In the old days - the track nails. Now, caulk. Faster and easier. And still easy to take up if you don't like something and want to redo it. Push pins secure it, in a few hours it is set well enough to start taking out the pins. For the track I will typically put 4 pins at the very end, one to either side of each rail, which keeps the free end from moving as I attach the next section.
I was using clear for everything - it comes out white but dries clear, so you can easily tell when it has set up (under the track anyway). I may use a grey for the track next time, so any ballast bare spots don't show. Trick is to spread it VERY thin - the marks on the nozzle of the caulk tube make for openings FAR too big - find for running a bead around a window frame, but way too much for model railroad use. Cut just the very tip off to get a very thin line of caulk. Spread it thin. If you've drawn pencil lines for the centers to line up the cork - you should be able to easily read the pencil lines, it takes very little. My previous layout, ONE tube of caulk did all the track and roadbed on a 13x10 around the walls layout.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Water Level Route Atlas track nails for both cork and track.
Atlas track nails for both cork and track.
ditto
Joe Staten Island West
Mike
I spread caulk with a putty knife, then hold it in place with a staple gun. If I need to take it up, I use the edge of a putty knife. When the caulk sets, I sand the top of the cork with a palm sander after removing the staples.
For track, I use the same method, only I use a length of 2x4 clamped along the length.
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
I use disposable brushes to apply water-based contact cement to the bottom of the cork. Apply per directions is very important to using this stuff, but it works well, can often be peeled up cleanly when you do want to move something later, and is much less stinky and dangerous than the solvent-based stuff.
Applying sufficient pressure is important to making it stick. I use a 6" wide laminate roller to put the pressure on.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
On the main part of the layout, the cork was glued to 3/4" plywood subroadbed using yellow carpenter's glue - held in place until glue dried using 2½" nails tapped in about 1/4"...I had a 50lb. box of them left over after building the house. The nails were pulled out, by hand, the next day. Atlas flex track put down with track nails.On the partial upper level, the cork was put down using gelled contact cement. Where Atlas flex track was used, track nails hold it in place - I use pliers to push them in rather than a hammer. In some areas, I used Central Valley tie strips, and cemented it to the cork using contact cement. This was also used where the tie strip was layed directly atop the plywood tabletop. I used the contact cement to add the rails, too, and it seems to work well.
For positioning the cork, track or tie strips, and the rail using contact cement, I apply it to both surfaces and allow it to dry as per the instructions on the can, then lay waxed paper atop the fixed surface - simply tear short lengths of it from the roll, and overlap each over the previously-placed one. This allows you to see centrelines when laying cork, track, or tie strips, and allows proper alignment of the rail when adding it to the tie strips. When the starting-end of the material you're laying is properly aligned, simply slip the first piece of waxed paper from beneath it and press down to make contact, then follow along aligning and removing the waxed paper as you proceed. The waxed paper is reuseable an infinite number of times.For ballast, I use lots of wet water and white glue - cheap, easy, and very effective. I've also used matte medium in some areas and it's no quieter and is much more expensive. If you later need to move or remove ballasted track, the white glue can be readily re-softened using a liberal application of wet water. That ballast will be garbage, but the track can be cleaned and re-used.
Wayne
I use Homasote roadbed, but I glue it down with wood glue. Track is held down with caulk.
I have the right to remain silent. By posting here I have given up that right and accept that anything I say can and will be used as evidence to critique me.
I use tacks for the cork and track. Like these.
For me, it's much easier to do the curves.
I mostly use nails (small brads) for the cork, adhesive caulk for the track.
I find it easier to make the cork follow the pencil center lines when using nails, particularly on curves. I have used caulk for cork and it works, but I think I have more control with nails.
I do use strategic pins for track when using caulk. Track is pressed into the caulk with a small roller meant for wall paper. The pins can be removed as soon as the caulk sets
Dave Nelson
I used sheet cork, from AC Moore, for my yard instead of roadbed cork. With caulk, it is hard to spread in a way that 100% covers a large flat area. Maybe some water would have thinned it, I didn't think of that at the time.
I used caulk because I saw a you tube video of a guy who used white glue and the glue seeped through the top of the cork onto the objects he used to weight the cork down. For a broad area, maybe contact cement would be a decent choice too. Anyway I had bubbles, spongy areas where there was no caulk under the cork. I had access to syringes and needles and injected those "bubbles" with dilute white glue. The glue does in fact ooze to the top surface of the cork. A little wax paper prevented major stickage and I have no spongy areas now.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Thanks Henry. Interesting about the Matt Medium. I'm creating a new yard and don't want to use track nails So thanks for the post.
Gary
Cork = old days Elmers glue and T-pins to hold it down, now I intend to use caulk. Glue takes longer to dry but is probably cheaper, so the advantage to caulk is slight.
Track = caulk held down by push pins until it drys. There is no need to use unrealistic track nails now.
Ballast diluted Elmers/alcohol spray,tho's some people say diluted matt medium is less noisy
The is no need to rush the ballast. Make sure you track is reliable before you start on that.
Hi all, Ive watched MRVP and other videos on how to lay cork roadbed and track. Do you use Wood glue or DAP cauking to secure the roadbed? How about the track? Nails, DAP, Ballast?