| Closeup cutaway of EasySpline roadbed |  Here is a cut-away close up of the spline roadbed I use. Notice I use 5 splines under the track, then I take one additional spline and rip it at a 45° angle and glue it on each side of the roadbed to form the ballast shoulders. The lip underneath the ballast shoulder provides an excellent place to anchor scenery.I cover all the details of doing this spline roadbed in the March 2000 issue of Model Railroader magazine. I also demo constructing EasySpline on volume 2 of the Siskiyou Line video series, and I show how to lay flex track on the spline using latex caulk. |
| EasySpline roadbed under construction |  This photo illustrates the 1/4" masonite spline roadbed as it is being installed on the layout during construction. I got the technique from Jeff Million ( local modeler) who got it from Lee Nicholas (whose layout is featured in an Allen Keller video). The splines go in fast and form natural easments on curves, and you get a lot of roadbed out of very little material. A single spline was placed along the desired route and held in place with finishing nails tacked into the joists. Once satisfied with the route, a second spline is glued to the first. Once the glue sets, the spline will hold its shape. |
