# Laying cork roadbed under turnouts



## fulsom56 (Sep 18, 2015)

Hi, I get how to lay cork roadbed under turnouts but how about when the turnout is on the main line and transitioning into a yard or branch line or a spur? Is it not prototypical to have the diverging branch at a lower level then the main? Do you cut or sand the roadbed at a "grade" or angle to drop it down? I've looked in a couple of track work books but cannot find any info.
I would like to have the main lines on a higher roadbed then the branch lines..........Thanks Al.


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## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

I model in HO, but had the same problem. I tried sanding down the cork to give a sloped track into the yard, but the yard was too short to finish the sloping to ground level, and cars parked in the yard rolled slowly to the low end of the track.

So I solved the problem by raising the terrain surrounding the yard tracks. I used cheap 3/16" foam board and 1/8" masonite. For N scale, you would have to find what works for you.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

My mains ride on foam roadbed, but all of my spur and yard tracks were
laid directly on my 1/4" paper covered foam base. The flex track seemed
to make the transition to the slightly lower level off the main.

Don


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## fulsom56 (Sep 18, 2015)

I think I can get away with beveling the cork roadbed as comes off the diverging line of a turnout. I'll do some experimentation first & see how it goes. 
Thanks for replying..........Al


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## jargonlet (Dec 21, 2011)

On my latest layout, I used Z scale cork by Itty Bitty Lines for my yard and sidings. I haven't made it far enough to tell if it makes a major difference or not.


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## fulsom56 (Sep 18, 2015)

jargonlet said:


> On my latest layout, I used Z scale cork by Itty Bitty Lines for my yard and sidings. I haven't made it far enough to tell if it makes a major difference or not.


Hi Jargonlet, I'm assuming your using N scale cork on the main then transitioning to Z scale cork? If so it sounds like a interesting solution.


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## Florida RR (Oct 8, 2015)

I was wondering about roadbed height the other day. Isn't N scale cork roadbed too big for anything other than the heaviest of heavy main lines? I haven't laid any track in about 10 years, and I'll be starting a new small layout in the next few months. I got some of my old stuff out of storage, and my cork roadbed looks awfully large - both too wide and too tall.

The last time I did this, I did taper down to zero on spur tracks and a yard, and like another person mentioned, all of my cars rolled down hill on the slope. It was very annoying. I won't make that mistake again. In my cramped space, I think my only solution can be to raise the surroundings, not lower the track.

-Florida RR-


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## jargonlet (Dec 21, 2011)

fulsom56 said:


> Hi Jargonlet, I'm assuming your using N scale cork on the main then transitioning to Z scale cork? If so it sounds like a interesting solution.


I did use n scale for the main. I used the z scale double main line cork for the yard.


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## kevinh (Jan 26, 2015)

Yep, per FloridaRR, changes in track height are tricky unless you have a lot of space at your disposal.

The thickness of normal n-scale cork is 1/8" (about 3 mm). For that itty-bitty change in height, you would need to cover a run of 12.5" (30 cm) with a 1% grade, or 6.25" (15 cm) at 2% - plus a bit at each end to avoid bending and kinking the transitions in and out of the slope.

On a small-to-medium layout (where we have no choice but to compress spurs and yards relative to the prototype) I would be very reluctant to introduce changes in track level. It's usually easier (and not cost- or labour-prohibitive on a smaller layout) to build up the surrounding scenery level to be closer to the track level on your sidings. In some circumstances, you can even just soften or camouflage the transition from track down to ground level (mixing soil and ballast, clever use of grass and ground cover, etc.).


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## fulsom56 (Sep 18, 2015)

Very good guys, raising the surrounding terrain to meet the yard tracks is what I'll do. Besides, with a series of turnouts come off the main I don't think it would be possible to slope under said turnouts. Thanks for the feedback..........Al.


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