WS risers or 2" extruded foam?

I'm getting ready to install the sub roadbed for my HCD n scale layout. Trying to decide between 2" risers from Woodland Scenics or a slab of 2" blue foam. The risers can be hot glued to the door and feeder wires can be run along the door face to the front of the layout which is appealing since I'll have a lot of feeders using electrofrog turnouts. The door face provides a nice flat surface for below grade scenicking/structures. Carving the blue foam to provide the same below grade flat surfaces seems to be difficult. What have you all used and which method would you use if you had to do it again?

Thanks,
Kim

 

I used both. It gave me a lot of ways to change the elevation. I even cut foam to the curve of the inclines to raise the elevation. An afterthought is that I would have put the inclines on the bottom so I wouldn't have to fill the gaps before applying the plaster cloth.This was my first attempt at a layout, mostly to learn some techniques. I liked working with both the foam and the WS products.

This is a Z scale layout, but maybe it will give you info.

Trey

 

I used a layer of 3/4" foam attached to my surface, and then used the WS risers on top of that. Doing it that way let me go below grade for streams, ditches, and such, yet made the elevations easy.

 

Thanks for the info and photos, Trey. I may end up using both as well. I won't be using the WS inclines though, just the 2" risers glued to the HCD and following the track plan. Any scenery above the track bed will probably be carved out of extruded foam.

Kim

 

Thanks everyone for your input. I just bought my HCD today and also bought a couple of 1"x2'x8' sheets of the blue extruded polystyrene. This foam is hard to find in CA but Pacific Supply has it, or can get it. I have a slab of the 2" blue foam in my garage, so I'm all set. I think I'll forego the WS risers and carve my own out of my 2" slab. I'll take Rocket Jones' advice and glue a slab of 1" foam to my door first. Then I'll glue the 2" slab down onto the 1", layout my track plan and carve down to the 1" slab as needed for below grade scenery. Wish me luck.

Kim