I finished laying the cork roadbed on my 2" styrofoam sub-roadbed. The next step is putting down track. I read the forum posts about ME, but didn't find answers to my questions. Here they are for everyone to tackle:
TIA!
Lee
#1, 2, 3: I assume you glued your cork roadbed to the foam. Why not glue the track to the cork roadbed? Most often favorably mentioned is adhesive for this purpose is latex caulk. Cork doesn't hold spikes very well, and you have to drill spike holes in the plastic ties to use spikes.
ME track holds its curve or straight much better than almost any other make of track. So there is very little pressure on the fastenings once you have shaped the track.
#4: One of the points of flex track is being able to cut it to the length you need. Xuron rail nippers work better than almost anything else for cutting the rail, and can cut the tie strip, too.
#5: Not a trivial task, especially if this is your first time using flex track of any kind. There have been recent threads on this subject. A quick search should reveal a variety of successful methods used to curve ME flex track.
Fred W
I agree with Fred. I will also add some comments on bending ME flextrack.
When bending ME flextrack, start slowly where you want the curve to start, then keep working down the piece to the end. Don't try and bend the complete curve at once. Work small bends at a time and repeat until you get the curve you want. When bending ME flextrack for the first time, if you can keep it flat on some surface and work it that way until you get use to it, you will be better off, and it will prevent twisting it accidentally.
Once the curve is in and the remainder is, or needs to be straight, get a ruler and realign the straight piece against it, again flat on a table.
Elmer.
The above is my opinion, from an active and experienced Model Railroader in N scale and HO since 1961.
(Modeling Freelance, Eastern US, HO scale, in 1962, with NCE DCC for locomotive control and a stand alone LocoNet for block detection and signals.) http://waynes-trains.com/ at home, and N scale at the Club.
Assuming you are still interested in the questions, I'll expand on my answers a little.
First, sand the top of your cork to ensure it's level. I use a piece of 1x2 wood about 6" long with the bottom front and back corners well rounded so they don't snag. For cork, cut a fairly coarse sandpaper (80 grit?) piece to fit across the bottom of the 1x2 "boat". Curve the sandpaper piece over the front and the back of the boat and tack it in place (I use push pins). The boat can be longer if you curves are broader. Sand so that there are no vertical ridges left where pieces of cork butt up to one another (typically at turnouts and joints). Use your finger as a smoothness test.
Next, curve the track. I find the key to getting consistent curves with ME or GarGraves (I've used both, GarGraves track has similar properties) is to keep the tie spacing consistent. If you let the ties separate into natural groups of 4-5 ties with a slightly wider space between the ties, that wider space will most assuredly have a tighter curve or kink. As Mac said, work the curve in a little at a time, and keep the tie spacing consistent. I like to use a plywood form precut to the desired radius to curve the track against, but don't always have one the right size. Be prepared to cut the track off at the ends where it doesn't curve properly. Others have suggested soldering the joint before curving the track to get it to curve properly near the joint.
Glue the track down to the cork with a very thin film of latex caulk. Others have suggested using an unwanted credit card as a suitable scraper. If you can't see you cork centerline or pencil marks through the caulk, it's too thick. Silicone caulk has more adhesive power, but can't be painted. And you don't need the extra adhesion.
hope this helps