looking for help about roadways for layout

Chris:

Although I used sections of roofing shingles for roads in the distant past; after viewing one of Rich Battista's Black Diamond videos several years ago, I switched to using Masonite as he recommends.  It is easy to work with, has an appropriate height and can be cut to whatever width you desire for your roads.

Curt

I recall the stuff you are talking about....but not seen it advertised in years....IIRC they ran a small ad every month in the mags....may no longer be made. 

You are thinking of Moondog rubber roads. They also made rubber ties. I liked their products, but unfortunately they haven't been around for years. I haven't found anything close as a replacement.

I use Masonite as well. 

Neal Jeter

Yes, Moondog Express it is; thanks. So anybody have any extra pieces to sell? I've done the standard Internet and eBay searches with no success. 

Chris

Scenic express carries a decent foam roadway system with lines pre-painted.

I used it here.  All I did was cut, fit and glue it with tacky glue

Bob

Chris

I had a bunch of this  and it's ok but, I didn't use it. This seems to  the typical stuff you find readily available on the  e-net now.

I went with Masonite instead.

I put this up for sale  several months ago but no one was interested in it. It's still boxed up around here somewhere.

Good luck

Larry

The big craft stores carry a foam material sold in one foot square sheets about 1/8 thick. All kinds of colors I'd go with dark gray to black.....depends on the look you want. Cut with scissors and mark with paint markers. It's $1 a sheet but is often on sale at 50% off. 

Thanks for all the help. Dave, I'm going to give the craft store materials a try. Can't go wrong with that price, and I like the flexibility. For my small layout, I don't really need markings, but what are paint markers?

If you go to Harbor Freight, they sell a black rubber-like tool box shelf liner in rolls. One side has ribbing but the flip side is smoother. The advantage of having it in long rolls is that you do not have all the joints and can cut it to any configuration you want. Parking lots are easy because of the width too. It of course does not have center lines on it, but you said you did not need them for your application. This stuff is thinner than using foam board or Masonite so it does not have to be blended for the height on a table top layout. I bought some but have not used it as I am going to use Super Streets for roads first. 

Paul Goodness

Chris Dunn posted:

Thanks for all the help. Dave, I'm going to give the craft store materials a try. Can't go wrong with that price, and I like the flexibility. For my small layout, I don't really need markings, but what are paint markers?

Marker pens filled with a type of paint......they are available in white, yellow....all colors....but will show well on black surface. In Hobby Lobby they are in the plastic model and art depts. Test marker before you use them a lot. 

I used cork road bed, painted with top coat, a little weathering, and lined with a white out roller for center and stop sign/traffic light stop lines.  Much easier to apply...and it looks very convincing, as the texture of the road bed gives the white out a broken worn effect and looks like a real road with wearing out marker lines'... 

my roadways are going to have NO LANDING zones for flying cars

I am considering using this roll of black Anti-slip tape for my roadways.. it is 4" wide and a gritty texture .. .. look pretty good, adhesive back. before I jump into using it does anyone have any feedback  .. good or bad? I want to be a little careful when cutting it as I don't want any loose surface grit to get anywhere near the drive wheels etc of any engines and migrate to the grease on gear sets.

Also .. I have unrolled a few feet and have not seen or felt any loose grit .. at 4" wide and 65-1/2 feet .. it is pretty inexpensive (e-bay)

I saw a movie and the person was trying to learn how to paint a bowl of fruit. The apples always just looked like circles. If your roads look like a strip of something you put there, it's kinda the same thing. Roads are not a perfect surface with no variation in color.

The artist gene is missing from my DNA

I suggest a product called "taskboard material" which can be purchased in sheets 1/16-inch thick. It is an ultralight wood fiber board that is easy to cut, glue in place and color with acrylic paints. It has a perfect texture to simulate concrete or asphalt roads.

MELGAR

Larry, there are so many options for roads.  Melgar's recommendation is a good one. However, If you really want to try the tape, I would recommend placing it on top of some foam board, chipboard, or roadbed cork.  It will look more realistic as the road will have some height  and not be completely flat. All roads have  what is called a crown.  meaning the center of the lane is raised, so water runs off to the shoulder.... The finished product of O scale roads depend on how much time and effort one applies.  Many use spackle,  Arizona models has a real cement powder that works great.  I think any experienced modeler will agree that exploring the many techniques of making roads, and finding the method that works best for you and your layout'....  Good Luck...

 If you want to see some pixs of roads I've made, send me an email...... 😃

@MELGAR posted:

I suggest a product called "taskboard material" which can be purchased in sheets 1/16-inch thick. It is an ultralight wood fiber board that is easy to cut, glue in place and color with acrylic paints. It has a perfect texture to simulate concrete or asphalt roads.

MELGAR

Melgar where can you find this “task board material” sounds like a very good idea? I have some of the Harbor Freight stuff for my tool box and think it may be a little to think but also sounds like an interesting idea. 

Eric's Trains did a grate video on how he makes his roadways.

Excellent video I think you can find it on you tube

Do a search on "taskboard material" or go to:

https://thenarch.com/

MELGAR

Here is my recipe. 3mm hardboard cut to size. Then covered with a thin layer of Sculpt-a-mold, let dry and sanded smooth. Finally painted with acrylic paints using a few colors mixed together and lightly sanded (220 girt) when dry to bring out some detail and variation. I did the same at the rail crossings and filled in the gaps with Sculpt-a-mold.

Donald

If I were building a road today I would consider AutoMotionFX  as part of the roadway construct.

Since I am rebuilding my city  I will!

Although placing a roadway in front of a round-house is interesting as it uses what would be wasted real estate, it seems that it would interfere with the really nice setback ( a very nice use of space in front of a roundhouse.)  you have in front of the turntable; where multiple engines would like to poke out  and be seen.

With the curved road, you limit the poke-ing out. IMHO.

I have automotionfx 

@kwisor posted:

I have automotionfx 

 This is so  cool'.. almost more fun than running trains'... What did this set you back'.. ?? Thanks for posting'...

Thanks ted I have not kept track Kevin 

I used 1/8" wood sheets (4x4) and once I had what I wanted what I wanted, I painted it in 2 coats.  The first was the Rust-Oleum black textured spray paint to get the road surface.  Then once that was dry, I spray painted over it with the black color I wanted for the road (dull black).

Then I used the same board painted gray for the sidewalks to fit in with my station/crossing guard .

I used the same type of setup in my city but using 1/8" MDF with the roads painted to match my superstreets track and gray for the sidewalks.

@Larry Martin posted:

I am considering using this roll of black Anti-slip tape for my roadways.. it is 4" wide and a gritty texture .. .. look pretty good, adhesive back. before I jump into using it does anyone have any feedback  .. good or bad? I want to be a little careful when cutting it as I don't want any loose surface grit to get anywhere near the drive wheels etc of any engines and migrate to the grease on gear sets.

Also .. I have unrolled a few feet and have not seen or felt any loose grit .. at 4" wide and 65-1/2 feet .. it is pretty inexpensive (e-bay)

 

I picked some up.  I thought it was a bit  too "gritty"

Brendan

I've used several types of material to make roads, one was using floor tiles turned upside down as shown. They can be toned down with talc powder or cement dust and easy to work with. Used 1/8" masonite (or hardboard) for the cement area.

@GVDobler posted:

I saw a movie and the person was trying to learn how to paint a bowl of fruit. The apples always just looked like circles. If your roads look like a strip of something you put there, it's kinda the same thing. Roads are not a perfect surface with no variation in color.

The artist gene is missing from my DNA

I hear you about the artist gene .. as a mechanical engineer, I have my layout running pretty flawless .. lots of auto zones, photo-eyes etc to control train movement .. but when it comes to scenery .. I know what I would like in my mind, but not quite sure that I have the inner talent nor the patience .. a little disappointed in myself in that aspect, but I am trying.

@sidehack posted:

I've used several types of material to make roads, one was using floor tiles turned upside down as shown. They can be toned down with talc powder or cement dust and easy to work with. Used 1/8" masonite (or hardboard) for the cement area.

I kind of really like your approach on both the roadways and cement areas and is worth looking at.  I don't see me having the talent to go full blown realism, but I would like to meet somewhere between nothing and outstanding drop-dead realism

@Quarter Gauger 48 posted:

 This is so  cool'.. almost more fun than running trains'... What did this set you back'.. ?? Thanks for posting'...

Really slick .. thanks for sharing

@RJT posted:

Melgar where can you find this “task board material” sounds like a very good idea? I have some of the Harbor Freight stuff for my tool box and think it may be a little to think but also sounds like an interesting idea. 

Dick Blick, has taskboard, and it is priced just right'..,.I purchased several very large sheets.  I use  it for scratch building.  Haven't tried it for roads...

Over the years, I've seen many techniques, from using spackling compound, to painted 1/8" hard board, to piled up sand and dirt, to asphalt roofing paper (we use this for asphalt roads). All work well, but the level of crafting varies. Don "Industrial Models" Smith used spackling for his street-running industrial switching layout to a very impressive level.

It really depends on what the road is going to be doing with respect to the track or building bases. For MTH buildings, you need a 1/8" base road to compensate for the "sidewalks" surrounding the buildings. For grade crossings, you need to deal with flangeway clearances and have it low enough for the rail heads to make good contact.

I used asphalt roofing paper for a project layout.

The grade crossing in the first photo was done by applying lightweight spackle over a 1/16-inch thick piece of basswood and painting with acrylics.

The paved street in the second photo was done from a textured plastic sheet - also painted with acrylics.

MELGAR

 Good looking roads Mel,  any pixs of your task board roads...??

This is dyed dark gray play sand solidified w/white glue. 

Roof shingles 

crushed stone 

 Likewise, Ray, some very nice looking realistic roads.  In particular, I like your rounded support concrete walls under your track'... Very nice indeed'..👍⭐👌

Here is a few of my different versions:  First is 1/8th " cork,  painted with acrylic color pavement. weathered with pan pastels. white glue painted jet black for road tar patch..

This PVC (AKA) Foamy, no paint, white chalk weathering, and white out roller stripes..

This is 2 Home Depot large paint mixer sticks glued together.  Covered with spackle and covered with jet black fine ballast solidified with white glue.  I did want a grainy look'...  Forum member, Toledo Ed, invented the ballast for black top..

Close up, distance shot

This is actual cork road bed for under the tracks.  Painted with Woodland Scenics Topcoat'  WHen I built these roads, I was unaware of all the other methods available.  I also used Rust Oleum textured stone paint for certain areas.  It looks like actual cement/concrete roads. As soon as I can find those pixs, I'll post it...

The responses to this topic have offered many great options.  After some investigation and suggestions from forum members, I ended up using a product mostly described as "Foamies." The product is basically a sheet of colored foam.  The product is available in numerous colors, but I  went with black.  The product accepts a flat acrylic "pavement" color paint well.  For stripping, I decided to use 1/8" auto pinstriping.

I approached the thickness choice in two ways.  For North Main Street lined with MTH buildings, I used a 5mm with a 3mm over it to bring up the height of the road to bring the building curbing more in scale.  For South Main Street at the opposite end of the table, I used 3mm for the road, and placed the Woodland Scenics structures on a 6mm "Foamie" sheet (12" x 12") to create the curbing effect.  I painted the 6mm sheets a concrete gray...looks great bordering the flat black roads.  The 5mm sheets l bought came in a 12" x 18" sheet;  the 3mm sheets in 12" x 18"; and the 6mm sheets in 12" x 12."

I'll post pics of the new South Main Street area located below the mountain range, with two rivers running into Spring Lake, as soon as the finishing touches on the area are complete.  The lake area may bring some likes  Here are the North Main Street pics first.  Hope you all had an enjoyable summer...

Quite a while ago someone recommended a product called ice and water.  It is an underlayment material used in the construction industry.  It comes in rolls about 3 feet by about 40 feet it was about 1/8 inch thick.   I was able to get a partially used roll at a lumber yard for no cost,  It has a very fine gravel surface and a tape on the back which sticks to the table.  It is easy to cut with a razor knife and does not require a lot of seems.  I put lines on with a yellow paint marker.

Marty

Ted

Nice ideas here, the cork looks good as well as the others, in life all roads look a different depending on how old they are, what part of the country and what material was used to make them.

Your scenes are always well done.

Marty, I remember that now, were used to prevent ice buildup and leaks, your roads do look great.

Nice work, Ted....

I made my roads from foam core board, glued down with Liquid Nails.  I painted them with Woodland Scenics Asphalt Top Coat. I used white pinstripe tape for the lines.  

Many thanks to all who added suggestions .. a lot to review and suggestions ... some ideas for me to review and try .. some very elaborate and look fantastic and some relatively simple, yet look great ,, 

 Thanks  a Million Ray'... I appreciate your your nice comments.  Coming from you an excellent modeler yourself, means a lot'....😃👍

@Capetrainman posted:

The responses to this topic have offered many great options.  After some investigation and suggestions from forum members, I ended up using a product mostly described as "Foamies." The product is basically a sheet of colored foam.  The product is available in numerous colors, but I  went with black.  The product accepts a flat acrylic "pavement" color paint well.  For stripping, I decided to use 1/8" auto pinstriping.

I approached the thickness choice in two ways.  For North Main Street lined with MTH buildings, I used a 5mm with a 3mm over it to bring up the height of the road to bring the building curbing more in scale.  For South Main Street at the opposite end of the table, I used 3mm for the road, and placed the Woodland Scenics structures on a 6mm "Foamie" sheet (12" x 12") to create the curbing effect.  I painted the 6mm sheets a concrete gray...looks great bordering the flat black roads.  The 5mm sheets l bought came in a 12" x 18" sheet;  the 3mm sheets in 12" x 18"; and the 6mm sheets in 12" x 12."

I'll post pics of the new South Main Street area located below the mountain range, with two rivers running into Spring Lake, as soon as the finishing touches on the area are complete.  The lake area may bring some likes  Here are the North Main Street pics first.  Hope you all had an enjoyable summer...

 

 

Paul, your roads look great too... nice and neat'... Plus you have a very well placed assortment of vehicles...!!

My roads are made from three layers

1)  .040 Styrene sheet, cut to the shape of the road.  (I use cardboard to make templates)

2)  1/16" thick black foam craft material. Available in 9 x 12 sheets from Craft Store or Amazon

3)  Durhams Water Putty, tinted with black craft paint.

Glue the foam to the styrene with 3M 77 or other contact cement. Apply the Durhams on top of the foam.  Trowel smooth with a toungue depresser.  When it is just about set, trowel a slight crown in the road

Add lines with Automotive Pinstripe tape

Weather to taste

I realize this approach involves more steps than most,  But it does have some advantages

a)  To my eye it looks very realistic

b)  The road is easily made to follow any curve, and it can easily follow any change in elevation

c) The Durhams is extremely durable:  Easy to vacuum, shows no tire marks, impossible to scuff, can even withstand a dropped tool, car, etc

d) When you lay down the road, it will bend. This causes cracks.  They will look quite real.  Because they are.  Even if the Durhams cracks, it stays bonded to the foam base.  But as a bonus, you can chip the Durhams away at the cracks, revealing the underlying black foam which looks just like a tar repair:

 John, your modeling is absolutely beautiful.  Your roads are perfect...  I used Hydraulic Cement for this road and side walk. I liked the natural color. It reminded me of roads I saw in Arizona and Mexico when station there in the service... So, No paint and or weathering...

Paint on foam or masonite.  Not as nice as John's

John, nice road work...you country road scenes look real...especially like the pic with the car approaching the tunnel, with the car dealership above...!

Took a different route for the new South Main Street on the layout.  I continued to use "Foamies" for the roads with a coat of flat black paint applied.  I used 3 mm 12 x 18 Foamies for the roads and placed the buildings on 6 mm 12 x 12 Foamie pads painted gray to create a sidewalk.  The lighting in the pictures is too bright and tends to make the mountain area lighter in color.

@Capetrainman posted:

Took a different route for the new South Main Street on the layout.  I continued to use "Foamies" for the roads with a coat of flat black paint applied.  I used 3 mm 12 x 18 Foamies for the roads and placed the buildings on 6 mm 12 x 12 Foamie pads painted gray to create a sidewalk.  The lighting in the pictures is too bright and tends to make the mountain area lighter in color.

Looking good Paul'.. I like the parallel parking spots'... .🎅🏻  

Masonite and Durham’s Water Putty, auto pinstripes, and Whiteout tape. Also one under construction on ceiling tile.

Looks good John!