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Securing Bridge Track to the Bridge Deck

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Posted by selector on Monday, June 10, 2019 11:18 AM

This is the stuff I use to seal the gromets on plastic out-buildings, such as garden sheds, and to seal around the down-spout drains on my eave gutters. (Commercial link, but no affiliation, just a handy site on first search for PARR):

https://mrhardware.com/articles-and-videos/aluminum-gutter-leak-repair-using-parbond-penetrating-sealant/

This stuff is easy to use, and it dries semi-clear to a rubbery and durable finish.

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Posted by gdelmoro on Monday, June 10, 2019 6:27 AM

Hi Rich,I’ve used this for the same reason you did. It worked well for the winter then peeled ot off and discarded in the spring. Only concern I would have is how long is it good for? Will it dry up and crack in 5 years? A call to DAP will probably answer the question.

Gary

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Posted by richhotrain on Monday, June 10, 2019 5:53 AM

All of this talk about caulk reminded me of a window sealant that I had used years ago during the winter to seal out drafts. The sealant was easily removable in the Spring when it became desirable to open the windows for fresh air.

I did a search and found DAP SEAL 'N PEEL Removable Weatherstrip Sealant. This could well be the answer to what I am looking for.

https://www.dap.com/dap-products-ph/seal-n-peel-removable-weatherstrip-sealant/

Anyone have any experience with this product?

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by zstripe on Sunday, June 9, 2019 5:51 PM

The guy probably used interior silicone calk. Which will not stretch in weather conditions. I have used exterior Latex calk with silicone on an awning, around My garage, some window trim and many other outside projects, that were done many yrs. ago, about the mid-80's. I have lived in the same house for 39 yrs. and not any of those projects show any signs of what You describe. The calk I used was not cheap, even for the 80's. I even used it on My 27ft, cabin crusier that I used to have, was waterproof, along with fuel proof. Contractors today are a dime a dozen..................

Take Care! Big Smile

Frank

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Posted by gregc on Sunday, June 9, 2019 4:48 PM

i've been disappointe by silicon thinking of it as a glue.   When I've used it for sealing things, after a while the bead separated from the sufaces allowing water/moisture in.   I noticed that all the caulking around around the metal trim on my garage has separated.   I can pull the caulking out in one solid piece.   A contractor installed the siding, the trim and what looks to me like silicon caulk.

couldn't tell you how long or if it depends on being outside in the cold or sun..

the guy at the hardware store said there are different types of silicon and the more sticky the more expensive.   I couldn't tell which are/aren't sticky.   hence why i use shoe goo for water tight seals and even glueing rubbery plastics.

greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading

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Posted by Track fiddler on Sunday, June 9, 2019 10:18 AM

Clear polyseamseal available at Menards.  The stuff holds like super elastic bubble plasticSmile, Wink & Grin but is reversibleYes

TF

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Posted by richhotrain on Sunday, June 9, 2019 10:14 AM

rrebell
 
richhotrain 
rrebell

I use CA, not much, just a spot or two of the geled type.  

Ahh, another vote for CA.  Thanks. Dunno, CA seems a bit too permanent for my liking. 

Rich 

Tends to just pop off when it is plastic to plastic and we are not talking alot here, just a dab here and there. 

OK, CA will be part of my experiment.

Rich

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Posted by rrebell on Sunday, June 9, 2019 10:04 AM

richhotrain

 

 
rrebell

I use CA, not much, just a spot or two of the geled type. 

 

 

Ahh, another vote for CA.  Thanks. Dunno, CA seems a bit too permanent for my liking.

 

Rich

 

Tends to just pop off when it is plastic to plastic and we are not talking alot here, just a dab here and there.

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Posted by richhotrain on Sunday, June 9, 2019 8:38 AM

zstripe

Rich,

Why don't You just use clear silicone calk then. I few dabs of that on some strategic areas would be all you would need to hold it down, then can be removed by cutting a slit with a xacto blade and peeled away. Didn't You ever use it before around the house? Even the glue I suggested can be removed by cutting a slit in the side and peeled away, without damaging anything. It feels like hard rubber when it is cured, similar to a silicone calk when it cures.

Take Care! Confused

Frank 

Frank, you are right.  I am overly concerned about damage and adhesive residue. I will experiment with some of the adhesives mentioned here in this thread. I do have an unused single track truss bridge and some spare pieces of bridge track, so I will start there.

Thanks for the gentle push.  I need it.

Rich

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Posted by zstripe on Sunday, June 9, 2019 7:19 AM

Rich,

Why don't You just use clear silicone calk then. I few dabs of that on some strategic areas would be all you would need to hold it down, then can be removed by cutting a slit with a xacto blade and peeled away. Didn't You ever use it before around the house? Even the glue I suggested can be removed by cutting a slit in the side and peeled away, without damaging anything. It feels like hard rubber when it is cured, similar to a silicone calk when it cures.

Take Care! Confused

Frank

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Posted by richhotrain on Sunday, June 9, 2019 5:18 AM

gregc

i use Shoe Goo for lots of things around the house, including regluing soles on shoes.   It's very sticky, stay flexible and can be pulled apart.

I would think that whatever you use, you just need a few dabs appied with toothpicks.

i wonder if it would be noisy if just allowed to fully float 

Thanks, greg. That is the type of adhesive that I am looking for. Just something to hold the bridge track down, but something that can be easily removed without damaging the bridge or the bridge track, and without leaving any trace of the adhesive for that matter.

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by richhotrain on Sunday, June 9, 2019 5:16 AM

rrebell

I use CA, not much, just a spot or two of the geled type. 

Ahh, another vote for CA.  Thanks. Dunno, CA seems a bit too permanent for my liking.

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by gregc on Saturday, June 8, 2019 5:08 PM

i use Shoe Goo for lots of things around the house, including regluing soles on shoes.   It's very sticky, stay flexible and can be pulled apart.

I would think that whatever you use, you just need a few dabs appied with toothpicks.

i wonder if it would be noisy if just allowed to fully float

greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading

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Posted by rrebell on Saturday, June 8, 2019 2:49 PM

I use CA, not much, just a spot or two of the geled type.

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Posted by richhotrain on Saturday, June 8, 2019 5:57 AM

Thanks, Frank, I appreciate those comments and recommendations.

I need to decide whether to secure the bridge track to the bridge deck or just let it "float", so to speak. If I do decide not to secure the track to the deck, I will still need to install some sort of side-to-side bracing to prevent lateral shifting of the bridge track.

I really do appreciate all of the replies and I need to re-read them all several times to decide upon a course of action.

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by zstripe on Friday, June 7, 2019 5:16 PM

I use either screws.....#0 round head black wood screw's or lately Loctite GO2 Gel adhesive. Goe's on clear, drys clear very strong, once cured. It is Not a CA:

https://www.amazon.com/Loctite-Clear-Adhesive-60-Fluid-1832982/dp/B00PDAMZ3C/ref=sr_1_3?gclid=CjwKCAjwlujnBRBlEiwAuWx4LRNaS_qmRDp5kGTAUiATGkfow8teA3ZfTF02IUmWdE4La3PAQdZl8xoCz20QAvD_BwE&hvadid=174230963650&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9021651&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=15601690292460671174&hvtargid=kwd-76910483137&hydadcr=24660_9648999&keywords=loctite+go2+gel&qid=1559944848&s=gateway&sr=8-3

The bridge piers, pier bumpers, even the acetate water is held in place with it:

In the next photo, the bridge glued to the piers and the whole bridge is turned on it's side with the GO2 adhesive is the only thing holding it:

 

Take Care!

Frank

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Posted by BroadwayLion on Friday, June 7, 2019 7:03 AM

Whale, on a previous layout, I installed the track before the bridge and figured to build a bridge around it.

 

How does the track flay through space without a bridge?

 

Lion went down to metal shop and cut two peices of sheet metal about 18" long by .75" wide. I then put the work in a brake the long way so that less than half of it was held by the clamp and half of it would be bent up. I pulled the brake so that I had a "V" shape peice of metal. I slipped each side of the track into the "V" and then glued the metal  with the track in it across the gap in the layout.

The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.

Here there be cats.                                LIONS with CAMERAS

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Posted by gmpullman on Thursday, June 6, 2019 11:46 PM

I have been finding more and more uses for these small, clear sticky dots on the model railroad:

https://tinyurl.com/y2gcz8po

I wouldn't hesitate to use them for anchoring bridge track to the deck of a bridge. I seem to recall that the Walthers/Shinohara bridge track I used had a bit of an arc to it. You could place extra dots toward the middle section so it wouldn't pop up in the future.

These are great for sticking acetate into brass cars and plastic structures, too. I also use them for sticking wiring inside locos during a decoder install:

 Fugitive_dots-wire by Edmund, on Flickr

 Generically it is known as "Fugitive Glue".

Good Luck, Ed

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Posted by richhotrain on Thursday, June 6, 2019 9:52 PM

doctorwayne

I use a fairly coarse sandpaper to roughen the bottom of the ties, then apply contact cement to them and to the bridges on which they'll sit.  

Thanks, Wayne.I have thought about contact cement as an option. I need to give that more thought.

Rich

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Posted by richhotrain on Thursday, June 6, 2019 9:49 PM

selector

I use a stronger goop that I apply with the end of a toothpick to the stringers supporting the ties, something considerably stronger than, say, Aleene's tacky glue.  It will be closer to a contact cement.  

Thanks, Crandell, for your comments.

Rich

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Posted by richhotrain on Thursday, June 6, 2019 9:48 PM

ROBERT PETRICK

Little bitty micro screws, #0 or #00. Machine thread, wood thread, or sheet metal thread. About 1/4" long. Insert through existing track nail holes or drill through tie with #62 bit and pin vise. The trick is lining up ties of track with beams and/or girders (or whatever substrate) of bridge structure. You only need a couple to secure track.

Thanks, Robert, for your comments. I hadn't given any thought to micro screws. Another option to think about.

Rich

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Posted by richhotrain on Thursday, June 6, 2019 9:35 PM

BATMAN

Turnouts and bridge track I let float. However a couple of times like where my bridge track is curved I have put a couple of dabs of caulk about half the size of a dime to hold things in place better.

I have had reason to pull it up and when I do I just roll the caulk off with my thumb and it comes right off. I then just dab a bit of new stuff on when I replace it.

With a 30" bridge I would probably only put 3 or 4 little dabs the entire length. 

Thanks, Brent. Your comments give me something to think about.

Rich

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Posted by selector on Thursday, June 6, 2019 1:11 PM

I use a stronger goop that I apply with the end of a toothpick to the stringers supporting the ties, something considerably stronger than, say, Aleene's tacky glue.  It will be closer to a contact cement.  Turnouts, though, I generally ballast (carefully), and let that bonded medium hold them in place.  Spray with water, wait-two-three, and then get the metal spatula under it.  Again, very thoughtfully or you'll snag the throwbar.  Tongue Tied Sad Indifferent

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Posted by ROBERT PETRICK on Thursday, June 6, 2019 11:54 AM

Little bitty micro screws, #0 or #00. Machine thread, wood thread, or sheet metal thread. About 1/4" long. Insert through existing track nail holes or drill through tie with #62 bit and pin vise. The trick is lining up ties of track with beams and/or girders (or whatever substrate) of bridge structure. You only need a couple to secure track.

There are matching little bitty taps for these little bitty screws, but most substrates can be self-tapped by whatever screw you use. Don't forget to drill little bitty pilot hole in substrate a little bit smaller than screw.

Robert

EDIT  Added photo of a some little bitty screws, bolts, and nuts I have on hand and could readily find.

LINK to SNSR Blog


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Posted by doctorwayne on Thursday, June 6, 2019 11:06 AM

Because the track on most of my bridges is curved...

...I use a fairly coarse sandpaper to roughen the bottom of the ties, then apply contact cement to them and to the bridges on which they'll sit.  The bridge ties are engineering plastic, so cannot be cemented to the styrene bridges using solvent -type cement.  Ca is also not an option, as all bridges are removeable and will flex vertically to some degree when they're removed or put back into place, stressing the brittle joints created by ca.
After letting the cement dry for the recommended time, the track is put in place.  Where alignment needs to be precise, waxed paper can be placed on the bridge, then slowly withdrawn as the track is jockeyed into position.
The same method is used to secure the guard rails, although the woodgrain detail moulded into the tie-tops is rough enough to omit the need to sand them, and the moulded-on spike heads also help to keep the guard rails properly aligned.

Wayne

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Posted by BATMAN on Thursday, June 6, 2019 10:44 AM

Turnouts and bridge track I let float. However a couple of times like where my bridge track is curved I have put a couple of dabs of caulk about half the size of a dime to hold things in place better.

I have had reason to pull it up and when I do I just roll the caulk off with my thumb and it comes right off. I then just dab a bit of new stuff on when I replace it.

With a 30" bridge I would probably only put 3 or 4 little dabs the entire length.

Brent

"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."

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Posted by richhotrain on Thursday, June 6, 2019 9:22 AM

Bigjim7
Tackyglue' superglue' caulk ect. 

I really try to avoid stuff like super glue and caulk for reasons previously mentioned. But I have considered something like Tacky Glue, just to prevent side-to-side movement.

Rich

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Posted by richhotrain on Thursday, June 6, 2019 9:20 AM

riogrande5761

I let mine float as well on the last layout but adhesives would seem to be the solution if you wanted track secured in place.  Perhaps a thick "goo" type adhesive applied fairly sparingly. 

That's what I have done on my other bridges. There is nothing holding them down, but they seem to be heavy enough to stay in place without any adhesive. My main concern is always to prevent side-to-side movement.

Bridge track is expensive so I try not to do stuff that will make it harder to sell at a decent price if and when that day comes.

Rich

Alton Junction

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