Cork vs. Woodland Scenics foam roadbed?

modelmaker9

New Member
I have always used cork, but you could go aheade and give woodland scenics a try, it might even be easier to bend and form
 

TruckLover

Mack CH613 & 53' Trailer
I like woodland scenics foam track bed, although, I have never used cork.

The ws track bed is very easy to shape and make bend around corners for tight radius. You just simply cut down the seem in the middle to make tight corners.
 

spitfire

Active Member
At my LHS they have test strips of both for comparison. The WS is really quiet. The cork provides almost no sound dampening. If that's a factor then I'd recommend the WS. I was really sold on it after hearing the difference.

Val
 

KCS

Member
I've never used the WS foam bed but I've tinkered with it a bit. Yes it does reduce noise. Yes it does bend easier but isn't as tough as cork. In a way cork does dry out but it takes a longgg time.
 

brakie

Active Member
I have use both and prefer the WS roadbed of late..I prefer using the N Scale rather then HO because it gives the track a lower roadbed.
 
I have always used cork on my layouts, and if you really think about it, are trains supposed to be quiet?:D LOL, just kidding though!
 

60103

Pooh Bah
If I were going to hand-lay my track, I would use cork over foam. But then if I were hand-laying, I would use Homasote.
For pre-made track, I would go for foam. Foam should be glued, top and bottom, for best results. Gluing ballast on will transmit sound down to the sub-roadbed.
 

pgandw

Active Member
David has given you a lot of good info. I have had cork dry out and crumble on me, it took about 5 years in both cases. The last lot I bought was in 1988, maybe things have improved since. But I'm not buying more to find out.

If the glued ballast shell touches the subroadbed - the plywood or extruded foam underneath the cork or foam roadbed - the noise reducing characteristics of the roadbed are lost. This is especially true if using the much cheaper diluted white or yellow glues. The quietest combo I have seen and not heard is my favorite - Homasote combined with diluted matte medium to glue the ballast (assumes track nails or any screws do not go all the way through the Homasote).

my thoughts, your choices
 

jasonboche

New Member
I'm also using traditional cork roadbed on top of 2" extruded foam sub roadbed. I used Elmers wood glue (the yellowish stuff). Wood glue will resist water which you will be spraying on when ballasting. Don't want your track to come lose and get distorted or kinked when in the process of ballasting!

By the way, I also tested WS foam roadbed and it seemed just fine also. I guess I went with cork because I considered it more traditional and also cost might have been a factor. WS claims their foam roadbed reduces noise better than cork. Jury is out on that one for me.

Jas
 

green_elite_cab

Keep It Moving!
I use cork, and the only problesm i ever had was getting it int he right spot, but then again i rushed to get it down, so thats my own fault.

In any event, I think a combination based on height would be a good idea. for example, Mainlines usually sit higher up than spurs, which would be lower. Use higher roadbed for mainlines, and smaller for sidings, spurrs, and industrial tracks.
 

TruckLover

Mack CH613 & 53' Trailer
green_elite_cab said:
Use higher roadbed for mainlines, and smaller for sidings, spurrs, and industrial tracks.

Great idea :thumb: :thumb:

I used elmers white glue for gluing down to foam. All I had to do was let it sit for a couple of hours and it was not going anywhere.:D :)
 

green_elite_cab

Keep It Moving!
lol, i tired the elmers stuff, and it didn't stick (cork bumped up). I finally got tired of it and just nailed it all down, lol. That was also a bad idea, because if i didn't shove the naile deep into the cork, it would cause the track to not sit right, and all the usual problems of kinked track ensued. I think i solved all of those kind of problems, but to be sure, when i go lift up my track to re-wire my track for signalling, i'll check and make sure there isn't anything else to worry about.
 

bassbuster

New Member
Good idea Andy, foam roadbed is better than the cork bed in many aspects.

1. It is more durable, will not flake or crumble over a period of time.

2. Will make your layout more quiet than cork.

3. Can do tighter curves without any compromise where cork can't.

4. A little easier to use when attaching to wood, foam or what ever substrate you are using.

Just my opinion and I used cork road bed for years.
 

Clerk

Active Member
I have used cork roadbed for years until my last layout. I tried the WS foam. I agree with all of Bassbusters points. Just one drawback. I could not get ballast to stick on the WS foam. I ballast abour half my layout and within a couple of days the ballast started peeling off. I did not have this problem with cork roadbed. I used the deluted white glue and really soaked the ballast. I am at a standstill now. Do I rip up all my track and replace the foam with cork or just not ballast at all. I used some leftover cork in my switching yard and had no trouble with the ballast.
 

jbaakko

Active Member
I havn't ballasted my WS foam yet, but I love it allready. I like the foam, not exclusivly for the sound deadening, but more for shock absorbing.
 
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