Best way to attach Ross/Gargraves track

I used GE silicon II adhesive between my cork roadbed and atlas track.
Dries clear and bonds great between both surfaces.
If you want to change you can pop up the track and roll the silicone off and reapply.
I store my layout vertical without issue.

I use 16 and 18 ga brads to fasten the Gargraves and Ross down. Pree drill the ties so they dont split, the head of the brad is bigger than the brad itself, so you can drive it down into the tie. Once I paint the rails, you can't even see the brad heads. Then I ballast. You can pull the brads if you want because the ballast/glue will hold it down, but you can't see the brads anyway so I just leave them in.

 

I must also mention that I have 3/4 plywood, 1/2 homasote, and then cork under the mainlines only. So the brads go into the homasote but not into the plywood.  

Brush the cork with some white or yellow glue then lay the track. Put in some screws to hold it down. Then when dry remove the screws if you wish. Easy and simple.

 

Have fun,

 

Dave

I drill a small hole in the tie, then use a small screw to fasten it to the Homasote roadbed.  Did glue a small section of track using Elmer's white glue and then, wouldn't you know it, when I needed to re-align some track it was the glued section!  Won't do that again.  I didn't notice any difference between the glued vs screwed track as far as noise level.

Brads are the way to go, as described. I use Fast track today, but previously used Gargraves and used brads over homasote..

GarGraves makes a "sectional track retaining clip" (P/N 901) that fits between ties hooking onto the stringers.  No obtrusive unsightly screw and/or nail heads visible.

My vote goes with Laidoffsick.  My own layout, which has about 750 ft of track and 66 switches, uses black paneling nails to hold the track in place.  As he mentioned, I use a very small drill bit inserted in a pin vise to pre-drill a hole in the tie to prevent the tie from splitting.  The black nail goes through that small hole, then through 1/4" of cork roadbed and into a 1/2" thick Homosote which covers the entire layout.  The nail never hits the plywood table top and noise does not get transferred.  On a straight section I only use one nail in some 6 to 8 inches, on a curve or near a joint, I may use nails every few ties.

 

The track does not need a permanent glue situation because it really doesn't move once it's located.  And you would make the track unusable for relocation or reuse.  I also avoid using those unsightly large screws which interfere with the finished appearance of the track.  And, this is important; IF I have to move the track for relocation, repair, re-alignment, the track lifts fairly easily without ruining it for future use.  The nails slip out of the Homosote, the cork and can be driven easily out of the ties.

 

This system is easy to use, let's you lay a lot of track relatively quickly and is the recommended method that I remember reading about in an article about Gargraves, many years ago.  I first started using Gargraves track using this method of mounting, in about 1970.  In fact, that was four layouts ago and I still use some of the original track on my current layout, if only for sidings and yards.

 

Paul Fischer