Hi there! Been a while since my last post but continue to deepen my knowledge in z-scale modeling. I did go ahead with hand laid track building (code 40 - thanks [mention]rray [/mention] for y he suggestion!) using FastTracks. Personally I am enjoying the challenge and slowly but surely get more handy soldering the PCB sleepers to the tracks. I also am testing to manually lay the wooden railroad ties https://www.handlaidtrack.com/wt-z-c but realized I need my roadbed in place to get that done. To do this I bought 3/32” cork sheet http://www.corkstore.com/QuietCORK-Sheet-2-5mm_2 and plan to use my trusty matte cutter to make beveled cuts. But… how wide? I have a cross section cut I found during my searches but it does not state scale nor width, find attached. My question; how wide would you recommend this roadbed would be for a mainline rail road? Thanks and happy Memorial Day weekend!! -Tiest View attachment UP Roadbed Dimensions.pdf Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
I use 1/2 of a strip N Scale cork roadbed, and it's about 1/2" or 13mm wide. I space parallel tracks 1" or 25mm apart.
Robert, As always thanks (and never taken for granted)! The 1/2”, is that measured from the top of the bottom of the roadbed? Given the sloped edges my question. Also, do you ‘dig in’ your rail ties, as depicted in the UP schematic or put it ‘on top’ of the ‘gravel’? -Tiest Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
To cut the cork ‘straight’ is near impossible, even with a ripper/ripping jig. The following cuts wil get worse (using the previous cut edge. Cutting curves will be a challenge. And you will have a sharp top edge you will sand down. There is NO Commercial rail road cork. Rob and I have cheated by using Midwest Products N scale cork roadbed. Shipped as 1 piece, cut 45 degrees down the middle. You then ‘tear’ it apart and put the 45 degree sides out. However, as Rob suggests, we used 1/2 half (45 edge outward toward you) as you don’t see the back vertical side. It is relatively easy to shape into curves. Most of the flat sheets don’t curve well. Unfortunately ALL Midwest Products are sold out.
I like to use Arizona Rock and Mineral crushed granite in the N Scale size to ballast my track, and fill between the ties. The crushed granite is jagged and holds a steep profile dry, so I don't need to taper the edge of the cork. I just glue the 1/2 strip of N Scale cork down, and I used a template on the ends of my module: Here you can see some of the cork is beveled edge and some is not. It don't really matter. I just glue down the track once the cork is in place: Here again you can see how little and jagged the cork is under the track. I also solder feeder wires, or in this case brass EDM tube drilled through the module edge to both hold the track in alignment, and make it difficult to peel up the track at the edges of the modules: Then I paint the track, rails and ties both roof brown: Then I sprinkle on the crushed granite ballast, and use a paintbrush to level it out between the rails, and to brush it up to cover and hide the cork, I mist it with wet water (water with dish soap drops in it to break surface tension), then drip on 50/50 white glue and water mix to glue the ballast in place: It's not perfect ballast, but it hides the cork pretty good, and looks acceptable in photos, especially when yo get other scenery material down: :
