Dear fellow train enthusiasts',
I need your advices. What is the best underlayment to use to join together Atlas n scale Flex track with Bachmann E Z track. As some of you may be aware there is a difference in height between the atlas code 80 track & the E Z TRACK. How do I make sure that the tracks for both the Bachmann & the Atlas are at the proper height. Any suggestions , comments would be appreciated.
When laying flex track, you should be using something under it such as cork or the Woodland Scenics roadbed. Both are slightly thinner that the plastic roadbed on the Bachmann track so it is just a simple matter of using some thin wood or styrene to shim the roadbed under the flex near where you want to make the joint to get the proper height.
Louis,
I built a double-crossover using #6 Atlas turnouts on my EZ Track layout. After doing some research, the underlayment that worked best for me and is the correct height is foam-core display board, such as is used in school projects, etc. I purchased a piece in the hobby section at our local Walmart. For my double crossover, I set up the Atlas turnouts in the configuration I wanted, set them on the foam-core board and traced the outline, leaving a little extra room around the track for a "shoulder". Next I cut the foam board, using an Xacto matte knife, at a 45-degree angle to match that of the EZ Track roadbed (not exact, I know but at a distance you can't tell the difference). I then painted the foam-core board in a tan color that closely resembles the color of the EZ track roadbed, using a water based latex paint. I mounted the switches on the board using n-scale track nails. They do go all the way through the board but my subroadbed is blue insulation foam, so the nails actually help hold the setup in place. on the ends where the EZ track connects, I notched the foam-core so that the plastic guides on the EZ track slide underneath the snap track and do not have to be cut off.
Hope this helps,
Fred Klein
Okeechobee, FL