Underlay

[librarian 85]

Hello, I am starting to lay my track and am looking for underlays. Could anyone recomend the best materials to use and would normal house arts and crafts foam work? What is the best way to raise track above a base board and what is the steepest recommended gradiant?? Any suggestions and comments would be greatly appreciated.

[Rog RJ]

I wouldn't go any steeper than 1 in 30, shallower if possible and I don't recommend any underlay, just pin track straight on to the baseboard.  Gradients often cause grief and many will say avoid them.

 

Common consensus seems to be that good quality plywood is the best material for baseboards with a good frame under it but other materials like chipboard and MDF have their followers.

[Chrissaf]

If you do go for underlay, use cork not foam.

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And gradients I would go further than Rog and say not more than 1 in 40 or avoid totally .... asking for grief including them.

[Yelrow]

Underlay, waste of time and money. Lay as Roger says..  Modern locos, simply do not have the motors, in many cases, to go up inclines. You can see from previous posts that you need a very long run, just to achieve, any height. What locos do you have. The last thing you want, is to be disappointed, having spent ages making a raised level, only to find, your locos wont go up.. Often, folks fine the loco struggles up, but will pull nothing up behind it... What size is your baseboard.

[librarian 85]

Underlay, waste of time and money. Lay as Roger says..  Modern locos, simply do not have the motors, in many cases, to go up inclines. You can see from previous posts that you need a very long run, just to achieve, any height. What locos do you have. The last thing you want, is to be disappointed, having spent ages making a raised level, only to find, your locos wont go up.. Often, folks fine the loco struggles up, but will pull nothing up behind it... What size is your baseboard.

My board is 2 x 3m and my primary engin is the flying scotsman but my mallard and Bluebell Railway SECR, H Class i often use and they struggle with slopes.

[Yelrow]

Yup, thats as i thought. Flying Scotsman, would need a massive run up.  I would stick to  ground level, and design continuous running, with sidings. You can fit quite a bit in, without the worry of inclines. There are plenty of track plans, for reference,  if you need guidance.  Ask away, if you get stuck.

[Jimbo1707820979]

If you are keen to have a gradient don't be put off by all the discouraging comments !  🤐   😆   Have a go.  I have just completed a track with a 1 in 22 gradient and my 0-6-0 tank loco hauls 8 wagons plus guard's van up it without any difficulty. It adds a lot of interest to the layout. I have used mainly flexible track lengths to reduce the number of fishplates and the top curve on the gradient is between 2nd and 3rd radius.

Reminds me somewhat of bygone days when my dad used to brave the Porlock, Countisbury and Mars hills in various old cars  including trying to tow a caravan up Porlock and getting stuck halfway, much to the glee of the local rubbernecks and grockles.  They had already phoned a garage. Commision ?

[96RAF]

Anticipation is the secret of climbing hills, especially towing a caravan with a dodgy motorcar. Fail to spot a hill coming and its down the gearbox into first gear before you know it.

 

Never get behind the drag curve as any aviator will tell you. Old engine drivers had the same problems and consulted route maps showing the inclines so they could anticipate the need for plenty of steam ahead of a hill and to see where they could relax for a bit going downhill. By ‘they’ it was usually the fireman who was doing the hard work, but if he got it wrong the driver had to make the best of a poor head of steam and could quickly get on the wrong side of the drag curve and the loco would stall.

 

Anticipate problems caused by hills on model railways and look for the flattest route. I have gradients on my layout but they are no more than 2% (1 in 50) and there is plenty of run up space.

[Bulleidboy]

I don't think underlay is a waste of time (John) - it depends on what you want. If you want the "ballast shoulder" seen in many real life situations on the railways, you need to raise your track a couple of millimetres. It does not reduce the noise, as some think - especially after you have glued your ballast. This question could have a forum of it's own! I used self-adhesive cork and I'm happy with it. BB

[Yelrow]

Hi Barry, years ago i used the foam, and it disintegrated over time. Then tried cork, but did not look right. May be cos i dont ballast. Whatever suits.

[Bulleidboy]

Hi Barry, years ago i used the foam, and it disintegrated over time. Then tried cork, but did not look right. May be cos i dont ballast. Whatever suits.

Precisely. Barry

PS: Keep well John

[Yelrow]

Jimbo, hi, i am not anti inclines, as have 4 foot helix, and 9 foot incline. They are, however not attempted by  locos of the size of the poster.   040, little Bachmann, trams, have no bother, but despite my helix being totally within limits, the big locos, struggle. I did not want poster to be upset, when his struggled.

[37lover]

I use cork and ballast the track, I am very happy with the finished article but my layout is semi-permanent. I know several members like to frequently change their layouts so cork & ballast would not be so attractive. The beauty of this forum is that you will get a variety of views and the choice is yours. I also have inclines [gradient of about 1 in 50] and none of my locos struggle to get along. There have been many threads on the subject and one recommendation that I think is very useful is to set up a test length of track at your proposed gradient and test some of your trains [loco plus wagons/carriages] if you have room & resources.

[Yelrow]

Thanks Barry, so far so good. Glad we have 4 freezers.    37 Lover, indeed , i am one of those who change layout, probably on monthly basis.  To me, building/wiring, is the most interesting part. Hence just built a 9 foot incline for my TT locos.

[Tay00]

hi all

i'm about to build my first layout and will want to gravel the tracks.

i have some 5mm thick foam board left over from laying a wooden floor.

the pack says it doesn't rot and is moisture proof etc.

any thoughts?

[96RAF]

I tried laminated flooring underlay once, which was large tiles of soft green hardboard material i.e. it looked like hardboard with a smooth and a rough side but it was much softer and dead easy to work. It looked good until I wet ballasted and then it warped all over the place. Never again. Track now goes flat to the boards.

 

I have used 5mm artists foam board for roads and yard paving before as it cuts accurately so it worked well for that, hence it could be an alternative shoulder ballast material.