davbopsv Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 I've just started construction of an outdoor railway in oo gauge. I am enormously grateful for all the postings, which I have studied over the past few weeks, and am confident I know now how to proceed for the best. Has anyone any experience of long-term use of Woodland Scenics "track-bed", the black foam stuff that comes in a 24 ft. roll. I am thinking it would assist in hiding dropper wires, would give a nice raised shoulder on top of the wooden boards, and, importantly, would allow access under the Peco track if it ever had to be lifted. I've had some soaking in a bowl of water for some time and all is well, but can anyone report on the long-term effects of sunlight, frost, etc., etc? Many thanks. David. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanR Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 Hello David, I've never used it but I've heard of people using Peco and Hornby underlay and they say that it disintegrates after a while. I don't think water will do it much harm, the main enemy will be sunlight I should think. Good luck with your layout. Ian R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanR Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 Hello David, I've never used it but I've heard of people using Peco and Hornby underlay and they say that it disintegrates after a while. I don't think water will do it much harm, the main enemy will be sunlight I should think. Good luck with your layout. Ian R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riddles Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 Hello David, The Daventry Garden Railway used Peco underlay in the 1970s and it worked well but sadly it didn't last. It is now G scale I believe. I have some indoors which after some years has dried up and crumbled to dust, leaving the track pins proud of the sleepers. It would be OK for a season or two. Of course, you asked about the Woodland Scenics product which MAY last longer but I wouldn't risk it. Regards, DaveW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davbopsv Posted November 11, 2013 Author Share Posted November 11, 2013 IanR and Riddles, thanks for your replies. It seems no one else has any experience of what I think is a good product at a good price, so, as is suggested, I will not risk its use outside, at least not just yet. It will take me some time to complete my support posts and base planks, so I will put a short piece of "Track Bed" onto a wooden base and leave it out through the winter to see how it fares in the frost. It seems to my eye that Woodland Scenics "Track Bed" has a higher density than Peco and others, and may be what is called "closed-cell" foam. I can't be sure on that one, though. I'll have to carry the experiment through the summer too, to see what deterioration becomes evident. In the meantime, I shall proceed on the well-tried basis of laying track on roofing-felt. If my layout comes anywhere near to the standard of IanR's, I will be more than pleased. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traingeekboy Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 I would be inclined to use more reliable track bed than woodland scenics. Stick to tried and true. I was resistant to using roofing felt, but the places I did use it, the layout looks great. The places I did not use it... Well, lets just say they are going to be getting some roofing felt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanR Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 Quote If my layout comes anywhere near to the standard of IanR's, I will be more than pleased. Aw, You got me blushing now!! I haven't actually seen the Woodland Scenics product and it may well be more durable than the other brands. The only way to find out is by doing what you are doing, especially exposing it to sunlight as I believe that that will be the main enemy. Regards, IanR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rossi Posted November 14, 2013 Share Posted November 14, 2013 Dave, i think its mostly trial and error regards the underlay. Lots of different methods on here. My recent go with Peco underlay (about 18 months ago...see earlier pages of my "Rossi Railway in the sun") looked ok for a while, and then (as others have mentioned) it deteriorated bit by bit. I've now dug it up as I found it made the track sit up and lost its firmness, and although we get little rain, when we did it tended to hold the water, and I'm not sure whether this was good for the track. Now relayed a good quarter of the layout (see next post) and not sure what to do for a scenic effect. Maybe roofing felt has more plus signs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davbopsv Posted November 15, 2013 Author Share Posted November 15, 2013 Thanks for that Rossi. I have now actually heard from the sales office at Woodland Scenics in America. They say their "track bed" is not UV resistant, so not suitable for outdoors. However, they are interested in taking advantage of the great potential for sales for outdoor 00 gauge and the possibility is going to the marketing dept. for consideration. Incidentaly, why oh why do Peco make great track with the wrong sleeper spacing and size? I have quite a bit of the old Wrenn fibre-sleeper flexible track and it looks so much better and realistic with scale dimensions. It can't be used outside, though, of course. If Wrenn got it right, why do Peco manufacture to a high standard something which is not prototypical? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ba14eagle Posted November 16, 2013 Share Posted November 16, 2013 Thats the milion dollar question - Why do the r-t-r manufacturers make under-scale track and provide rolling stock with incorrect back to back wheel measurements.... Unfortunately, its unlikely to change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riddles Posted November 16, 2013 Share Posted November 16, 2013 As far as the track goes, it is just a question of economies of scale. There is a much larger world-wide market for HO track than OO so that is what is produced by the major manufacturers. Hornby International produce track for the Rivarossi, Lima, Electrotren, and Jouef markets as well as Hornby UK. They used to source their track from Roco in Austria before moving production to China. Bachmann OO track is still made by Roco in Austria using the old Hornby tools. Blame it on the pioneers in the 1930's who chose to go with Half O gauge for the track and then found that the locos were too small for the motors of the day to fit. Interesting to hear that Woodland Scenics may be considering HO/(OO) scale products for outdoor use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davbopsv Posted November 18, 2013 Author Share Posted November 18, 2013 Thanks for that Riddles. What a complete answer. I think a house-point is in order! Makes a lot of sense of course, but I can't help thinking that Peco could be a bit more understanding of us 00-gaugers. They produce such a variety of track, eg. SM32, 009, etc, etc, that a better proportioned track could be made for the not inconsiderable British 00-gauge market. Still, we are lucky to have what we have got I suppose. If only I could think of a way of permanently water-proofing all my fibre-based Wrenn track for outside use.... ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riddles Posted November 19, 2013 Share Posted November 19, 2013 I think I recall Graham Farish making a plastic flexible OO gauge track to British proportions, but that was probably back in the late 1960s or early 1970s before they concentrated on N gauge and decades before they were taken over by Bachmann. Thanks for the house-point! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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