Cork road beds!


Alcomotive

Grandson of an ALCO Builder
I thought to share what I do with my cork road bed before I lay them down on my layout. I posted a picture of my switchers last night and you can see a small portion of it. I will post a new pic later. Anyways what I like to do is to change and hide that brown and black color of the cork by painting them. I know a lot of you may do this but have yall tried what I do? I spray paint all mine with a product call Fleckstone paint. I use the grey, white & black mix. I usually spay grey or rust primer first then over spray lightly with Fleckstone paint. Then when I lay balast I can spread sparingly. The technique works well for me.

I thought to share.:D
 
Hey hey! I was actaully thinking of doing that myself, but with the WS foam roadbed. After ballasting my first section I'm starting to see it (literally).
 
Great idea!! Thanks!! That even gave me another idea, You can use the spray paint we use when restoring car trunks..it comes in several colors of speckled paint....Thanks for the tip!!...I wished we'd have done this before laying track...what we'd have used in spray, we would have saved in ballast....Then we could have sprayed the track (separately) with rust colored primmer touched a few ties with black and then added all together!! I will remember this for the yard builds.
 
Great idea! I have all of mine down so too late for me. I have uses the green fleck paint prior to putting down grass. I also use the brown and other colors on my forest floors for texture.
It is exspensive so I only use it when I have it leftover from a revenue project. Good Luck!!!
 
funvalleyline....

to save on cost.... this is why I mentioned the use of primer paint first (88 cents a can at hardware store) then the Fleckstone...then ballast....it will go a long way this way trust me...:D
 
http://www.plasti-kote.com/plastikote/homefash/template.jsp?searchcode=FLE&product=Fleckstone

http://www.plasti-kote.com/plastikote/homefash/templatecolors.jsp?searchcode=FLE&productId=38&product=Fleckstone&Colors=true&ExtraHtml=<a%20HREF=template.jsp?searchcode=SPECambersandproduct=CanGun><img%20SRC=images/sidebar1.jpg%20WIDTH=75%20HEIGHT=152%20BORDER=0></a>&ProductName=Fleck%20Stone

cost ranges from 3 to 8 dollars a can but will go a long way if you use primer paints first at an average of 88 cents a can. I do not use the clear cote and so I do not buy the 2 can kits just the Fleckstone can only. Lowes, Walmart, Home Depot and Ace carries it.

As for colors I have used the follow for various applications:

Canyon Rock
Santa Fe Sand
Gotham Grey
Manhatan Mist
Pebble Creek


This stuff is great for rock wall, out croppings, river banks, buildings (concrete walls or even culverts etc) & road beds. The use can continue...you would be surprised of all the uses in our hobby.
 
I am sorry I forgot to post the average area. I can use one can of primer and 1 can of fleckstone and cover a 4x8 sheet of ply wood.....not bad eh? Note....very important.....SHAKE IT.... SHAKE IT V-I-G-O-R-O-U-S-L-Y....TO GET THE OPTIMUM SPREAD. I spray about 15 inches from the subject and pull away for less texture.
 
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Switches

I thought to share what I do with my cork road bed before I lay them down on my layout. I posted a picture of my switchers last night and you can see a small portion of it. I will post a new pic later. Anyways what I like to do is to change and hide that brown and black color of the cork by painting them. I know a lot of you may do this but have yall tried what I do? I spray paint all mine with a product call Fleckstone paint. I use the grey, white & black mix. I usually spay grey or rust primer first then over spray lightly with Fleckstone paint. Then when I lay balast I can spread sparingly. The technique works well for me.




I thought to share.:D

Alcomotive
Where are these switch photos.

NYC_George
 
NYC George~

If you go to Model Railroad Photos on this website and you will some of my photos. Some of them have my UP switchers & caboose on the track and you will see the road bed with the Fleckstone. I have not added the ballast at that time. I will try and get some better pics for you guys of the finished roadbed....remember I said switcher not switches...
 



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