@prrjim posted:My experience is that once you ballast the track - ie lay ballast and glue it in place, the sound deadening affects of using homosote are pretty much negated When the glue dries it forms a hard material contact between the plywood and the track.
Valid point!
I have always wondered why model train books, magazines and message boards haven't discussed this phenomena more. Ballasting (with stone), although adding realism, results in an enormous increase in track noise. It definitely negated all the work I did to use cork roadbed upon the Homasote. I imagine the noise level would even be higher for ballasted track laid directly on the plywood.
I stopped ballasting on track areas not readily visible by guests. I also experimented using rubber ballasting but found it too difficult to lay down.
