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ballast track

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  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Englewood Florida
  • 25 posts
Posted by fa-1 on Sunday, December 25, 2016 9:58 PM

thanks for the link        very good info.    FA-1

  • Member since
    September 2014
  • From: 10,430’ (3,179 m)
  • 2,311 posts
Posted by jjdamnit on Sunday, December 25, 2016 3:12 PM

Hello all,

Check out this thread. http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/258968.aspx

I use the Dap product mixed with ballast that I harvested (real rock) and it works extreemly well.

I recently removed ballast that I put down by just spraying water over the set ballast and it came up easily.

Hope this helps.

"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Englewood Florida
  • 25 posts
Posted by fa-1 on Saturday, December 24, 2016 9:34 PM

thanks mobilman & basementdweller  tor your help        FA-1

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Englewood Florida
  • 25 posts
Posted by fa-1 on Saturday, December 24, 2016 9:29 PM

thanks  this is the info I wanted    FA_1

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Bradford, Ontario
  • 15,797 posts
Posted by hon30critter on Friday, December 23, 2016 7:14 PM

selector
Use diluted white or yellow glue.

Just be aware that some yellow glues are designed for outdoor use so they are waterproof. That's not what you want.

Dave

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

  • Member since
    February 2004
  • From: Central Ohio
  • 570 posts
Posted by basementdweller on Friday, December 23, 2016 7:12 PM

Use 50/50 white glue mix to glue down ballast. Dried ballast glued this way is easily removed by wetting with rubbing alcohol.

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: Southeast Texas
  • 5,449 posts
Posted by mobilman44 on Friday, December 23, 2016 5:43 AM

For what its worth........ run a bead of the glue mix outside the outer tie edges of the track, and the spoon on the ballast and smooth with a brush.  When both sides of the track are ballasted, lightly spoon ballast between the rails and brush to even out - and do NOT add any adhesive.

This has worked very well for me, and should I ever remove the track, it will easily be ready for reuse.

ENJOY  !

 

Mobilman44

 

Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central 

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Vancouver Island, BC
  • 23,330 posts
Posted by selector on Thursday, December 22, 2016 10:10 PM

Use diluted white or yellow glue.  Wet the ballast first with an alcohol mix to break surface tension between the grains, just enough to make it look wet...no need to have rivers of the expensive alcohol running across your layout.  Same with the diluted glue...dribble it carefully until you're reasonably sure it has penetrated well into the ballast and then leave it to dry over the next 12 hours or so.  You can even remove the track nails when it is hardened.  Later, when you want to lift the tracks, just soak the ballast again, liberally to ensure deep penetration, and wait about four minutes.  Then use a thin old knife to shove the tip under the ties, between them and the roadbed.  Saw back and forth, trying to keep the sharp edge down tight to the roadbed so as not to snag and to detach or mangle ties.  It will all come up.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Englewood Florida
  • 25 posts
ballast track
Posted by fa-1 on Thursday, December 22, 2016 8:24 PM

what should i use to attach ballast on track that may have to be removed at a future time? the track is held with track nails and is on homasote with no roadbed under track[Industrial switching layout].   some kind of soluable glue? thanks in advance.

                                          FA-1

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