CURVABLE VINYL ROADBED
Manufacturer: Mainline Modules, P.O. Box 21861, Chattanooga, TN 37421. Price: 656328 case of 17 pieces (50 feet) 3/8-inch thick by 35 inches long Vinylbed™ curvable roadbed, beige $64.90 each or limestone gray $74.70 each. 658328 case of 17 pieces (50 feet) 1/2-inch thick by 35 inches long Vinylbed™ curvable roadbed, beige $74.90 each or limestone gray $86.20 each. 806500 case of 8 pieces 3/8-inch thick by 5 by 18 inches Vinylbed™ roadbed sheets, beige $17.40 each or limestone gray $20.00 each; 1/2-inch thick, beige $19.90 each or limestone gray $22.90 each.
MODULAR OR INDOOR layouts have requirements as unique as outdoor layouts. One important requirement is a stable, quiet, easy-to-work roadbed. Vinylbed provides an alternative to wood, cork, or paperboard products requiring a lot of carpentry.
It is a firm, flexible ground vinyl material. The roadbed is a one-piece, curvable strip, 3 7/8 inches wide by 35 inches long by either 1/2- or 3/8-inch high, with beveled sides. The two heights let you represent mainline trackage with heavier ballast or branchline/siding track with a lower ballast fill. Attach the roadbed to the benchwork, attach the track to the roadbed, apply ballast and, if necessary, weathering, and you're done.
Vinylbed reportedly resists permanent warping and shrinking and will remain pliable; we are unable to test those manufacturer's claims in the time we have for evaluating the product. We can confirm it has excellent sound absorption qualities and cuts easily with a hobby knife.
Other conveniences: You may brush latex paint over Vinylbed as a combination coloring agent and ballast adhesive. You may curve it in one piece with no need for slits or relief cuts. Yellow carpenter's glue or white glue will hold it firmly to your benchwork and so will Walthers' Goo or Goodyear Pliobond.
With the growth of large scale modular railroading, Vinylbed ultimately should become an industry standard. The quality is very good and the function a necessity.-RR
