jjdamnit Hello All, riogrande5761 ...you might want to go "old school" and fasten the track down with Atlas Track Nails. Twice the OP has said he is using foam as a base. Traincraft199 ...layout with pink foam on top. Traincraft199 (I)s it the same for laying track directly on foam? Track nails, spikes, and/or Brads don't hold well in foam. That's why I posted... jjdamnit After I am satisfied with my track work I ballast it in place and remove the brads. The ballast glue holds the track to the roadbed, in my case Woodland Scenics foam (Add snarky comments here). Hope this helps.
Hello All,
riogrande5761 ...you might want to go "old school" and fasten the track down with Atlas Track Nails.
Twice the OP has said he is using foam as a base.
Traincraft199 ...layout with pink foam on top.
Traincraft199 (I)s it the same for laying track directly on foam?
Track nails, spikes, and/or Brads don't hold well in foam. That's why I posted...
jjdamnit After I am satisfied with my track work I ballast it in place and remove the brads.
The ballast glue holds the track to the roadbed, in my case Woodland Scenics foam (Add snarky comments here).
Hope this helps.
You've hammered that home. But the OP also commented that he might want to take up the track too. yah?
So I'd suggest the OP not use foam and use something that will hold nails yes?
Homasote or OSB or Plywood. This ain't set in stone is it?
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
tstage ATLANTIC CENTRAL How long have you had a layout in service using Alex Plus? Sheldon, Actually 10+ years...and it still took some effort to slowly & steadily pry up the trackwork with a putty knife. So, despite your preference for using an adhesive with higher cohesive strength - and that's perfectly fine, Alex Plus Acrylic Latex caulk works and holds quite well from my experience. I take it that the PolySeamSeal adhesive caulk remains flexible after it dries? Tom
ATLANTIC CENTRAL How long have you had a layout in service using Alex Plus?
Sheldon,
Actually 10+ years...and it still took some effort to slowly & steadily pry up the trackwork with a putty knife. So, despite your preference for using an adhesive with higher cohesive strength - and that's perfectly fine, Alex Plus Acrylic Latex caulk works and holds quite well from my experience.
I take it that the PolySeamSeal adhesive caulk remains flexible after it dries?
Tom
Yes, PolySeamSeal, and its competitor which is nearly identical, Phenoseal, are adhesive caulks that remain flexible, are paintable and do not contain silicone.
They have a much thicker consistancy than "painters caulk" Like Alex and they take a tack much quicker. And yes they are much stronger as an adhesive.
In construction they are used to install things like counter tops, back splashes, solid surface shower walls, and then the same product is used to seal the joints.
Sheldon
riogrande5761...you might want to go "old school" and fasten the track down with Atlas Track Nails.
Traincraft199...layout with pink foam on top.
Traincraft199(I)s it the same for laying track directly on foam?
jjdamnitAfter I am satisfied with my track work I ballast it in place and remove the brads.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
ATLANTIC CENTRALHow long have you had a layout in service using Alex Plus?
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
I would agree with Jim, a new person might want to just nail down track.
I prefer glued down track because of the kinds of track I started out with in the hobby, TruScale wood road bed, hand layed track on wood or homasote, etc.
I don't like cork, would never use foam, but that is me.
SeeYou190 Am I the only one that does not use caulk? I spike my track down, and that is super-easy to move without damaging it. Once everything works and I an satisfied, I add ballast held down with glue, and that holds the track in place permanently. -Kevin
Am I the only one that does not use caulk?
I spike my track down, and that is super-easy to move without damaging it.
Once everything works and I an satisfied, I add ballast held down with glue, and that holds the track in place permanently.
-Kevin
No. I don't use caulk either. I use a combination of Atlas track nails or MicroEngineering spikes.
There seems to be a prevailing trend of gluing track down during the past 10 or so years. I suppose novices may think that this is the "best" way to lay track. Not necessarily. It is an option sure, but I don't prefer it because I've found plenty of times I need to lift track and relay or change something and IMO it's easier to pull out the nails or spikes than peel track that's glued down. At least during the "shake down" phase. Of course after track is ballasted, any nails can be removed if the appearance isn't liked.
Living the dream.
Traincraft199 I want to be able to disassemble it without destroying the track pieces, just in case for some reason I need to.
I want to be able to disassemble it without destroying the track pieces, just in case for some reason I need to.
If that's the case, you might want to go "old school" and fasten the track down with Atlas Track Nails. I know the "in" thing these days is to use caulk to hold track down, but track nails work well too and are a bit more flexible as far as being able to pull them out if you need to remove or change things.
Just make sure when you drive the track nails in, use a nail set and make sure you stop hammering when the nail has a tiny bit of space between it and the tie below. That way you don't bend or distort the tie.
If you want to remove the track later, you can use a pair of needle nose pliers to jerk the Atlas track nails out and remove the track.
My entire staging yard track is fastened down that way - in this case on Homasote.
Here on this close-up you can see the nailheads.
I want to be able to disassemble it without destroying the track pieces, just in case for some reason I need to
Building my first layout, 4x8 contemporary urban area in HO scale
Well, my experience is that firmer benchwork and roadbed is quieter roadbed and benchwork.
And again, with benchwork 4', 5' and even wider, I need to be able to climb on it.
Half the people disagree about the caulk, that's fine, they are not building my layout.
How long have you had a layout in service using Alex Plus?
I work in construction, and we will not even buy Alex Plus for paint work, we use better stuff.....
I've always used caulk that dries clear. It comes out white so you can see where it's going. For track, I spread it out so thin that it looks more like the roadbed is wet than it's covered with caulk. And that has always held the track just fine, never popped off. That's how little caulk it takes to actually hold track in place - and allows deliberate action to carefully remove it without damage.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
It's been mentioned several times, but from personal experience, I'll say it again:
I started my first layout not long ago, and just like nailing two boards together, I grew up with the idea that if two nails were good, then six nails were better, and 20 nails were best if you could fit them in.
I used too much caulk. Some came up between the ties. Then when I went to ballast, the caulk was sticking up and it looked terrible.
I tried trimming the caulk with an exacto, but there are still spots on the track where the caulk is visible.
Lesson learned for next layout: Don't use much caulk, and spread it very thin.
York1 John
I asked my doctor if I gave up delicious food and all alcohol, would I live longer? He said, "No, but it will seem longer."
I have to see if I still have any of what I used. The first time I used caulk for laying roadbed and track some 20 years ago, I also used Polyseamseal, partly because it was 5 cents a tube cheaper than the DAP brand - so I saved a whole 5 cents, since one tube did the roadbed AND track for my 8x12 donut layout. Last layout, when I went back to the same big box store, they no longer had Polyseamseal so I ended up with a different one, but it definitely mentions 'adhesive' on the label. There is no silicone in it, not needed for this purpose, it provides no benefit for the purpose of sticking track to roadbed. Different story if using caulk for the actual process of caulkign something like window frames or a tub surround.
I started using adhesive caulk to install track 25 years ago after reading my very first article on the subject.
That guy used PolySeamSeal adhesive caulk and I still use that today.
Why don't I use inexpensive "painters caulk" like Alex Plus?
Because Alex Plus is not adhesive, it is not designed to hold things together. It is a gap filler.
Adhesive caulk like PolySeamSeal is thicker, easier spread thinly and consistently, takes a tack quicker requiring less extra steps to hold track in place, and yes it is more permanent.
I have never concerned myself with taking up and reusing track. All layouts are assumed to be permanent until conditions prove otherwise.
I'm getting ready to build the next layout, and it too will use PolySeamSeal to attach the track to wood or homasote roadbed, not to cork or foam.....
Traincraft199Should I use the same caulk to attach the foam base to the plywood?
Yea, that will work. I also used it to glue layers of foam together, for hills and/or mountains.
Mike.
My You Tube
Should I use the same caulk to attach the foam base to the plywood?
Traincraft199would plain white elmer's glue also work for gluing track?
Yes, I used plain white glue to lay the track on an N scale switching layout and it worked fine. You need to pin or tape the track in place until the white glue dries but it does work.
Hornblower
peahrens Alex Plus is a popular one. Get the clear...from the tube it's white, dries clear. I liked it. DAP Alex Plus 10.1 oz. Clear Acrylic Latex Caulk Plus Silicone-18072 - The Home Depot
Alex Plus is a popular one. Get the clear...from the tube it's white, dries clear. I liked it.
DAP Alex Plus 10.1 oz. Clear Acrylic Latex Caulk Plus Silicone-18072 - The Home Depot
to the forums.
My preferred type of adhesive for foam to wood and roadbed to foam is General Electric (GE) Clear Silicone I or II Caulk.
The difference between these two products is Silicone II is "Rain Ready" in 30-minutes.
Both need at least 12-hours to fully cure. I allow 24-hours before moving to the next step.
An advantage of using silicone caulk is if you need to reposition the roadbed just peel it up and rub off the residue without damaging either material.
To attach the track to the roadbed I use #19 x 5/8-inch brads through the factory drilled holes.
After I am satisfied with my track work I ballast it in place and remove the brads.
Check out this thread on using a dry resin glue mixed with the ballast.
Instant Track-Tackit Ballast Adhesive Questions
If I need to reposition the track after ballasting, soaking it with warm water loosens the ballast enough to pull up the track.
Because the silicone caulk is water-resistant the water that has loosened the ballast does not affect the roadbed.
thanks so much
Yes, just lay a bead of caulk down the center line of the track, you can spread it around alittle, than place the track on the caulk, when everything is lined up the way you want it, weight it down with something, many guys use full soda or beer cans, laying down, between the rails, and let it set.
I make sure the caulk is spread enough, so it doesn't oozes up between the ties anywhere, to leave room for the ballast.
Even as the caulk sets, you can still make any adjustments to the track alignment.
ok. is it the same for laying track directly on foam? latex caulk?
It would take a long time to set/dry, and not sure how good it will hold.
The latex caulk is cheap, 1 tube goes a long way.
Use the white glue for setting balast, scenery, etc.
Mike
Thanks for the advice! would plain white elmer's glue also work for gluing track? I have a ton of it already
Paul
Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent
I follow Mark in suggesting a latex caulk. I used Dap white acrylic latex.
Easy to find in any hardware store, usually a couple of bucks per tube.
That's a construction adhesive, not caulk. It will work, but it will probably cure to be rock hard. I doubt you'll be able to later remove the track without completely destroying it.
I used a foam-friendly version of that stuff to attach my foam base to my benchwork, and that stuff will not let go. If I ever try to remove the foam from the lumber, I'll have to cut or tear it off.
I would suggest you use latex caulk that's foam-friendly. It stays slightly pliable, and if you install the track on a thin layer of it, you can remove the track intact later if you need to, using some care and a putty knife. And it only costs a few bucks a tube at any hardware store.
Mark P.
Website: http://www.thecbandqinwyoming.comVideos: https://www.youtube.com/user/mabrunton
I'm going to build a 4x8 ho scale layout with pink foam on top. Will this caulk that I already have will work for gluing track to cork and also directly to the foam base? https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ppg_-FChVNPYFy3Ly4RsF5E_z8wX9eLi
Or should I use something else?
I want to use cork roadbed on the mainline and no roadbed for the industrial spur because I want the spur to be ground level. I'm using atlas code 83 snap track.