Roadbed Transition?

[dcarrell8]

I have finished bench work on my HOn3 "Timesaver" project and I'm ready to move forward with track-work.  The section I'm working is a 2'X8' flat representation of a small town with only a water stop, station and a few industries. 

I will most certainly use roadbed on the mainline through the town, but I'm not sure about the rest of the track-work.  I expect industry sidings did not make use of grading during my era (Early 20th century) 

What are common techniques to transition from mainline to branch line/siding with no roadbed? or is it best to place roadbed every where and bring the scenery up to the track level?

~Dennis

[dem34]

It's kinda tedious, but I think the easiest way to do this would be to just get either a fresh exacto knife or scalpel and carefully cut a shallow angle down to ground level.

Could also cut some styrene sheet into shims and just stack them along until you get a good profile.

[C855B]

Carpentry shims:

https://www.menards.com/main/building-materials/drywall/shims-trims/nelson-15-1-4-cedar-shims-42-pack/661-619/p-1444448977953-c-13059.htm

The more common shim size is half the length, but I think for HO you might want the longer version.

[dcarrell8]

Carpentry shims:

https://www.menards.com/main/building-materials/drywall/shims-trims/nelson-15-1-4-cedar-shims-42-pack/661-619/p-1444448977953-c-13059.htm

The more common shim size is half the length, but I think for HO you might want the longer version.

Wouldn't there be a chance of these getting wet and swelling during the ballasting process? 

[C855B]

Not unless you soak the carp out of them. That much water will wash away your ballast first.

If it remains a concern, shims are also available in plastic, albeit in 8" lengths: https://www.menards.com/main/building-materials/drywall/shims-trims/broadfix-1-3-4-wide-x-8-long-plastic-snap-shims-brown-14-pack/ll-101/p-1557729342480-c-13059.htm

[dcarrell8]

Not unless you soak the carp out of them. That much water will wash away your ballast first.

If it remains a concern, shims are also available in plastic, albeit in 8" lengths: https://www.menards.com/main/building-materials/drywall/shims-trims/broadfix-1-3-4-wide-x-8-long-plastic-snap-shims-brown-14-pack/ll-101/p-1557729342480-c-13059.htm

Thanks for the links!  I will definitely give them a try.

[wazzou]

Wouldn't there be a chance of these getting wet and swelling during the ballasting process?

They make composite shims.

[dcarrell8]

Ordered the plastic shims from Manards,  will re-post with pics on my layout engineering thread on how it works out.

~Dennis

[nickelplate759]

Super low tech, but I've used stack layers of shirt cardboard, longest on top, shortest on the bottom.