Just found Cascade Rail Supply, http://cascaderailsupply.com/, in my search for affordable roadbed. I am waiting for their reply to my inquiry on cost to provide for my vast 4x8 empire. Was wondering if anyone was familiar with this company and their products.
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Be interesting to get the specifics.
I will let everyone know what I find out. I have attached my "hand rendered" plan for reference. So we can get a true idea of the cost.
I will let everyone know what I find out. I have attached my "hand rendered" plan for reference. So we can get a true idea of the cost.
According to the website it's $9.20 per eight feet.
Pete
Looks like he is asking $9.20 for an 8' bundle which should make it about $1.15 a foot. Will keep everyone posted on what I find out regarding quantity purchase, switch blocks...etc...
Hi all,
My name is Steve Cox and I am the owner of Cascade Rail Supply, the new supplier mentioned in this thread. I got up this morning and my web site count was exploding with visitors from this site. I thought I would post here directly and answer any questions that people may have regarding my products. I am not here to shove my products down your throat, just to provide information to a modeling community that I have not interacted with yet. Please let me know if you have any questions. Thanks.
I have had northwards of 100 visitors from this site since 6:00 this morning (Pacific time). Obviously that caught my attention. In corresponding with Edstrains (the original poster) I have come to the realization that I do not currently have a product that directly meets the needs of the O-27 crowd. So, to ask a couple of questions myself. What do you as modelers need from your roadbed? What thickness, curvature, width, bevel, etc. I can provide whatever is needed I just need to know what you want. This your chance as a community to get exactly what you want so speak up! :-) I am very curious as this is a new area for me.
As seen on Ebay. This will give you a better idea.
Steve;
I have a bunch but will need more.
What I'll need to match is as follows:
5mm thick, Dark Foam, slightly compressible, 30° bevel (more wide than high)
Comes in rolls 50' long but length can be whatever works, I'll be using a lot.
Thanks for dropping in, Don't be a stranger.
Russell
Straight (not curvable) and non beveled are all available just not on tne web site yet. I am expanding the product line as fast as I can:-) As far as banked or superelevated roadbed goes I can make the roadbed but i cannot make the transition pieces between flat and banked roadbed. That would require me to be able to make a constantly changing elevation over the length of the roadbed and I do not have tooling that allows me to do that.
Couldn't find a description of material. Homasote?
I make the roadbed from Homasote. If you are not familiar with it, Homasote is a brand name of a pressed paper board made from recycled newspapers etc. It is very dense, about twice what comparable sound insulation board (its' main use) is. Great for sound absorption, holds nails and spikes well but soft enough to push the nails in with pliers. The only real drawback to it is that cutting it produces huge amounts of soft fluffy dust. That is part of what you pay me for is to deal with the dust. I get it in 4 x 8 sheets and mill roadbed from there. It has been used in model railroad construction since at least the 1960s. You can buy it at many lumber yards and mill it yourself but as I said earlier the dust is nothing to trifle with. You can find out more about the material and the company at Homasote.com
Homasote is a very useful material and is primarily used in buildings for sound atenuation. The only down side is that it can be affected by humidity in very high moisture environments. Where I live, in AZ, and unless you live in an equatorial area, it performs just fine. What I know for sure, from my time in HO and working on a couple of club layouts is that is a good sound insulator to make sure "the roar of the rails" does not make it through to the plywood. If it has enough curfs cut into it, it can be more flexible for tight curves than cork.
Homasote is a very useful material and is primarily used in buildings for sound atenuation. The only down side is that it can be affected by humidity in very high moisture environments. Where I live, in AZ, and unless you live in an equatorial area, it performs just fine. What I know for sure, from my time in HO and working on a couple of club layouts is that is a good sound insulator to make sure "the roar of the rails" does not make it through to the plywood. If it has enough curfs cut into it, it can be more flexible for tight curves than cork.
If one is going to use homasote and there is a concern about moisture/humidity all that needs to be done is to paint the edges which will seal the entire perimeter from moisture absorption. I have done this and know of several other people who have also done it and their basements are not climate controlled for humidity. To date, the homasote has held up very well.
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