Tracking laying

I have always removed screws after stone ballast secured with a 50/50 glue mix has cured. In my case wooden tie Gargraves flextrack where I fill the screw holes and color the tie with either a brown or black Sharpie or a mix of both.

Experiment/research the technique of using adhesive caulk and push pins.

If you glue it down it will stay in place, especially if you remove the screws after the ballasting has dried.  I have used little blobs of hot melt glue to hold flex in place and that works good as well...and didn't melt the ties like you would think it may if you use the right amount.

You've been to the Cherry Valley club.

All of our track is pinned in place with brads. After ballasting, the ballast is soaked with a white glue/water mixture. Once dry the brads are removed. The track stays firmly in place and the ballast has just enough flex from the glue to allow a small amount of seasonal movement in the benchwork. Though we do use dehumidifiers to maintain constant humidity.

 

What's also good about this technique is soaking the ballast with water softens the mixture and allows the track to be taken up easily if adding a turnout, crossover or other new trackwork.

 

 

That's good to know. I had not heard the process explained that way and seems like it would be effective. I will try that when I am ready to lay track. Thanks!

Get a bigger hammer!

 

Blimey!! I've never had to dress up like that to lay model railway track before!!! Hard hat & everything - I clearly didn't realise the Health & Safety risks involved - & I'm hand-spiking my latest track as well.

*just in case my humour doesn't cross the Pond too well, this post is very much tongue-in-cheek....

If you want to reuse the flex track on a subsequent railroad or make later mods to the existing one diluted white glue is my preferred adhesive. Most scenery texts recommend doing the surround scenery before ballasting the track (so the ballast stones lay on top of the surrounding texture materials - not vice versa). If you're not ready to ballast you can simply glue the track down with the white glue mix mix removing the pins after it dries.  Rewetting the track will free the sections.

 

Ed  Rappe

Thanks for all the info. Looks like I need to buy more glue.