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Picking the Best Model Railroad Roadbed for Your Layout

Posted on October 4, 2018

DISCLOSURE: As an Amazon Associate We earn from qualifying purchases. This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase anything through one of these links we will earn a commission.

As with all components on a model railroad, the stuff that goes under the tracks is highly important for the functionality and appearance of your layout. From the framework to the sub-roadbed to the ballast, each component serves an essential purpose toward making a realistic and effective railroad. This is especially true for the model railroad roadbed.

For more of our model railroad videos, visit http://bit.ly/2dJQYFV

11 thoughts on “Picking the Best Model Railroad Roadbed for Your Layout”

  1. Aaron Peavler/Geomodelrailroader Railroad Photography says:
    October 4, 2018 at 7:37 pm

    good tips from our president Gerry Leone himself. if the president says we can use it The NMRA recommends it.

  2. Captivated Gaming says:
    October 4, 2018 at 7:12 pm

    For all those new model railroaders avoid woodland scenics as much as possible the money u save can be used on stuff like electric motor points or lighting

  3. Larry Monske says:
    October 4, 2018 at 6:26 pm

    foam deteriorates is just a few years it will get mushy and supported structure by it started to lose it stiffness and put your finger into it knuckle deep. USE ONLY GORILLA GLUE..

  4. Aaron Peavler/Geomodelrailroader Railroad Photography says:
    October 4, 2018 at 5:48 pm

    typical roadbed is what we have been using since day 1 N Scale Sheet Cork

  5. jhitt79 says:
    October 4, 2018 at 5:19 pm

    Why is it so difficult to find a video on YouTube that tells us beginners what the road bed is for???? Is it just for sound or what? This video is pretty much useless for a guy like me that is trying to learn about building a train layout for their young child. Ok, so we see the different types of roadbed. Well is it just for aesthetics? For sound deadening? Both? I've watched literally a hundred or so videos to learn the ropes in anticipation of building a layout for my 9yr old who loves trains. I've bought a used lot of trains and track to get started and still it seems even the "so called" beginner or "101" videos lack the basics that beginners are looking for.

  6. Hungry Guy says:
    October 4, 2018 at 5:00 pm

    I use two layers of overlapping 1/4" plywood glued and clamped together, so there's no seam that causes the trains to "dip" and "wobble" where the track crosses invisible seams in the layout that you see in so many videos. Then I use two layers of overlapping pink insulation as the ground level also clamped and glued together so there's no seam where panels meet. For the actual roadbed, I've used both traditional cork in some place, and foam in other places — both work equally well in my opinion. As he said in the video, foam is a little quieter, but heavy trains compress the foam so it loses it's sound-deadening properties and is no better than cork.

    I used Homosote on my very first layout, and it was a disaster. Difficult to work with, and so incredibly heavy it made the layout sag in places even with an under-layer of plywood.

  7. Howie Mann says:
    October 4, 2018 at 4:57 pm

    What are your thoughts about laying track directly on extruded foam?

  8. david barrera says:
    October 4, 2018 at 4:04 pm

    Trains and carpet never ever mix.

  9. Dennis Browder says:
    October 4, 2018 at 3:59 pm

    California roadbed is no longer out there and I have sent several emails to this Cascade rail with no answer so I will not order from them and don't understand why no response?

  10. Nate's Light Iron Hobbies says:
    October 4, 2018 at 3:53 pm

    jhitt79 on 1: 1 scale railroads the roadbed is used to keep the track above the ground to allow for proper drainage.

  11. Bill Mourey says:
    October 4, 2018 at 3:21 pm

    A dozen decades? Wow 120 years!

Comments are closed.

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