TIPS FOR RUNNING GARGRAVES ON THE CARPET?

Seems like the GarGraves track would stay in place nicely, what with the sharp edges to the ties.  The main thing I'd be concerned about is the thin track connector pins, especially if your carpet is thick or the padding very soft.  The pins are not as rugged as other tubular track's.  You'd have to keep the dog off the track.  As for staining:  Why not set a piece of track on something white for a month as a test?  Or, GarGraves does make black plastic ties as well as the great-looking stained wood.  Have fun!  As for switches, I'm sure most everyone will recommend Ross, but I don't know how they will work on carpet.

I would seriously consider Lionel's FasTrack or MTH's RealTrax for a Carpet Central.  The extra width afforded by the molded ballast would also increase stability and help to keep any dripping lubricant or smoke fluid off the carpet.

Plus, less of a change of carpet fibers working their way up into the mechanisms.

Gargraves will hold it's shape once bent, but you'll have to do cutting and trimming to any piece bent to square up the ends.  It would also be difficult to straighten out later if you change your mind on something.

Rusty

Use indoor/outdoor carpet cut to wide roadbed strips.  Use face up or down, whichever works.  Duct tape bottom together.  Hot glue wood ties to strips sparingly as needed, especially on curves.  Run wires under the indoor/outdoor strips.

If you really want to try to do this the use the non flex version of Gargraves (it has plastic ties) and then use zip ties to cinch the track together.  If you really, really, really want to try to use the flex track then get something to attach it to, e.g. plywood or homasote cut to match the curves.  Gargraves is not meant for carpet/temp layouts.  I've tried, it isn't worth the work/grief.

Atlas O Industrial Rail, Lionel FastTrack, and MTH RealTrax make more sense for this type of use. 

We used to tape together strips of cardboard and lay the track on that to avoid carpet hairs in the gears.

Good info guys thanks.

Trimming: I'm good with the trimming & squaring. I've done several pieces for display cabinets already.  I'm quite handy with the dremel, so no worries there.

Lube:  I've always run O27 which is also an open track.  My locomotives have only minor amounts of paste grease on the exposed gears.  Never had a problem with anything getting laid down on the carpet before so I don't think this is a concern in my case.

Fibers:  Again I've always run open Lionel O27.  I do maintain my own locomotives so the truck servicing isn't a problem.  I usually dissasemble & clean the wheel sets every couple years and I've never had fiber problems.

Color Bleeding:  I do have some scraps in my display cabinet.  I will have to give it a try on some paper.  That will be a good test to see if I can seal the ties as well.  Thanks.  If I can't make it work, I may just opt for the plastic tie stuff or something (though the wood looks so darn nice).

Weak Pins:  Good to know about the pins, thanks!  Perhaps I can reinforce the joints by inserting blades into the bottoms of the rails under the pins and/or use the Gargraves retaining clips.  Blades would also make adding jumper wires easier too.

Un-Bending:  This too is okay by me.  We have a pretty clearly defined space in our odd-shape living room, and using flex track to follow the perimeter would be ideal for me.

Any other concerns anyone can think of?

I see the concern.  I may have to try a small section of flex for a short while and see how it holds up.  The problem is I have a large round stair case and the sectional track has no chance of following the base of it very well.  The other brands of track would just look yuck.

Use corrugated cardboard to make a template around the stair and then use luan, homasote, or  plastic corrugated sheeting (plaskolite or uline) for actually holding track in place.

I would cut structural foam sheet, (blue pink etc) you can then pin the track in place, glue with white glue and then do modest scenicking... by making the foam pieces roughly the size of the track length, you would essentially be building "modules which could be easily stored for future use

this solves you stain and fiber problems. also it gives you a great beginning for a permanent layout, just mount them on a board.

Although the cost would be greater, I'd go with FasTrack. I use Gargraves on my modules, but it won't hold up to being stepped on like FasTrack will. FasTrack will not only protect the carpet...it will also keep carpet fibers away from the trains.

A track like Gargraves looks best with ballast, which, in your case, is not a option.