This is a very beginner question.
What is the best way to hold down Peco Flex Track on to a base.
Pins or glue?
Yes.
Either will work well–tacks are nice in that they are removable with less muscle and won’t wander while it’s drying, but glue helps absorb sound and is less likely to pull your track out of gauge.
I use map pins to hold it temp and then ballast it. When the ballst glue is dry pull the map pins. Also, peco should have indents on the bottom of the ties that can be drilled out with a 1/16 drill bit if you want to use track nails. FRED
Hello “benoit,”
See Chuck Hitchcock’s article in the August 2003 MODEL RAILROADER, “Quick and easy flextrack,” pages 76-77. Chuck explains how to lay flextrack with DAP-brand clear adhesive caulk, and this method would work very well with Peco flextrack in any scale.
Good luck,
Andy
I always preferred to tack the flextrack into place with Atlas track nails, and then ballast, using diluted white glue for adhesive. I never removed the track nails. When the time came to dismantle the layout, I was able to salvage the flextrack by soaking it in warm water.
I am somewhat suspicious of using contruction adhesives to hold track in place. I am told Liquid Nails bonds extremely well, and fear that it will be impossible to salvage track if dismantling becomes necessary.
I use spikes or track nails but I place them between the ties on the outside of the rails. If I ballast, I can either leave them or pull them. It also helps when you’re still building and modifying – you can pull out track and put it back where it came from.
I find the spikes work well with Homasote roadbed; I’m just practicing with rubber roadbed and foam. I have a non-toxic contact cement that I’m using on the foam scenery panels and I’ll use that on the track next week.
Thanks for all the help. I have some atlas tacks and will start with them and see how it goes.
Bryce