I'm about to start laying track and eventually plan to paint/weather it with acrylic latex paint, e.g.,Polly Scale. I'm using Atlas N-scale flex track. Is it necessary to wash the track sections in detergent to remove any residue that might interfere with paint adhesion? I had read somewhere where someone had reported problems with paint adhesion on the plastic ties of flex track.
Thanks for your help.
Bob
LION does not wash it, but LION models in HO scale and uses Atlas and Model Power tracks.
Him slaps the tracks down, solders the joints, and then slobbers some paint on. LION has even used latex spray paint from a can, and then cleaned the railheads later. Him does not care if coverage is perfect: these are railroad tracks lying on the ground and prototypically have stuff adhering to them or scraped off of them from time to time. Most imperfections will be covered by ballast (if you use ballast).
Or maybe you were planning on painting the tracks before you lay them. I have never done that, and while it sounds like a good idea, the free rail may not slide freely due to being painted to the ties. I have reused painted track many times, and I have found this to be a problem, but not at all insurmountable. You will have to be careful to avoid kinks.
ROAR
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Lion,
Thanks for your response. I have no intention of painting the track before I install it. I've heard about the problems you describe with pre-painted track. The main reason I asked the question was because some of the track I'll be using is track I salvaged from my last layout . It had been sitting around for a number of years. It had never been ballasted, so it's clean of ballast and glue. I'm probably being too compulsive about this but I just wanted to be sure the track was properly prepared for the paint/weathering to follow.
Thanks,
My tracks have been through three or four layouts. It should work fine.
It would all depend on how that track was stored and if it got rather dirty. Placing in a bathtub and scrubbing it off couldn't hurt. I have only seen a couple ocassions on the Wathers/ Shinohara track we use have any issue w not holding the weathering/paint. This was where track was covered w/ tape for some time and I believe was too much pressure was used and when removed pulled some paint off the ties. I will usually only let the 2" tape touch rails when covering during scenery. I think some fool just kept screwing around with pressing the tape to the ties. One of the ones in the "Peanut Gallery" not a worker!
Modeling B&O- Chessie Bob K. www.ssmrc.org
Not a bad idea. I didn't bother myself, and my paint stuck, no problem. But it can't hurt (assuming you dry the track before corrosion sets in) .
David Starr www.newsnorthwoods.blogspot.com
I have painted (rattle cans, outside) my track before laying and weathered it in place and I have never had problems with the paint adhering to rail or ties (and I take a Qtip with oil and run it on the top of the railhead before painting so that any paint on the top of the rail can be easily removed with a rag or piece of roadbed cork afterwards).
Dave Nelson