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Roadbed choices:

1.6K views 3 replies 3 participants last post by  riogrande  
#1 ·
I visited an 8' x 28' (half the area of mine) HO layout today, and discovered there are alternatives to spiking the track directly to OSB panels.

This man (younger than me at 77), used a product called "California Roadbed", which is cut into strips from Homasote panels, then milled at different slopes to represent different roadbed configuations. (30, 45, and 60 degree slopes)

The strips are also kerfed to permit bending to match flex track curves.

Interesting, but the price was not stated on his website.

Do any of you use this kind of roadbed?

The picture shows the spur in the foreground with unballasted roadbed, and the mainline track above shows it finished with ballast.

Water Stop
 

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#2 ·
I have not heard of that product.

I know many use Midwest Cork Roadbed for HO scale, including myself.
Image


They come in 36" pieces that are precut down the center at an angle, you pull the pieces apart and then put them side by side so that the angles become your sloped edges on the outside. The cork forms around curves fairly easy. Many glue in place with a a thin bead of silicone adhesive along track center line, and then glue or nail track on top after it sets.

They come in boxes of 5 each or 25 each, and are about $1.50-$2.00 a strip depending on finding some good deals. The 25 piece box is usually the best bargain; available from local railroad hobby shops, eBay, Amazon, etc.

I have pieces leftover from a 15 year old project in my leftovers box, still looks almost new. And it doesn't flake apart like the homasote does, just a few small chips of cork on occasion.

Anyway, just another option you may want to look at.

John
 
#3 ·
John, I appreciate your showing me another option, but I've decided to nail my HO flex track directly onto the 1/2" OSB sub-roofing panels.

No Elmer's glue, no Caulk, no Liquid Nails, no Silicone Adhesive, no Foam, no Cork, no Homasote...I'm just simply nailing the track right on to the 4'x8' sheets of OSB, just as I had done with my 136 feet of O-Scale, 2-Rail track!

I've already nailed down a few sections today, so I'm committed!

Thanks again, John!
 

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