roadbed under switches?

[cowboydfk]

Is it ok to cut the cork roadbed and use under switches or do most of u guy's get the cork thats shaped like a switch?

 

[Armchair]

Cork roadbed at turnouts

I like to separate the 2 cork pieces and let each continue on the outside of it's route. This gives a smooth outside surface for both routes. Then cut and fit cork for the inside locations - this is mostly hidden when the turnout is located over the fitted pieces. Sometimes I have to cut slivers to fill little gaps or grind up a little cork, mix with white glue to fill smaller shallow gaps.

Armchair armchairmodeling.blogspot.com

 

[trailrider]

It depends... If there is a formed piece of cork that is correct for the # of the turnout, I will use it...if I can find it at the local hobby shop (in this case, Caboose Hobbies, about the largest west of the Mississippi). If not, I will use the regular cork, cutting the pieces to fit together. Depending on the brand of turnout, you may need to cut a relief under the throwbar, and possibly create a base for the switch machine if you are using ones on top of the layout. If you are using an actuator and motor under the layout, you will need to cut or drill holes in both the cork and the sub-roadbed.

 

[Selector]

I cut pieces of the cork and wedge them into place. The idea is to do a good job of supporting the turnout along all routes, but it doesn't have to be perfect or meticulous...just functional. Allowing the appliance to sag or torsion because of improper support is asking for trouble from steamers in my experience.

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

When I was using flex track and cork roadbed I would either cut u piece of cork the size of the turnout and switch machine or I would make it up from scrap pieces of cork.

 

[cowboydfk]

cutting it was what I was doing to I just wanted to make sure it was ok to go that way.

Thanks

 

[trailrider]

cutting it was what I was doing to I just wanted to make sure it was ok to go that way.

Thanks

The only reason not to go that way is if you mechanically jam the turnout's points and throwbar. There are enough ties on a turnout to hide most of the joints in the cork pieces, and you can hide that with ballast...if you ballast. And not everyone does. If you do ballast, be sure to leave the points and throwbar clear of any ballast.