im thinking of starting over on my 9x9 shelf layout.
Its built on 1x4 frame boards covered with plywood and blue foam board.
Can I salvage track that isn’t ballasted, or perhaps there is a way?
How do I salvage cork roadbed? Glued down with Elmer‘s. Most of my stuff is.
In my experie, most of the time, flex track, once it’s been glued and formed, it’s a real pain to clean it up and reuse, and cork seems to be worse.
Does anyone one have any tips and tricks to try and salvage any of this, or am I dreaming and if I reset should I prepare myself for the waste and extra cost?
I have had success soaking items glued down with white glue with warm water. The trick is, give the warm water time to work. A putty knife can be used to lift the track and cork.
I have used the the same track and turnouts for the past 3 layouts.
If you soak the ballest with wet water,it'll soften and can be scraped away. By sliding a putty knife,[ or something like it] under track, it should pop up.
You'll need the bottom to be fairly clean, so as to lay flat. Most stuff can be rubbed off.
No experence with the roadbed, as I don't use any. But try the kinfe trick,nothing to lose.
I'm on my third build now, and reuseing most every thing. Some foam, because of land forms won't work, and you'll lose a lot of grd,foam.
I don't spend money till all else fails
91% isopropyl alchohol, the universal solvent for track including ballast, caulking etc. Get yourself a shallow long container, mine is rubbermaid. Put the track in it, including turnouts and then drown it in the alchohol. Wait a while and pretty soon you will notice that gunk is starting to float in the alchohol. there may be some light scrubbing needed but I found the method effective when I reset from my second layout. Unfortunately, you cant buy alchohol in a gallon container the way you can get white glue.
I have no idea of how to salvage cork roadbed or even if it can be salvaged.
Bear "It's all about having fun."
100% right that cork is more difficult to reuse than track. I'd get new cork down but as others noted, slowly slide the track off after wetting it with water.
I am demolishing my current layout in stages and building a new one. I am trashing the flex track and foam roadbed (all nailed down and ballasted using matte medium) and plywood surfaces, while salvaging the turnouts and the framework. The turnouts are not glued down, so salvaging is a lot easier than flex track.
I just felt that it was not worth the effort to try and salvage the plywood surfaces, roadbed and flex track.
Rich
Alton Junction
bearman 91% isopropyl alchohol, the universal solvent for track including ballast, caulking etc. Get yourself a shallow long container, mine is rubbermaid. Put the track in it, including turnouts and then drown it in the alchohol. Wait a while and pretty soon you will notice that gunk is starting to float in the alchohol. there may be some light scrubbing needed but I found the method effective when I reset from my second layout. Unfortunately, you cant buy alchohol in a gallon container the way you can get white glue. I have no idea of how to salvage cork roadbed or even if it can be salvaged.
Yes. A kitchen scrub brush takes care of the rest.
You can also salvage the ballast the same way. Just shpritz it, scrape it up with a putty knife and soak it the same way. Rinse in a strained container and repeat a few times. Spread it out on a paper towel and let it dry. Any clumps usually crumble in my fingers.
The roadbed is pretty much trashed.
- Douglas
A while back someone gave me a few pieces of code 100 flex track covered in ballast. It is of no real use to me. So a few weeks ago I threw it in the bathtub in very warm water for an hour then took it out and put it down on our cement patio, put my foot lightly on it and hit it with the pressure washer. One pass was all it took and the track was like new again. I have no idea what glue had been used or even what brand of track it is. It is totally usable now, flexes nicely.
Maybe I'll use it for a display down the road, but I was just going to chuck it but wanted to see how it stood up to the pressure washer and it did just fine.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Thank you for all of your inputs. I am mostly concerned with saving the track as it is more expensive than the cork roadbed. I'll try an couple of techniques and try to get back with my experience.