Sculpting road bed

[Woodville]

I am working on my first layout and am sculpting everything out of blue foam. I was wondering if anyone has ever sculpted thier roadbed right in the blue foam or what anyone's thoughts might be. Thanks...

 

[Woodville]

Curious, no response?

 

[Armchair]

Roadbed

I am guessing you would be using something like a sureform tool. Just be sure you have it level side to side and have easements for any grade change. I haven't heard of anybody doing it this way but give it a try. Also some pictures of tool and details. Good luck!

Armchair

http://armchairmodeling.blogspot.com

 

[railfan]

I've never used the foam sheets in model railroading but I have made parts for RC airplanes from blue foam insulation. I've witnesed many photographs of others layouts build right on top of blue foam. Some will lay cork strips on the foam first with track and ballast on top of that. There is no reason why you can't lay some sections of track directly on the foam if you wish....or you may want to sprinkle GRASS (green foam granules that simulate grass) first on top of some diluted elmers glue or scenery glue. Just avoid adhesives that are non-compatible with foam. These suggestions are from my observations....not from experience. Suggestions are for purpose of dramatization only. Your results may vary. Not affiliated with any professional organization or foreign legion. Some restrictions may apply. User assumes all risk. Best of luck with your project......many modelers appear to use foam with great results.



Mike

 

[waltr]

Check my build thread here:
http://www.modelrailroadforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=27884

The foam is just the base for the sub-roadbed but it could have been used for the roadbed for flex track. There are pictures in my thread of flex track laid (held with 'T' pins) for testing locos on the grades. This is HO & HOn3 but would work just the same foe N scale.
If you have any questions of what I've done, just ask in my thread.

 

[RW&C]

I would imagine that running directly on the foam board would be a little louder than running with cork in between. By the time you've added scenery, though, I doubt you'd hear the difference.

 

[shorttimer]

In most of Ca we can't get either the pink or blue foam. It apparently does not pass some sort of code. I heard that several years ago the local train shop ordered a whole pallet. It was the only way to get it. Storage seemed to be their biggest problem. I would love to get my hands on some & would actually order a pallet as well if it wasn't for the storage problem. Personally I don't like the look of the thickness of the foam or cork roadbed. Just a personal thing. For sound, I am going to give some rubberized pond liner a try. You can cut it with scissors and it's about 1/2 the thickness of most roadbeds. If it works, like I think it will, I'm going to use it for all my main lines & use nothing in the yards & sidings.

 

[jdetray]

I was wondering if anyone has ever sculpted thier roadbed right in the blue foam or what anyone's thoughts might be.

You might be able to do this with a hot-wire foam cutter. It would be faster and far less messy than sculpting with a Sureform or similar tool.

You would need to make some sort of jig so that the wire would have a shape to follow. And of course, you would need to do something about the hazardous fumes that hot-wire foam cutting produces. Good ventilation and probably a mask of some sort will be required.

I've never done what you propose, but those are my thoughts.

- Jeff