3D printing (sub)roadbed sections?

[ednadolski]

Has anyone used 3D printing to create roadbed/subroadbed sections to build track for a layout?  The main thought would be to create interlocking sections that could be piecewise assembled, as an alternative to (e.g.) cookie-cutter plywood or spline.

I'm wondering if say filament printing might be able to produce something suitable for smaller (N/Z) scales.   I suppose most resin printers would not be able to make large enough sections.  I am not sure about the accuracy/stability of filament prints, but others here surely know much more than I do about that.

One possible application I have in mind is to produce curved arc sections that could be assembled into a small-to-medium sized helix.  It could probably be made so that the rail could be directly laid onto the curved sections (presumably the sound levels would not be too objectionable  for smaller scale trains).  It could even be made with appurtenances to accommodate wiring, block/optical detection, and other niceties.

Thoughts?

TIA,
Ed

[chessie system fan]

I suppose my current Z scale code 25 experiments count.  With those, I found the subroadbed subject to warping lengthwise (though adding the rails helped). If I were to build a layout with it, I would need to glue or screw the pieces down to something more sturdy.

For a helix, I could see my printed roadbed working in Z. For N, I don't see how I could do any better than Kato unitrak.  But 3D printing would be perfect for making brackets to hold unitrak in a helix.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

That's exactly what I've done here: https://conrail1285.com/hacked-unitrack/

There's only one issue: I haven't been able to figure out a good way to do curves yet.

[Sokramiketes]

I suppose my current Z scale code 25 experiments count.  With those, I found the subroadbed subject to warping lengthwise (though adding the rails helped). If I were to build a layout with it, I would need to glue or screw the pieces down to something more sturdy.

For a helix, I could see my printed roadbed working in Z. For N, I don't see how I could do any better than Kato unitrak.  But 3D printing would be perfect for making brackets to hold unitrak in a helix.

One benefit over Unitrak might be larger radii.