Hobby lobby sells rolls of cork two thicknesses. 3/64 and 5/64. thin is 2 x 8 and thick is 2 x 4. Both sell for around $16 you can go online and get 40% off coupon print or you can show on 3g or 4g phone at check out. Coupon only good on one item per person per visit. So take wife or friend with you when you go and let them buy one. Brings price down below 10 dollars. 

Use of cork, foam, any other materials in reference to sound reduction is a myth. There has been at least three studies done on this subject. Once you balest the track and the glue dries all is bound together and there is not a 2 decimal difference.

Using foam makes construction very difficult. Great for scenery but not for sub roadbed.

Never heard a quiet train. 

I appreciate all the comments; however, I must disagree on the point of sound. Personal experience between the club layout on wood spline and mine on cork (East End already done) shows a marked difference. I may have an advantage over others as I am mostly deaf courtesy of the North Vietnamese government, and my new hearing aids are VERY sensitive to sound which enable me to hear. The volume, to me, is much less with cork. I can adjust my hearing aids and even put them in smile mode (off button and pretend I'm listening to you) if needed. However, at the same range of tone, it is different for me.

In short, I may be more sensitive to differences in tone. As to the foam at the end of the railroad, it is there to support buildings and not operating track. I find it difficult to work with ()as in the old layout) if you are trying to install switches and switch machines. Cutting a pocket or gluing a wood support underneath for a Tortise is a real pain to get things level and tight enough not to malfunction. I just gave up on it and moved to a minimal use of switch machines in favor of ground throws.

Everyone has a different technique - whatever floats your boat and works for you is what you should stick with. I'm open to try new things and many comments help me improve, so I do not object to any criticism or suggestions. In short, I appreciate that someone takes the time to read my blog.

I may have an advantage over others as I am mostly deaf courtesy of the North Vietnamese government...

Not to hijack this thread, but thank you David for your service.  Very much appreciated.

Yes David, thank you very much for your service. We owe our freedom to you and others like you.

I don't wear hearing aids but still use smile mode too! 

Never a waste of time we all forget to quick.

1st Lt US Army 1968-74.

Arthur Houston

David, what are you using for sub-roadbed? You mentioned in your post Luan, but I see pink foam as well as the cork.

Not sure if anyone else will pipe in here, but if you are using what looks like a 3/16" luan and cork on top of your risers that look to be spaced about 12-16" apart there is going to be sag in your baseboards causing issues with your track. I may not be seeing the whole picture here from the images you posted.

I appreciate and acknowledge all the kind words about my service. While my mission in Laos in 1968-69 is still classified today, (we were not there according to the President at the time) I can tell you that I commanded a small team working for MACV/MACSOG.

As a quick aside, I met a fellow warrior from another service who "operated" in the same area years before; we were at the VA Hospital in Lebanon, PA. Small world. "Welcome Home" from me to the other vets who have served in any AO.

Neil,

You have a good eye and the picture doesn't tell the whole story. Using the luan, I ran into the same problem on the recently completed East End. While I've seen actual railroads with track that looks like a small roller coaster, I'm not too keen on emulating them. 

A quick fix with cross braces between the 12" frame solved the problem and set the stage for me to incorporate them  under the main line and other trackage. The pink foam doesn't support any track work - just non-critical scenery/buildings. I had thought of using 1 inch foam for the entire West End and have been following progress on Rick's rebuild (check his blog) after moving to Florida. However, if I were to use a Tortise or other switch machine, I'd have to cut out a pocket for it to fit into and be level etc. Too much work and no tool to accurately and easily do that. 

Thus, most of my railroad incorporates ground throws with the exception of one siding on bothvends of the railroad where the reach is longer than my arm or there are buildings in the way.

BTW, a serious note to all out there who might plan on using homasote for any portion of their railroad. Our club recently had to repair a complete small yard due to swelling and contraction of the material that tore up and bend rail. We've had a hard winter here this year and our building is always kept at 65 degrees. We even had the homasote stored inside for more than six months before using it; so it should have acclimated. Wrong. Thankfully the rest of the railroad is on wood spline and was not affected.