So can I glue my flex track down to my layout? I have glued down my 2" risers(from woodland scenics) to my plywood then glued my cork track bed down to that, so can I glue the track, or should I nail it down? Any suggestions?
T
Just when you thought your layout was done, it's time to expand!
Yes, you can attach your flex track to the cork with cheap latex caulk. A very small bead, spread out with a putty knife, so it is not much more than a film on top of the cork will hold it just fine. You do not want enough so that it comes up between the ties.
Where you go around curves it is a good idea to use T pins or some other pin to hold the track in place until the caulk dries. Place books, cans or some other weight on the track to hold it down until dry.
A suggestion, it sounds like you haven't put your track down, paint where your turnouts will go with a textured paint the color of the ballast you are planning to use. This makes it so that you can ballast your turnouts lightly and if there are thin spots in the ballast, they do not show through .. It might be a good idea to paint exposed foam with your earth colored latex paint, just in case the textured paint you use is a foam eater. You could test it on a small piece to check.
Good luck,
Richard
Cowman has it right. Use a thin film of latex adhesive caulk to hold your track down. Others may offer different opinions, but in my experience track nails tend to come loose from styrofoam and cork.
Connecticut Valley Railroad A Branch of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford
"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right." -- Henry Ford
CTValleyRR Cowman has it right. Use a thin film of latex adhesive caulk to hold your track down. Others may offer different opinions, but in my experience track nails tend to come loose from styrofoam and cork.
Another vote for latex caulk. I prefer to use grey color, so 'holidays' in the ballast won't show.
Interestingly, I anchor wood ties (for hand-laid specialwork) with the same latex caulk. AS CTValleyRR notes, track nails don't hold in styrofoam - but that caulk interface grabs track spikes like a bulldog with a chew toy. Pulling them requires about the same force as pulling them out of good-quality pine. I can't credit the ties - mine are cut from medium balsa.
Chuck (Modeling Centraal Japan in September, 1964 - on flex with hand-laid specialwork)
I used adhesive caulk. Just make sure you get the clear stuff.
Springfield PA
Hamltnblue I used adhesive caulk. Just make sure you get the clear stuff.
Actually, I use gray.
Latex caulk wins by most standards today for gluing down track. SHould you ever need to take it up, it can be sliced through with a knife for easy removal.
Remember that you only need a thin layer spread out along the center line to do the job, NOT gobs of it! Use somthing like an artists angled pallete knife or angled cake decorator's frosting knife {available at Michaels and AC Moore} to spread out your thin bead of caulk then lay your track down.
I also used small zip-lock bags filled with play sand placed frequently to weight down the track while the caulk cured.
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
I use the clear siliconized latex caulk, if you don't get siliconized (not silicone) it will crumble over time. Also a thin film is all you need except at transitions like the top or bottom of a grade, not much more but enough to get some bond depending on how smooth your sub-roadbed transition is!