New N Gauge underlay from DCC Concepts

[NGS-PO]

Details of this new underlay came via a DCC Concepts email:

https://www.dccconcepts.com/?s=track+bed

It looks interesting, and comes with a 10 year guarantee.

Best

Scott.

[PLD]

Personally, I wouldn't  touch any sort of foam underlay... It was all the rage a few years ago among finescale modellers after some big name wrote about it in one of the mags.
It proved too flexible for reliable base board joins on portable layouts that were regularly moved and the long term effects of some glues, paints, or solvents were unpredictable... It might look ok when first laid, but the effects could be slow. Who is patient enough to wait a couple of years after laying the underlay before laying the track??

[red_death]

If it is the material I think it is then it does last but it also compresses over time.

I wouldn't be a fan of using it.

Cheers Mike

[njee20]

Looks just like Plastazote, like the Woodland Scenics stuff.

I used it (edit: Plastazote/WS stuff I mean). Wouldn't bother again. As said it's quite squishy, which is a bit of a pain.  Hasn't worn or compressed, but I can see it causing problems at baseboard joins as described.

[Belly]

I had a look at it but agree with ngee20.

I'll stay with cork.

Cheers,

Geoff

[ntpntpntp]

I'm afraid I wouldn't use it either.  Back in the 80s I used foam underlay and found it gave very little support, if there were any bowing in the pointwork (Setrack diamonds particularly prone to that) then  I ended up having to pin the trackwork so hard through the underlay the stuff might as well have not been there.

I'll stick with cork strip. It works.

[njee20]

It's pretty dense, nothing like the Peco foam or anything, but I do think the squishiness is not actually that helpful. Extremely good noise damping though. Far better than cork, even before ballasting.

[honestjudge]

I wouldn't write this product off yet without a decent review. Modern closed cell foams are quite tough, and as said previously, would possibly have good sound dampening qualities which is a big negative with cork, in my experience.

[Paddy]

Personally I would never touch any form of foam underlay again.  Maybe it works in the larger scales where rolling stock is heavier but in N it results in an uneven track bed (unless you are gods gift at laying it).  On my first layout I had all manner of running problems with the PECO stuff.  On HOLLERTON JUCTION, I laid the track directly on the baseboard and to date I have had no problems.

Kind regards

Paddy

[njee20]

This doesn't look anything like the Peco foam stuff though. Which is much more like a sponge type foam.

[TalyllynJon]

'foam' covers a wide range of materials, so I definitely wouldn't write off this product without seeing it. If it's similar to foamex for example it could be a really solid material.

I was actually quite a fan of Peco's spongey foam underlay when I first got into N gauge as a kid. It was quick and easy to work with, provided good sound proofing and it was relatively easy to remove and re-lay track every time I changed my mind. Having said that, I probably wouldn't use it today, but I'd certainly be interested in this new product. (One issue with Peco's underlay was that it deteriorated over time. When clearing my parents' house I rediscovered my last layout - must've been over 30 years old. I was delighted - but as soon as I touched the track the underlay literally crumbled to dust and the track work disintegrated!)

[silly moo]

It looks similar to Woodland Scenics track bed which is what I use. I have found it very good especially as I have a styrofoam baseboard. The main advantage of this new one is the colour, it's much more realistic and I'm sure some people will use it as is without ballasting.