Fast Tracks

So far, all the HO switches I have laid (with Microengineering spikes) has been mechanically successful, but noisy. I use cork roadbed with flex track in the areas without switches ( number 6 and 8 ).
My current method is to use pine strips or luan plywood under micro engineering ties, as this accepts the microengineering spikes without predrilling all the holes. Noisy! Not what one wants to do if you want to hear the sound of the locos. The problem seems to be the sounding board effect of the roadbed.

It seems that there are several options - Use homasote underlayment instead of pine or luan. But -- I live in Canada and I can't find he homosote. A second option I have not tried is to sound deaden underneath the pine strips or luan - but this is probably not as quiet as flextrack on cork. A third option is to glue the rr ties to cork and lay track with spikes on this -- I think the result will be split ties and lousy handlaid track.

Ideas? Thanks in advance!!
Newphys

I have considered gluing the rails to the ties to avoid using spikes. But - I like the option of moving the spikes to reguage the track. Inevitably requires 3-4 respikings before the track is operationally flawless, and accepts a 20 car freight train in reverse over multiple switches without derailments.
Hope this generates some interest,as at this point I do not know what to do next.

All: I have partially answered my own question. First, Homasote is still available as the company that sells it (of that name) is alive and well. Secondly, Homasote has poor dimensional stability due to it ability to absorb water. Ergo we need something that does not aborb water to the same degree.
Conclusion: We need something that is dimensionally stable, but accepts microengineering or equivalent rr spikes. So - the solution is to use a thin layer of pine or luan plywood sandwiched to a layer of cork, and another layer of subroadbed glued this laminate underneath. I would guess that this is not as quiet as cork roadbed under flextrack as the gold standard, but at least it accepts RR spikes.
Anyone else out there???
NewPhys

Try this link.

http://www.corkdirect.com/underlayment.html

Also do a google search for sound absorbing or sound attenuation material in sheets. Your local building suppliers should be able to recommend some type of sound absorbing materials used in apartment construction.

Here is another link.

http://www.gp.com/build/product.aspx?pn ... erarchy=pc

This is a Georgia Pacific product called hushboard.

Look for sound deadening on the internet.

I also saw some info on the web about putting the sound deadening material under your roadbed surface. Use whatever board you need for spiking and put the sound deadening board underneath it. You may need to glue these down, maybe the screws would transmit the sound down to the benchwork.

I have a friend that glued his ties to cork roadbed and then spiked the rail using walthers long spikes. The ties did not split and by using the long spikes the tips of the spikes reached down to the subroad bed which is plywood. so far things seem to be holding fine after the first year.

What about using a PC tie every fifth tie?

I used homasote for my railroad and I am always fighting the expansion and contraction every change in the season. This winter it got so bad That I had to turn on a humidifier in the layout room to keep the layout from shrinking so bad.

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