 Joined: 15/02/2021(UTC) Posts: 213 Location: Quebec, Montreal
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It has been suggested in one of my other thread to use Merkur track bed for my flex track.
What makes Merkur track bed different from any other. I looked at the web site but all I can guess is that there is an indent in the cork for track placement?
Seems to me like a big investment, is it worth the benefit? If so why?
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 Joined: 17/02/2008(UTC) Posts: 605 Location: Glen Oaks, N.Y.
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Hi,
I recently switched to K track and purchased the Merkur track bed. While they suggest gluing the bed to the surface, I have not done this, I rely on the fit of the track into the bed, the level surface and the weight of the train to keep it from moving. I have not had any issues with this except one minor item. A long straight section of track bed (1 meter) typically requires 1-2 cuts to allow all the K track cross sections to fit in the track bed. Seems the geometry is off by a really small amount. This could be I left the track bed lay around for a while and it 'swelled up' or 'shrank' by a millimeter. Very minor in my mind. I felt the Merkur product was easier to work with versus building my own bed (which could be messy)
Regards
Harvey
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Joined: 10/02/2006(UTC) Posts: 3,997
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Merkur track bet is totally worth it.
Harvey,
Different K-tracks have slightly different spacing in the ties (sleepers)
When you insert flex track into long strips of Merkur roadbed, you sometimes have to 'gather' the ties closer together, just push them along the rails. |
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 Joined: 04/02/2011(UTC) Posts: 3,563 Location: Paris, France
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Hi Originally Posted by: Puttputtmaru  It has been suggested in one of my other thread to use Merkur track bed for my flex track.
What makes Merkur track bed different from any other. I looked at the web site but all I can guess is that there is an indent in the cork for track placement?
Seems to me like a big investment, is it worth the benefit? If so why? What I know is Merkur started those track bed very long time ago: I used them on my N gauge Arnold layout in 1978. So obviously they have a lot of experience. What does it bring? * the key difference is you only glue the track bed and not the track (flex and track pieces) which are inserted into place without gluing * no corrosion of (K) track contacts because of the glue * no vertical bending of the track resulting in a much better laid track * much better noise absorption because an elastic link (foam) between the track and the layout structure * much better functioning of junctions because of no loose ballast * much better reuse of track afterwards (It is brand new after extraction) * very professional finish without much work The down sides are: * price * increase height of track * not practically usable for lower levels of layout Now using Märklin C Track I don't need much ballasting. I have used some K flexible track but with Faller cork bed and C Track ballast from Noch. Big pain in the neck and poor result compared to Merkur ballast Cheers Jean |
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 Joined: 30/08/2002(UTC) Posts: 1,288
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Originally Posted by: Harvey A long straight section of track bed (1 meter) typically requires 1-2 cuts to allow all the K track cross sections to fit in the track bed. Seems the geometry is off by a really small amount. This could be I left the track bed lay around for a while and it 'swelled up' or 'shrank' by a millimeter. I learned to add the track bed to the flex track, before bending the flex track and before laying the track bed on the layout. With this method, I never needed to cut the track bed as you describe. |
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Joined: 10/02/2006(UTC) Posts: 3,997
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the other thing to note is that most (all?) professional layouts that use Märklin, use K-track and Merkur. I have even noticed the Märklin catalog showing how to insert K-track onto Merkur roadbed. |
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Joined: 29/01/2009(UTC)
Posts: 301
Location: Sheffield,
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Totally worth it, speaking from experience so much easier than ballasting the entire layout, which I find very tedious. |
Must build something |
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 Joined: 09/08/2008(UTC) Posts: 1,919 Location: Auckland,
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I have used Merkur for a number of years and found it to be a very good product for all reasons mentioned above. In terms of cost I think it is not that expensive if you consider that without it a modeller would have to buy underlay for sound absorption, glue and ballast in much larger quantities. When this is taken into account the Merkur looks good as you get a professional finish without pay much more per metre.
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 1 user liked this useful post by mvd71
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 Joined: 23/07/2014(UTC) Posts: 8,480 Location: ENGLAND, Didcot
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Originally Posted by: DaleSchultz the other thing to note is that most (all?) professional layouts that use Märklin, use K-track and Merkur. I have even noticed the Märklin catalog showing how to insert K-track onto Merkur roadbed. Not totally true. The layouts they take around the various IMA shows use C track these days. [edit] Whoops, I thought you were talking about layouts made by Marklin themselves. But the comment still stands, that there are significant numbers of layouts produced by commercial layout manufacturers that use C track. [/edit]
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Joined: 10/02/2006(UTC) Posts: 3,997
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yea thats why I said 'most'....
Märklin of course has to use C-Track, and it would look bad if they had to rely on a 3rd party product to make their K track look decent :-)
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Joined: 15/02/2021(UTC) Posts: 213 Location: Quebec, Montreal
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This is really a good endorsement by all for the Merkur., I will have to give it a try for sure.
Now to find a dealer in Canada or make a large order to make it worth while ordering from Germany I guess.
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Joined: 10/02/2006(UTC) Posts: 3,997
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You may have to order direct from Merkur in Germany. Its not difficult it just takes some weeks to get across the pond. (And would be no different for a dealer.) https://www.merkur-styroplast.de/ |
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1 user liked this useful post by DaleSchultz
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Joined: 17/02/2008(UTC) Posts: 605 Location: Glen Oaks, N.Y.
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No one carries their product in the US. Likely the same in Canada. Delivery in the US is slowed significantly due to the USPS issues (5 months for my last order). My first order pre-Covid, pre-USPS issues) was 5-6 weeks. If the number of flights increase significantly, DHL may switch back to air freight.
Harvey
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Joined: 30/08/2002(UTC) Posts: 1,288
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Originally Posted by: Puttputtmaru What makes Merkur track bed different from any other. I looked at the web site but all I can guess is that there is an indent in the cork for track placement?
It’s made from a plastic foam material, not cork. This makes the Merkur track bed less noisy and more flexible. Yes, the track bed has indent for the sleepers. We - ”The Merkur Fans” - haven’t mentioned how good these indents are for the specific turnout track bed parts. No more ballast glue in sensitive areas causing jerking turnouts. When it comes to sleeper distance: If you are strict using flex track bed for flex track, and the other track bed parts dedicated for each standard track (including turnouts), in my experience they all fit well. My recommendation is therefore to design the layout carefully in a PC program before ordering the track bed from Merkur. The flex track bed is 100 cm and the 2205 flex track is 90 cm. I cut approx. 10 cm from the track bed, draw the soldered track cables through the track bed, add the track bed to the flex track, and then lay the whole ”package” on the layout. I found this as a best practice for myself. This makes it easier to manage fine tuning of rail cutting at track joins. You may have use for the 10 cm leftovers in other areas of the layout. Any track bed joins will disappear usin the loose ballast they offer. |
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1 user liked this useful post by PeFu
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 Joined: 04/12/2013(UTC) Posts: 2,261 Location: Hobart, Australia
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1 user liked this useful post by PJMärklin
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 Joined: 15/12/2005(UTC) Posts: 3,594 Location: Spain
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I have used it on my 2nd and 3rd layout (I am currently on my 4th and "final" layout).
I was pretty happy with it when I used it; Nice looking with little effort.
I stopped using it, because it seemed too expensive, and I had trouble sourcing it for a long time. (However, it now seems to be "back in business")
It gives a very uniform looking layout. Maybe even too uniform. However, everything you can do to your OWN ballasting, you can do to the Merkur too, so that shouldnt really be a detracting point.
If I had lots of money and good access to it, I would probably use it, if starting a new layout.
Especially MiWuLa and Brima seems to use Merkur everywhere. |
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Joined: 09/11/2013(UTC) Posts: 335 Location: Toronto, Canada
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Originally Posted by: Puttputtmaru This is really a good endorsement by all for the Merkur., I will have to give it a try for sure.
Now to find a dealer in Canada or make a large order to make it worth while ordering from Germany I guess. EuroRailHobbies in BC might have some Merkur left in stock but you'll likely have to order from Germany. I ordered direct (as Dale suggested) a couple of years ago. |
My Layout Build | Märklin CS3+ | K-track | Merkur | Viessmann | LDT | iTrain | Modeling primarily DB EpIV-VI
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Joined: 10/02/2021(UTC) Posts: 3,904 Location: Michigan, Troy
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Originally Posted by: Roland Originally Posted by: Puttputtmaru This is really a good endorsement by all for the Merkur., I will have to give it a try for sure.
Now to find a dealer in Canada or make a large order to make it worth while ordering from Germany I guess. EuroRailHobbies in BC might have some Merkur left in stock but you'll likely have to order from Germany. I ordered direct (as Dale suggested) a couple of years ago. No, I checked already. They don't carry it anymore.
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Joined: 15/10/2006(UTC) Posts: 2,319 Location: Washington, Pacific Northwest
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The key features that make it worth the expense from my view, when using K-track are:
1) The foam used I think has a proven long time stability (doesn't break down into soft gunk like other soft foam bedding)
2) Consistent full bedding optics from straight track through turnouts vs the 'un-ballasted open spaces' typical of using ballasting in K-track. |
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Joined: 15/02/2021(UTC) Posts: 213 Location: Quebec, Montreal
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You got me convinced guys.
Still in the planning stage for my layout but Merkur, instead of cork or Woodland track-bed, is in the cards.
Unpacking old boxes of my last layout and rediscovering past memories.
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3 users liked this useful post by Puttputtmaru
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Joined: 28/11/2004(UTC) Posts: 143 Location: San Francisco
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I’ve been using merkur with my module l building for the module group. You don’t need to glue it down just use the k track screws and screw the track down. You can always unscrew it and adjust if necessary.
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Joined: 15/10/2006(UTC) Posts: 2,319 Location: Washington, Pacific Northwest
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Originally Posted by: jlopez You don’t need to glue it down just use the k track screws and screw the track down. Does that not defeat one of the benefits of the foam track bed by creating a rigid connection to the baseboards and thus transmitting vibrations more directly? |
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Joined: 09/08/2008(UTC) Posts: 1,919 Location: Auckland,
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Originally Posted by: Minok Originally Posted by: jlopez You don’t need to glue it down just use the k track screws and screw the track down. Does that not defeat one of the benefits of the foam track bed by creating a rigid connection to the baseboards and thus transmitting vibrations more directly? Yes, it does to a degree. Although in that scenario the Merkur will still dampen the sound. Better to glue the Merkur and have the track free
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Joined: 17/09/2006(UTC) Posts: 18,771 Location: New Zealand
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Originally Posted by: kiwiAlan Originally Posted by: DaleSchultz the other thing to note is that most (all?) professional layouts that use Märklin, use K-track and Merkur. I have even noticed the Märklin catalog showing how to insert K-track onto Merkur roadbed. Not totally true. The layouts they take around the various IMA shows use C track these days. [edit] Whoops, I thought you were talking about layouts made by Marklin themselves. [/edit] The new Marklin Museum layout is K track and there's an awful lot of it that layout. Take a look at some of the pictures in the New York Times article about Marklin, there's a few of this layout. https://www.nytimes.com/...del-trains-pandemic.html
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Joined: 15/12/2005(UTC) Posts: 3,594 Location: Spain
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Originally Posted by: Bigdaddynz Hum... Actually... It looks like C-track to me! Definitely the first part, with the camera-lok, is C-track!!! On another overview you see some kind of "sweeping" lines, but not QUITE the same sweep as you see with K-track. They might have mixed with K, and/or tweaked stock C-track. |
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Joined: 17/09/2006(UTC) Posts: 18,771 Location: New Zealand
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That's definitely K track, although the roadbed has been painted and partially ballasted in this picture I took in 2019. 
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Joined: 17/09/2006(UTC) Posts: 18,771 Location: New Zealand
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This is the area where the video was taken (red circle) and you can see that area wasn't developed when I viewed the layout in 2019. It may well have been done with C track, as Henrik points out it certainly looks like C track in the video.  
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Joined: 04/02/2021(UTC) Posts: 484 Location: USA
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I started with Merkur roadbed for K track, but notice that it pushes rail connections just a little apart. There is no lock mechanism in K track connections, so how can i best shave a mm from Merkur styroplast to improve track connects? The roadbed otherwise fits great and looks wonderful. |
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Joined: 04/02/2011(UTC) Posts: 3,563 Location: Paris, France
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Hi Ben
I used Merkur roadbed for a N scale layout and had just great results:
- very nice look
- sound dampening
- keeps track together
- track remains removable without interference with the landscape
In your case, the track bed being elastic, if you pull (even slightly) on it, it may change the distance between track pieces.
Cheers
Jean |
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1 user liked this useful post by JohnjeanB
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Joined: 09/08/2008(UTC) Posts: 1,919 Location: Auckland,
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Originally Posted by: BenP I started with Merkur roadbed for K track, but notice that it pushes rail connections just a little apart. There is no lock mechanism in K track connections, so how can i best shave a mm from Merkur styroplast to improve track connects? The roadbed otherwise fits great and looks wonderful. The roadbed can easily be cut with a modelling knife to shave a little off to get perfect joints.
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2 users liked this useful post by mvd71
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Joined: 04/02/2021(UTC) Posts: 484 Location: USA
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I experimented with trimming and found spinning stationary wheel handy for tiny corrections. I also realized that placing track joins in middle of merkur roadbed sections keeps rails nicely together. I just needed to cut one piece in half to create a circle segment with tight rail fit. And no need to screw track down. This is sturdy, dampens sound and looks great. (btw, 3370 ice set is for sale)  20230427_100323.jpg (1,021kb) downloaded 16 time(s). |
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2 users liked this useful post by BenP
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