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Ok, I have laid out the mainline of my trackplan on top of my foam subroadbed like so:
Now, the books say to mark the centerline of your track, remove it and add the roadbed. Has anyone done this on this tiny stuff?
I might be able to get a sharpy in between the ties, but it looks like it would be a pain. I'm thinking it would be easier to just trace the outside of the track. Is there something I am inherently missing by doing that?
I plan on using liquid nails for projects to glue the cork to the foam btw. Will it be impossible to move if I screw up somehow? I also have latex caulk, elmers white and elmers carpenters glue if that would work better. Thanks
I traced both sides of my track when layout it and then went through and marked the center line between the two outside lines. You are roght it is hard to mark the center line with the track in place.
One thing I have seen done is if you paint your track with some sort of spray device (can or airbrush), paint it before you lay roadbed so then you have the nail holes to indicat track center lines. Then just lay a bead of glue down on one side and slap down some cork (if thats what your using.) In the past I used yellow glue on foam w/ cork. I find that it can be unforgivin when dry, but is easy to position when wet, using push pins hold it in place and heavy objects (canned foods, hundreds of magazines) to weight it down.
Yes, it is hard to get a sharpie between the ties; but that is what i have done and it has worked OK for me. You can always use a fine point. I use gasket cork for my roadbed; I buy it at Advanced Auto in a roll about 12" wode and 36" long, 1/16" thick (about $6.00). I cut 12" strips, 3/8" wide. I lay strips along the marked centerline using latex caulk as a glue. After I lay about 3 or 4 strips, I lay a series on the other side of the centerline to complet the roadbed. I stagger the second row of strips to make a running bond configuration. This has worked out well for me; this is the thrird layout that I have used this method. As for turnouts, you can cut a whole turnout from the gasket material and set in place.
With Woodland Scenics foam roadbed, you can mark the outline of your track and place the roadbed according to the outlines and using the eyeball method of centering the roadbed over the track outline. The WS foam roadbed is self-adhesive. I have heard it is fairly easy to pull up if it is mis-aligned, but more difficult to pull up after it has been in place for a while.
With cork roadbed, you can trace the outline of your track, remove the track and mark the approximate centerline between the outlines of your track. I have used Liquid Nails to glue cork roadbed on foam. Latex caulk will work. Both need to be applied in a thin layer.
With either type of roadbed, you should put weights on top while the glue sets. With cork roadbed, you probably will want to lightly sand the top of the roadbed to insure a smooth surface for the track.
To secure the track to the roadbed, white or yellow glue works well, takes longer to dry and may be easier to remove later (water will dissolve white glue). Liquid Nails and latex caulk work well, too. Once again, weights on top of the track are needed until the glues dry.
On my N scale layout I used the AMI instant roadbed. I like it a lot but still had to nail the track on some of my sharper curves. If it needs to be moved it is easy to take up and reset. The base for my RR is 1 1/2" pink foam on a frame of 3/4" plywood ripped into 5" strips. Teh frame is screwed and glued together in sections like modules so if I ever move all I need to do is cut some track and a few pieces of scenery and away I go.
On my last layout I used cork and a craft glue called SOBO found at Michaels or JoAnn Fabrics. It is a white glue that when I dismantled that layout I reused the cork on my present layout in the yard area.
Thanks for all the tips guys. I ended up just tracing the track and then using my calibrated markI eyeball, I drew in the centerline. I ordered Midwest cork roadbed with my track, so that's what I ended up using. I got most of the mainline done, just the two sidings to go. After reading up on it, I may try some foam roadbed on my interchange track, just to play around with it.
Used plain old elmers for the cork, seemed to work fine. Probably wont do much else til after Christmas. Too many goodies, good beer and wine around the house to get much else accomplished Plus I want to wait to see what Santa brings before I design any of the spurs just yet.
Plus I want to wait to see what Santa brings before I design any of the spurs just yet. 