I have to go up 1/8" over a 12" run for the approach track to the turntable. I assume that the end of the track will have to be attached to the turntable in some fashion, anyone have any ideas about how to accomplish this? I have been using adhesive caulk for adhering the road bed to the sub road bed and track to the road bed.
I would use anything from contact cement to cyano-acrylate (super glue) to Gorilla Glue and if I had nothing quicker or handy, epoxy…which is about the very best adhesive there is for most applications. An acrylic latex caulk would work, although I don’t know how strong it would hold in the small amounts you would need so that it doesn’t ooze or bulge around the rail foot and spoil the realism. But it should work. Probably even wood or white glue will work if you hold everything in place and make sure it sets up properly over several hours.
Note that Gorilla Glue, while excellent, also foams up with water contact, which the instructions say you should have to get it to cure properly. You have to lightly wet at least one surface. But it works great.
Crandell
The Atlas turntable has notches for the approach tracks. I believe the height of the notch is set for Atlas Code 100 track. If you bring roadbed up to the edge of the turntable and lay a piece of Code 100 on it, it should just line up perfectly. If you are a bit low, or you’re using Code 83 or lower track, you may need a shim. Climbing an eighth of an inch over a foot should be no problem for a locomotive alone.
Another alternative would be to cut out a space in the subroadbed and sink the turntable down a bit.
Crandell,
I do not think that the caulk would work simply because of the small amount… I assume that CA would attack the plastic ties, but if that is not the case then it is the adhesive of choice. I have some gorilla glue which I have used to attach ground throws to the layout and I really like that alternative as well.
Mr. B
I’m using Code 83 but I think that the TT is also Code 83. The slope is only 1% so I don’t expect any problem on that side of things. Sinking the TT is also on the list of alternatives, but I would prefer to avoid that one if I can.
I’m not a great fan of Gorilla glue, however this is a good place to use it or epoxy. As you shim up the roadbed for the turntable, taking into account the rail height as mentioned, don’t just ramp up creating an angle to level @ the turntable. It’s only an 1/8, but too sharp a change could give troubles w/ a finicky loco. Sand/ shim slight upeasing and level off before the notches for the rail. If you can raise a bit more of the approach for the upeasing it will help so you are not putting so much of a whip in a short 12" section. If you shim and have it operational to your liking, don’t worry about any hollows, I would ballast the section to secure the approach to keep it that way. You can also prebend the section of track so that you will have the track lay down on the turntable notches instead of relying on weighting it down and glue to hold it from springing up.
bogp,
The bend onto the turntable is something that I overlooked and the prebending idea makes sense. I was planning on ballasting along the entire length of the approach track.
Go, Red Sox! (I hope)
Gorilla Glue expands substantially – probably a bad choice for securing track.
Yeah, I know how much it expands. A very very small amt will be necessary.
OK, bogp…after checking out the situation, you are suggesting that I go up say for 10" (still only a 1.25% grade) then bend the track straight for the last 2" to lay on the turntable edge, or go up 10" just beyond the 1/8" and then bend the track down to the TT?
The amount of rise is so minor 1/8", you really only need to prebend a lazy “S”, fit, shim and secure. If you have more track on the approach than just the 12", start the upeasing earier. If not, this can be done within the 12". The suggestion of sinking the TT, if possible, would be the best all around.
For shimming, you could use a wood shingle, If you can find a decent clear cedar one, sand from feather tip up to about the 1/8" needed ( usually about 4"), then sand flat continueing to stay w/ the 1/8" thickness for 3-4". You will automatically end up w/ the rounded/ overeasing. When laid under the roadbed the roadbed and track will make up for any imperfections. As a carpenter, I do this w/ a belt sander quite often, even to shape a shim for specific needs. Lay the shingle on a 1x and sand to feather, it will “scoop” out the ramp, then give the overeasing needed @ the 1/8". the shingle may end up about 8-10" long when done for the fit. keep checking as you sand. This can be done w/ a sanding block and #80 grit, will just be more time consuming.