I do the same with N cork, it lets the ties stick out of the ballast much like a lot secondary track I've been on.
I just started a small yard as well and this is my favourite part!
Keep us posted with the progress!
Here is where the yard sits as of tonight with roadbed down. I've got to piece together sections to complete the bed for the turnouts. I've got some of the pieces of track cut to size for the yard, but I need to solder them together and then weather them, as well as drilling out places for my feeder lines and the tortoise switches.