Taping tracks to the homosote

[dehusman]

I can't imagine that the nails required to hold down the track would be so expensive as to cause somebody to look for a "cheaper" alternative. For the cost of a couple of rolls of tape you could buy enough nails to do a room sized layout.

Dave H.

[Fergmiester]

[size=4] Duct tape, lots and lots of duct tape!
Make sure you wrap it clock wise!

seriously.... once you've attached/tacked down, ballast will keep it in place. I suspect one method alone, can't work. Use the two sided tape and nails, then ballast using the glue/water/pigment mix to cement it in place.

Fergie

[robengland]

I used double-sided tape in N scale for a little layout for my son. Only been down for a few weeks so can't comment on long term reliability yet. I fear i may have to lift it and use caulk. We'll see.
I had one short-term problem: some of the curves are pretty tight (about 10" radius). They went down OK but when i came back and cut power blocks the flextrack "popped" straight, making a nasty kink at the gap. The tape just wasn't strong enough to stop sideways movement.
I won't use it again. Sure was quick and clean to lay though!

[AntonioFP45]

Thanks for the info, Orsonroy.

I'm still debating as to whether to use the Blue Styrofoam or Homasote on my new layout which I'm just about ready to build.

10-4.

[orsonroy]

Double sided carprt tape DOES NOT WORK. I've tried it, on several Ntrak layouts. It will seem to hold well, and will really grip your skin, but it'll debond after only a couple of weeks, due mostly to humidity. It's completely worthless (and I tried rolling and weighing down the tape to try to get it to hold).

Nigel suggested heating the tape to try to get it to stick permanently. By the time he suggested it, I had discovered the joys of using caulk to hold down track, so I didn't ever get around to trying heat. It MIGHT be worth an experiment.

If you have access to the right suppliers, 3M does make a double-sided tape specifically engineered for the aircraft industry. It's used to secure laminated sides to each other, and IS a secure, permanent bond. No idea what the stuff costs, tho.

It's a real shame that double-sided carpet tape doesn't work. When I ballasted and shook off the excess, I ended up witht he most realistic N scale ballasting job any of us in my Ntrak club had ever seen. And it didn't gum up the switches, either!

[Anonymous]

The August, 2003 issue of MR had an artiicle about using "topper tape" a vinyl tape used under pickup caps. With adhesive on only one side though, you still have to use a bead of adhesive on the other side. If you have Adobe Acrobat you can read the article in PDF format:
http://www.trains.com/Content/Dynamic/Articles/000/000/004/379dcjrm.asp

The benefit to this material is you get a fast, self -adhesive roadbed. You will probably have to trim the width for the smaller scales.

Wayne

Edited. Actual link to PDF file didn't display correctly. Click on the PDF button on the page the new link above goes to.

[Junctionfan]

Now that I got your attention, does anybody know of anyone who had done this. I don't know how bad it would be for Z or N scalers to use 2 way carpet tape but I can't imagine it would be cheaper than nail. Just thought I would start an interesting thread.