are ready for the track to be laid. I have had conflicting advice on whether to cover the whole baseboard in cork or just put a strip of cork under the track. Are either of these suggestions a good idea or should I try something else Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 If it is OO then cork underlay for the track is a good idea. The edge of the cork forms a good shoulder for the ballast. But it depend on where the layout represents. If it is a yard area you may not want to do that. A lot of fuss is made of using it for sound deadening but nearly all the noise will come from the drum you have created in the baseboard. How were your baseboards constructed, materials, dimensions? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 I am on my first layout and at the stage where all the baseboards are ready for the track to be laid. I have had conflicting advice on whether to cover the whole baseboard in cork or just put a strip of cork under the track. Are either of these suggestions a good idea or should I try something else I am building a loco shed layout so I am covering the board in cork as most of the tracks are too close to have shoulders, if there were any I guess overtine they would have got filled up anyway and as most of the board is cover by track, this is the easiest solution for me. First question do you want a shoulder to the ballast ? will the landscape be higher or lower than the track roadbed ? lastly if you plan to have large scenic arears its a bit extravagant to cover the whole board in cork !! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shad3925 Posted November 12, 2009 Author Share Posted November 12, 2009 If it is OO then cork underlay for the track is a good idea. The edge of the cork forms a good shoulder for the ballast. But it depend on where the layout represents. If it is a yard area you may not want to do that. A lot of fuss is made of using it for sound deadening but nearly all the noise will come from the drum you have created in the baseboard. How were your baseboards constructed, materials, dimensions? Baseboards are constructed from a frame of 3' x 3' timbers topped with 5mm ply. It is a in a 10' x 8' shed and the layout will be an oval shape with a drop down section at the door Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shad3925 Posted November 12, 2009 Author Share Posted November 12, 2009 I am building a loco shed layout so I am covering the board in cork as most of the tracks are too close to have shoulders, if there were any I guess overtine they would have got filled up anyway and as most of the board is cover by track, this is the easiest solution for me. First question do you want a shoulder to the ballast ? will the landscape be higher or lower than the track roadbed ? lastly if you plan to have large scenic arears its a bit extravagant to cover the whole board in cork !! I would like a shoulder for the ballast, as for the design and scenic content I am still undecided. Maybe my visit to the Warley show at the NEC on Saturday wil give me some ideas Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Fatadder Posted November 12, 2009 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 12, 2009 Ive read an awful lot which says to avoid cork, the main reason is that the sound reducing qualities are minimal (that being the main reason people lay it), the other being that you spend so much time trying to get a flat surface on a baseboard to then go and lay something on top of it which is not truely flat. For the ballast shoulder effect I've seen it modelled very nicely using thin wood instead of cork (thus keeping things flat.) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajdown Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 I've personally never bothered with any form of 'underlay' and don't think it looks too bad without - but that's just my opinion Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
philiprporter Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 I use cork sheet as a base, but not for sound reduction purposes, more to give a bit of depth to chisel down into when installing scenic features such as the base of Sommerfeldt catenary masts, lineside cable trunking etc. I've found this to be really useful and much easier than digging down into chipboard or ply. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shad3925 Posted November 13, 2009 Author Share Posted November 13, 2009 Many thanks for all your advice, sound is not a real issue I will probably put a layer of cork just under the track to elevate it prior to ballasting Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jim s-w Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 Ive read an awful lot which says to avoid cork, the main reason is that the sound reducing qualities are minimal (that being the main reason people lay it), the other being that you spend so much time trying to get a flat surface on a baseboard to then go and lay something on top of it which is not truely flat. For the ballast shoulder effect I've seen it modelled very nicely using thin wood instead of cork (thus keeping things flat.) Indeed Rich Cork was a stupid idea the first time it was used and modellers have been blindly following along ever since. You need your track bed to be stable and anything squishy just isnt! Cheers Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willy Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 For what it is worth Shad 3925 I would avoid cork and make sure that the baseboard itself if flat and well supported. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 Cork was a stupid idea the first time it was used and modellers have been blindly following along ever since. You need your track bed to be stable and anything squishy just isnt! I don't know where you get squishy from The cork I use is anything but squishy and by the time the ballast has set around it - it is about as hard as ... well granite. I think sometimes too much is made of the idea if level track - it may be needed for the P4 and possibly EM track layers but for OO you can get away with a quite uneven (relatively) track. Most locos have more than one set of wheels with pickups (or should do) and at least one set of opposite wheels on the track (unless they are falling off or running over isolated frog points ) Then there are deliberate gradients in the track. Most of the track distortion I have ever seen has been introduced by using those stupid track pins hammered through sleepers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jim s-w Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 I don't know where you get squishy from The cork I use is anything but squishy and by the time the ballast has set around it - it is about as hard as ... well granite. Indeed so the point of cork is what? Just to spend money for no gain but at the risk of introducing potential problems anyway. I think sometimes too much is made of the idea if level track - it may be needed for the P4 and possibly EM track layers but for OO you can get away with a quite uneven (relatively) track. Most locos have more than one set of wheels with pickups (or should do) and at least one set of opposite wheels on the track (unless they are falling off or running over isolated frog points ) Then there are deliberate gradients in the track. Most of the track distortion I have ever seen has been introduced by using those stupid track pins hammered through sleepers. Theres a lot of effort involved in building a model railway, why not try to do it properly? Some modellers think 'get away with' and some think 'will do, wont do' I am glad theres a difference. Cheers Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shad3925 Posted November 14, 2009 Author Share Posted November 14, 2009 Ive read an awful lot which says to avoid cork, the main reason is that the sound reducing qualities are minimal (that being the main reason people lay it), the other being that you spend so much time trying to get a flat surface on a baseboard to then go and lay something on top of it which is not truely flat. For the ballast shoulder effect I've seen it modelled very nicely using thin wood instead of cork (thus keeping things flat.) Rich You mention using thin wood instead of cork, what kind of wood and where do you obtain it from. Reg Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bike2steam Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 I don't know where you get squishy from The cork I use is anything but squishy and by the time the ballast has set around it - it is about as hard as ... well granite. I think sometimes too much is made of the idea if level track - it may be needed for the P4 and possibly EM track layers but for OO you can get away with a quite uneven (relatively) track. Most locos have more than one set of wheels with pickups (or should do) and at least one set of opposite wheels on the track (unless they are falling off or running over isolated frog points ) Then there are deliberate gradients in the track. Most of the track distortion I have ever seen has been introduced by using those stupid track pins hammered through sleepers. Likewise, the cork I use is from 'Quality Cork Supplies' in Brum, it's firm, non grumbly, and constant thickness, I lay it using impact adhesive, and weighted down with bricks as it goes off, end result perfectly flat. But one point that I will pick you up on Kenton;- yes it is best to have the track as near perfectly flat as possible - if not, it can seriously damage haulage capability. A lot of modellers complain about poor haulage, alot of the time it's down to poorly laid track. I dont use cork for noise reduction - that's cancelled out by ballasting, but just to get a good track bed profile. The best thing for noise reduction is 2" thick polystyrene foam sheet under the baseboards, as I use all ply construction. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chertsey chopper Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 My baseboards are 6mm ply over plain old 2"x1" bracing frames. My track is pinned using Peco track pins which are ideal for my use. The underlay of my choice is Grey Mineral Roofing Felt. It's cheap as chips, far cheaper than cork, just pinned under the track negates the need to stick it down, (far too messy) and for a shoulder, you just cut away from the side of the track the bits you don't want. When you want to build up the track you use thin strips to raise it gently, if or when you can't get your surfaces exactly level on all occasions. The by product is the grey/green grit which you can loosely mix in and add to you ballasting material, and if you need a road surface, just scrub off the grit for a tarmac "black top" looking road. As for sound deadening,much has been said in previous threads, but I am also of the like opinion that it has much to do with the construction of the board and its bracing frames that produces the most noise, but consider this...anti-drum panels that Motor Manufacturers use are made from tar+paper, sandwiched together and it's quite effective as a sound deadener. Jules Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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