Just wondering what thickness cork roadbed for HO scale is. I have some but it is marked as N scale and is (in my part of the world) 3mm. I have found a supplier of sheet cork near me and just calculating what I bought for $4.80 I could have got in sheet form for $2.40. Thanks again in advance Cheers Bruce
Hey Bruce About the thickness of the roadbed. I have tried many types of roadbed and i personally am a fan of cork. I know that all of the cork that i have purchased or seen is 3/16 of an inch. I also have a bone to pick about putting N scale roadbed under HO Scale track. Personally i am a modeler of both N and HO and where i come from you can't fit HO scale track on top of any N scale roadbed. It just isn't possible the N scale cork is about a millimeter short reaching the edges of the ties. So either you trck is very tipsie, you glued and stapled the track to the roadbed or there is a mix up on the writing of the label.
Bruce, I have used the sheet cork in yard areas. Trouble is when you cut it into strips you have to put the angle on the sides. It can be done but it's a little time consuming. I have also heard of putting Nscale cork under Ho track by turning it upside down so the angle is underneath!!
I use some n-scale cork roadbed for some sidings and spurs. Yes it is narrower but it doesn't really matter since I use it only for the height. Brushing the ballast correctly with a small brush will form the angle just as on the prototype. Andy, I've used the same technique with cut sheets, cutting it only slightly wider than the ties instead of the usual width.
I think it really does not matter how thick the cork is, as long as it 'fits' with the overall look of the scene you are depicting. If you are trying to make the scene prototypical it would behove you to visit the NMRA RP-Standards to get it right. Whatever right is. Just an opinion.
