EZ-Track Foundation

[jerry w in FL]

i'm getting ready to merge my Wonderland Express (#25001) with EZ-Track in to my Christmas village.  Part of the proposed path has Astroturf for grass for the old setup.  Can i just lay the track on top of that or would it be better to rip it up (hot glued in place)?
Appreciate any advice

[Flare]

How tall is the 'grass' in the turf?

If it's shorter than the roadbed then I wouldn't worry since it's unlikely to interfere with the wheels.

If it's tall enough to lie sideways and touch the rails then I would advise trimming it along the proposed path.

[bbmiroku]

The EZTrack system of roadbed/track integration is designed specifically for rug (or Astroturf) situations.  So go for it.  But I would advise cutting the astroturf down to the bottom so that the track doesn't have too much give in it when your train passes over it.

[Terry Toenges]

In addition to what was mentioned, the Astroturf will help dampen the sound  of the E-Z Track. With it being hollow underneath, trains can sound pretty noisy on a flat surface.

[bbmiroku]

True.  When I store my "Christmas" (November-February) layout, I put it in some cardboard boxes.  When I unpack them, I flatten the boxes and put that on top of the plywood to dampen noise.

[jjwheat]

Thanks for all the replies & advice.  i'm working on the expansion modules now so i'll have room for the new train. The village (permanent display) will basically double in size to about 12' long & 3-1/2' deep with 3 step-back tiers going from waist high to almost the ceiling! The construction & layout part is gonna be easy.  It's the staging phase that'll likely take a while to accomplish on a limited budget! But that's what makes it look like a village vs a bunch of buildings sitting on a table.
Thanks again everyone.
Jerry W - Largo, FL