Is track bed sturdy enough to nail your track to? or

[CrossTrack Trains]

or do you need to put a wood substrate under the track bed?
Should I plaster underneath where the track bed goes or not?

[ac4400fan]

a little more info ,buddy, so we get a better picture [swg]

[Anonymous]

Your question scares me. What are you doing???
You should have a sub-road bed, which is generally wood or wood and extruded foam and a road bed on top. Then the track is either spiked or glued with latex adhesive calk.

[CrossTrack Trains]

I have rigid foam underneath as a subterrain, sorry for the confusion.

My question is that foam and the trackbed do not seem to be solid enough materials to fasten the track down to.

So is the track bed solid enough to hold the track in place when fastened to it?

[SpaceMouse]

I think by the way you are asking the question, the aswer is no. If you didn't have a doubt you wouldn't be asking. Use the adheasive caulk as Gary suggested.

[ac4400fan]

I wish i had more info for you ,before i found our little family here,i was trying the same thing ,so i avoided foam,and stuck with wood, roadbed and track ,old fashioned way you could say ,but there are answers for,you ,im sure ,wish i had the right one.

carl

[selector]

Cactus, I used EZ Track. Since it is designed to sit on its own, I laid it that way. Then, I ballasted it so that it would stay put and so that it would look more realistic. I used only a few dabs of latex glue of the type that one would use to glue extruded foam together (PL300)....and I mean a few. I did not want to have to pry it all off the foam, ruining the surface, if I encountered a problem after I had begun to run trains. So far, so good.

If you are using Flex-track-like stuff, you should really use cork or something else, it seems to me. Then ballast all of that if you plan on doing so. Flex-track will not stay put easily, once bent, if it is lying on top of foam without gluing or heavy pinning.

This is my limited understanding of the matter, but I hope others can get you on the right track. It seems they'd like more details about what you have at your disposal and what you intend to have on your layout. I'm sure you appreciate that the more epxerienced one is in a given field, the more specifics that person will want in order to give an educated and meaningful bit of advice.

Hang in there. We'll help you out.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by cactusjawas

I have rigid foam underneath as a subterrain, sorry for the confusion. My question is that foam and the trackbed do not seem to be solid enough materials to fasten the track down to. So is the track bed solid enough to hold the track in place when fastened to it?

Ok, I understand now. The only road bed that will hold spikes / track nails well is Homasote or Upson board. Maybe cork, but that is arguable. Foam will not.
For more info on adhearing roadbed / track to foam, Click HERE

[Jetrock]

When using extruded foam subroadbed, glue the track to the roadbed (Woodland Scenics foam, AMI instant roadbed, or cork.) Long straight-pins are generally used to hold the track in place while the glue dries, but these are removed once the glue is dry. Short track nails won't work.

[CrossTrack Trains]

what kind of glue can Iuse that won't melt the Woodland scenics roadbed?

[canazar]

Liquid Nails can work well, ( I have used in past) But make sure you get the foamuser freindly version. It will say on the tube what it can be use for. They make a couple of diferent types. It doesnt take much I can tell you that. Also, you could use a silicon or even caulk to hold in place. Just some ideas.

Good luck.
John k

P.S., if you are trying to glue down the WS foam road bed, I suggest stil useing track nails to help get it hold its route. A couple of old books or some short sections of 2x4's will great too. (Or anythign kinda hevay and flat) Can an always pull the nail up later if you like.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by cactusjawas

what kind of glue can I use that won't melt the Woodland scenics roadbed?

DAP All pourpose Adheasive Calk. Click on the link I previously posted and read the article. If you don't have the Adobe Acrobat Reader program, you can download it free. Just click the button that says "Get Acrobat Reader - Free Download"
The article is also in the August 2003 issue of Model Railroader.