When it comes to glueing track is it ok to glue the track down first and then go back and ballast? I did a little experiment the other day on some old pieces of sectional track using yellow carpenters glue, matt medium. all had equal results but the track need to me removed from the foam or roadbed and the yellow glue spred out with a knife etc. where using the diluted matt medium I just trickeld it down like you owuld with ballsting and the next day it was hard as a rock. I am not sure weahter or not it will loosen up when ballasted, what do you think?
Laying track and then coming back to ballast it later is probably the most common method. It's certainly the procedure I've always used.
Once your track is anchored in place, the minimal re-wetting required by most ballasting techniques shouldn't cause any change in rail alignment. If you're concerned, do the job in two stages:
That way, at least some of the adhesive anchoring the rails should remain unwet and undisturbed. Once the first stage of ballasting is complete, the ballast will hold everything in place until you decide to realign it.
I use latex caulk for anchoring the ties to the roadbed, and intend to experiment to find a firm but flexible way to secure ballast. In my experience, "Solid as a rock," translates as, "Noisy."
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Thanks for the reply Chuck, one of my reasons for asking is I have a yard already layout out and held in place with track nails which I usually remove after the track is set in place. So I was considering for lack of a better term a wet method of gluing down the track such as done when ballasting. Trickle on the diluted white glue or matt medium (seems to be the same stuff to me) weight it down where necessary and after a day or so remove the weights and the track nails.Then go on about painting and ballasting etc.
What I have always done in the past is just spread the glue over the top of the roadbed and follow either paint lines or drawn in lines, I guess I am just trying to save a step.