I don’t know if I’m the “horses mouth” or (more likely) the other end I have on a number of occasions used “Ailene’s tacky glue” to glue down both my roadbed and track. I think using adhesive gives me smoother track work with less dips and wobbles that can be caused by nails. Track can be easily removed by spraying it with hot water, letting it a soak a few minutes and then carefully using a putty knife to lift it. The glue washes off in the sink and then the track is good as new. As can be seen in this thread there are many different ways of securing track and all of them work, some better than others in one way or another. Get comfortable with a method and remember to have fun with your modeling.
Steve just beat me to it. I also use Aleene’s Tacky Glue, and it works magnificantly. However, you do need to let it dry for a full 48hrs for a solid bond. -Alex
I just recently ripped up 4x8 sheet that I cualked down with a thin layer. I saved about 50% of the flex. Some turnouts broke end ties off and some popped railhead. But that should be easily fixable. Over all I saved a couple hundred dollars by recycling.
That said, laying a very thin layer of caulk is easy. But around curves…not so much. Nails still hold best around curves. They help keep joints aligned without kinks. (Even if you solder both halves together)
Laying track around curves is the most frustrating aspect of track laying for me. (Not feeders, or ballast which is just time consuming) But I use Walthers Shinohara which is a good bit stiffer than Atlas.
I once made a reversing loop out of half inch plastic water pipe. It makes a beautiful curved loop. The cork roadbed and Atlas flex track was glued down. ( I forget what glue) A couple of years later I decided to make some changes to the loop. Not going to happen. It would be a major job to re-do or upgrade any track work in the loop. The track and cork would be a total loss.
Most of the rest of the layout is cork nailed to 3/4" plywood and the flex track is nailed to the cork. Once painted and ballasted it is very hard to find any nails.
My hand layed track is on cork that is nailed to 3/4" plywood. The ties are glued to the cork with white glue. The rail is spiked every fourth tie. I have used three different brands of flex track; tryed all sorts of ballasting technics, but nothing looks more realistic than hand laid track with real wood ties. And, I can make changes with a pair of needle nose pliers and some warm water.
I wanted to add a reversing loop to one end of my layout. I wanted the largest radius loop I could fit in the space that I had. Instead of buying a piece of plywood and ending up with a lot of scap, I decided to use 1/2" plastic water pipe.
I connected 2 pieces of pipe together using a 1/2" wood dowel. I then had a 20’ long piece of pipe. I made a second pipe the same as the first. I laid the two 20’ lengths next to each other on the garage floor. By pulling all the ends together I created a large loop. After installing the loop on my layout, I glued the cork roadbed to the pipes and glued the flex track to the cork. It makes a nice loop, but is almost imposible to make any changes. Never again.
Well, I have tried the caulk, Aleene’s and E6000 as suggested.
I am amazed how well the caulk works. I’ve put down about 65’ of track and 9 turnouts with it and am very satisfied with how it holds. If I had to come up with a concern, it would be a fear that it protects the roadbed too well against the scenic cement I’ll use for the ballast. I’m counting on the cement to bond everything together and I’m thinking the caulk may impact that by not letting it seep into the roadbed.
The Aleene’s I found to be unsatisfactory. Even after it sets, it lets go when it gets wet and it doesn’t really hold all that great to start with. I think Atlas flextrack tie bottoms are just too slick for this product.
The E6000 however might be the stickiest stuff I’ve ever seen. With some work I could get the caulk to let go. The Aleene’s popped of very easily. This stuff is impossible to defeat. I think I’ll use it on hidden track that won’t get ballast.
These are my impressions only - based on my unscientific testing.
Using ME track nails works quite well to secure track. I create holes in the ME track using a pin vice for them and they easily disappear. They get inserted in the holes using a needle-nose plier.
For securing cork to foam, I use Elmer’s white glue. That stuff is cheap and much easier to remove than chalk. Chalk is only used for heavy duty scenery work.
Most of the track on my current layout was installed with Alex Plus clear sealant. Since it isn’t intended as an adhesive, track can be removed easily with no damage, but the bond is more than sufficient to keep the track secure unless you want to take it up. I’ve always used spikes in the past, but after having built a large layout using the sealant, I’d never go back.
Bonus to not using spikes, if you are adding on to an existing layout, since you don’t need to hammer spikes in, you don’t have to take everything off the layout to add that new siding to prevent the banging from knocking stuff on the floor. Scale magnitude 8.5 earthquakes are a thing of the past. I too cannot imagine going back to the old way. Oh yeah - if you work on modules and do so in say the family room where others are engaging in their activites at the same time - no hammering means more peace and quiet and less disturbing the other family members.
I could get two of three pics to show, really nice idea. I like it.
Now, as to the OP: Elmers woodworking glue. Cork to wood base, then ties to cork. Only caveat- wood ties for handlaid track. Flex track get pins and/or nails. Especially on curves. Curves and glue on my flex track just didn’t like each other.
And, now, moving and redoing layout, glad the only glue is on the handlaid segments, that are staying as they are, salvaged from the new layout.
(I have also used the liquid nails for projects when gluing cork to base, but like the woodworking glue better. Less fumes. Better for me that way. Projects glue does hold very well though…)