I just spike the offending rail bits to pull them in or out. This also works for where you've had to remove ties for joining on already laid track, i.e. adding a turnout.
Genesee Terminal, freelanced HO in Upstate NY ...hosting Loon Bay Transit Authority and CSX Intermodal. Interchange with CSX (CR)(NYC).
CP/D&H, N scale, somewhere on the Canadian Shield
Glue the ties to the foam with white glue or latex caulk. Once that's dry, positiont he rails with the gauges and use epoxy to secure the rail to the ties.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Thanks , I tried CA on the wood, styrene and plastic ties previously mentioned but it hasnt worked... The expoxy is a good idea but I dont think is will stick to the foam underlay I used under the track!
I resort to epoxy if I have otherwise nicely laid and ballasted track, but one of the two rails has somehow lifted out of the spikeheads and can't be restored without causing other collateral damage. This has only happened once in my 15 years, and it happens to have been on my latest build, about three months ago now. In order to relieve the rail, I used a cutoff disk and nicked it through, which restored its willingness to remain in position. To adhere it, I pushed the two plungers in a wee bit on the two-part epoxy dispensers you remember from ogling all the neat stuff at the glue counters everywhere, mixed the hardener and resin thoroughly, and applied a small bead around the foot of the rail. This had worked out well. Paint will hide it.
PCB ties can be obtained from your fellow Canadians over at Fast Tracks.
If you've damaged the ties and the rail no longer has any place to clip into - you can try adhesive, epoxy over CA, CA has a tendency to crak, plus if you ever need to solder in PCB ties, or solder feeders on - applying heat to CA gives off some nasty stuff. But It might be better to just cut those sections back and use them where a shorter than full length piece is needed. In the end, this may just be the more reliable solution.
I would try 3 point track guages, as used by handlayers, and two part epoxy.
Dave
Would CA work?
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
After a recent move , I have finally got the flextrack relaid... after I had reused the flextrack some of the ties seperated at joints and the HO gauge says the rails are not the correct gauge especially on corners... I know the trick about using printed circuit boards to keep the rails in gauge but unfortunately it went in the garbage during the move... I have a sheet of brass but the brass will not glue to wood,styrene or plastic ties... short of using track nails to hold the rails on the sides do you have another methods? Where can I buy printed circuit boards up here in the frozen north?