I would like any information on the best method and product(s) for attaching n-scale flex track to a layout using adhesive. Also, how best to hold long soldered curves while the glue is drying.
Hi. Use a thin layer of latex caulk, the cheapest you can find. Spread a light bead of it along your drawn centreline, and then spread it very thinly with a flat blade or a spatula. Form your curves with the rail sections, and then place filled soup tins along the rails. You should only need the smaller ones, or salmon tins, whatever, not the larger and too heavy ones that might bend the rails. Wait overnight, and you should be fine.
I model in HO, so I have never installed N-scale tracks…the principle should be the same. In some cases, I use track nails in the centre holes of the few ties that have them, but moderately heavy and compact objects sat atop the rails should be fine.
My two cents having just completed putting down flex track on a 4 x 6 n-scale:
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I put down cork road bed with elmers glue onto a foam board.
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To hold the track I spread elmers white glue and held the track in place with push-pin thumbtacks into the cork. It held well and I could place the thumbtacks to “keep” the bends I wanted in the track.
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The glue holds well enough to fine tune the track and make sure I get rid of those annoying derailments. Also, in a couple of places I needed to adjust the track and it was easy to slide a small paint scraper under the track to get it up and re-glue it.
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I then came back and added balast. The balast really made the track permanent. In the few weeks between original glue and balasting I never had the track come up…but the balast really made it permanent.
For the flex track soldering, I still have ‘holes’ in my thumbs from pressing on the rail connectors to each piece of track. Other than bandaids I can’t help you. I did find it was much easier to solder two, three, or four flex tracks together, then push pin them down, glue two or three sections and leave the last section unglued until I added more track.
Hope this helps
PS. Buy way more push pins than you think you will need. Nothing like trying to set up and run out of thumb tacks.
I’m modelling in HO. I use a 2-inch foam base, and WS foam roadbed.
To hold down flex-track, I use Liquid Nails for Projects adhesive. Cheap, and it works for me.
I take paper clips and re-bend them into a long U-shaped “hairpin” configuration. These can be pushed in over a single tie, all the way through the roadbed and foam, to hold the track in place. I’ve got some temporary-pending-scenery track that’s been in place for a year now which is only held down by these paper clips. Again, it works for me.
Take a look at the underside of the flex track. One side has a solid tie-strip, and the strip is separated every couple of ties on the other side. You want the solid side on the INSIDE of the curve.
I use a product “All Purpose Adhesive Caulk” made by OSI. I find it at Ace Hardware. Look for the one that comes out white and dries clear. Also make sure it features water clean up.
I spread it rather lightly on the cork (or Woodland Scenics foam) roadbed using one of those “your name here” plastic credit cards that come in the junk mail. You might need pins to hold it in place on curves until the caulk sets.
I also spread a bit of ballast on the white caulk and tamp it in place with a piece of cork roadbed. That gives you a good head start on ballasting your track.
Remember once the track is down it is difficult to make the rail ends even to match the next piece, or to remove paint from where the rail joiners will go. So think ahead a bit.
Dave Nelson
Cheap latex caulk will be perfect. I used the gray and white sqeeze tubes from Walmart on over 2100 ft of HO flextrack. Its fast, easy and holds great. If you need to make changes, use a putty knife under it and it will come loose, then just clean it off the ties.
As for curves and soldering, start the curve, trim the rail, solder on the next joint and then flex it along the curve. MR has had this item in several issues in the past.
A helping hand for laying track : Use plastic soda bottles filled with water! Lay them on their side and they are perfect weights to hold down the track while the caulk sets. I had about 40 of them and could lay track in 15 ft sections once I got started! Install one section, let it setup and lay another section. It goes really smooth when you get going.
Good luck!
Randy
Virginia Southern
kk4ej@yahoo.com
My favorite track weight is my wife’s Martha Stuart decorating book. I usually put down a short piece of 1x2 wood on the track, and then balance Martha on top of it. Julia Child’s “The Art of French Cooking” is good, too, but that has other uses.
I model N, and this is basically what I do. It works for me.
Stay away from “Liquid Nails” because if you ever need to make a change you’ll end up destroying the rails, but also the surrounding scenery.
Latex Caulk allows you to slip a spatula under the rails and gently pry up, and the tracks come right up unharmed. You can then reuse them wherever you’d like.
And if you have extra latex caulk left over you can do other things with it on your layout!!!
I’m currently laying N scale flex track too; and I’m using white glue and WS track pins to hold it in place.
However; this is another area where everyone has a different method. Some people will say “this method is best” or “that method is best”. Just use whatever method works best for you!
Curious. . . Why does the solid side go to the INSIDE? Does that apply to HO as well?
I would use “Instant Roadbed” for laying tracks. For long soldered curves, I would “weight” the curve of the track until the glue dries. By weight, I would equalize by using at least 2 pounds on a piece of flat scrap material over the lenght of the curve so this will not compress the track curve at one spot. [:)]
Hello everyone,
Did I miss something? The rail on flex track is anchored to the solid side of the ties, and floats on the separated side. Doesn’t this mean you should have the solid side on the outside of the curve so the inner rail sticks out and has to be trimmed when the track is curved???
Sliding rail on the inside, according to Atlas.
From the Atlas web site:
“When bending the Flex Track into the desired shape, you must keep in mind that the sliding rail must always be on the inside of the curve (closest to the center of your layout plan).”
Thanks everyone.
Yes, the sliding rail will only “stick out” if its length exceeds the arc it needs to subtend, and that can only exceed the other rail if it is in the arc with the shorter radius…ergo on the inside of the curve.