Started my new layout with plywood and using Homesote as a noise reducer. Then, decided to try foam. Both have their positives & negatives. However, going back to plywood, it seems to "cooperate" with me better than foam.
Hi, worrying about a perfectly flat track by worrying about a perfectly flat sub roadbed will give you an ulcer. Real world tracks aren't perfectly level. Tracks aren't straight either. Highs and lows are part of the way tracks are laid. I like what you have here. Please continue and post more.
I have used almost every brand of switches on my layout including fast tracks... which I did not build. I find Atlas to be quite reliable and use Tortoise machines. Pico are nice but remember to remove the little springs at the throw bar if you plan to use Tortoise machines. Converting old Walthers/ Shinohara switches is not all that difficult but it is provide work. I thought you might up date any progress on that finicky steam engine. All in all nicely done update.
Thanks for the tip. Based on that, I am thinking I might install machines on the Atlas turnouts I have already in place, and maybe use Peco in the future for areas where I will not put a machine. Also, I have been experimenting with Caboose Industries switch stands on my Atlas turnouts with some success. I actually was working to make a video on that but there are still some issues to work out. Yes there will be an update on the BLI loco. I am working with the company to get it fixed under warranty.
@@asdasx392 ps. If you find you can’t drill a hole in the plywood under the throw bar without either removing the switch or perhaps destroying the throw bar drill the hole along side the throw bar. Even if the hole is easily seen you can always slide a thin piece of slotted plastic or card stock to hide most of the hole. All the best. Joe
Great update. I have a few questions since I am looking to use some of similar products. Was there a reason that you did away with the foam? I was looking at using foam since it seems easier to work with.. Second do you have a DCC system and if so what did you do to convert your Atlas switch frogs for DCC.. I am also buying Peco switches that are DCC ready but like you I have several older Walthers switches that I do not just want to throw out. Most of the videos I seen to convert is a real process. I like the idea of isolating the tracks with on off switches even if you are using DCC.
Thanks for the comments. Foam has some significant advantages. It is cheap, easy to cut, light weight, and you can pin track in place while the adhesive cures, or even just plan out your routes using track and pins. Plywood is messy to cut and makes splinters. If the track route is entirely flat, foam might be best for most people. However, the more elevation variation you have in your track route, the more plywood becomes advantageous. With foam, you can go up with foam slope sets, but dipping down below the elevation of the foam surface is actually pretty difficult (I know, I tried). With wood, you can go up or down equally. Also, you get smoother transitions into grade which helps for larger locomotives and cars. Wood is a bit quieter. So as I added more elevation change in the track route, I started to use wood more often. Basically, all the track on wood seemed to work better than the track on foam. So while it is much more work during installation, I think you get a better track base with wood. Check out the video "Giant HO Scale Train Layout Update: Subroadbed Installation" by rcgrabbag. That layout would be very difficult to build with foam. I used an MRC DCC system, but I don't think I would recommend it. I never had any trouble with it, but it seems difficult to program locomotives. But it is the only one I have ever used so I am not the best person to ask.
I guess the were DCC ready because they work out of the box. I think the frog is insulated. I did not need to use insulator connectors anywhere and locos will sometimes stall on the frog or just lose sound, but that is infrequent. I guess my only problem with Atlas is the floppy points. As long as you use something to hold them in place, they are fine.
Peco switches snap lock in place. Atlas don't. Atlas switches work well with under layout switch machines quite well. You will have to defeat the snap lock on the Peco switch for mechanical switch machines.
