I have a mumber of Caboose Industries ground throws on my layout, and I am in the process of installing some additional ground throws.
I use HO scale #202S ground throws. They are installed on top of Woodland Scenics foam road bed into a plywood surface.
I use track nails to secure the ground throws, and that is the source of my problem. I struggle to drive the nails in tightly while keeping the ground throw perpendicular to the the track. Most of my ground throws wind up sitting at a slight angle to the track. It works but it doesn’t look proper.
I use cork roadbed under them. The WS foam roadbed is too spongy and soft. I usually fasten them with Goop and use sewing pins to hold them in place until the Goop sets up.
I use cork over plywood and had the same issues when I began using the Caboose ground throws, I use the 202S also. I found that marking the location and pre-drilling with my pin vise allowed me to put the nails in straight. I use a nail punch to set the nails snugly against the ground throw. Since adopting this method installations have been much easier.
I have a different set up for the top of the layout. Half inch ply with Half inch Homosote on top,and I use no.1half inch round head wood screws,black right into the homosote,don’t have to predrill,they will start on their own. Plus they are n-scale 202s’s and havn’t had any problems with the 20 I have on the layout.
I use tiny screws for my HO ground throws. I also lay some N scale track on plywood at our club. In both cases, I drill pilot holes for the screws and for the track nails. It makes things so much easier.
I first glue a thin wood pad for the throw then tack the throw in place with a small dab of ca. After the ca sets up I drill pilot holes for the track nails and drive them home with needle nose pliers.
I noticed that around Vancouver the throws are on pads of concrete. It probably has to do with all the rain. So I had the crews come in and pour little pads of cement one day. (Plastic Molding strips) I then attached the throws with caulk. It holds great. I drilled holes down through my concrete pad and inserted pins and painted the heads black. The pins go through my throw, my concrete pad and into my foam. I put a bit of caulk into the hole before I pushed the pin in.
I will weather the concrete pads once I get to adding the ground cover and ballast. Then it will then look like is set into the dirt more.
I also have used cork road bed. However, I bought Kappler ties for other projects and used these ties (Per the prototype) to raise the ground throw up, so it is at the same height as the track’s ties. This looks better (in my opinion) and provides clearance for the tie bar. I have used track nails to secure the ground throw by pushing the track nail through the Kappler ties and into the cork and even into the plywood sub road bed a little bit. This provides a firm base and holds the ground throw very securely.
Use a piece of cork roadbed cut to the width of the ground throw to bring it up level with the foam road bed. I use adhesive caulk for the road bed, then when it is time to install the ground throw, rough up the bottom of the throw with a couple of passes of sand paper, wet either the road bed on the bottom of the throw apply a very small dab of gorilla glue and clamp it down with track nails. Do a dry run before you do the gorilla glue glue, but usually there are a few seconds of working time before the gorilla glue starts to set.
Bearman ;gorilla glue or gorilla super glue?.ther is a difference in use and performance one is like thicker super glue and one is like expanding foam great for porous surface,wood , brick ,some metals ect…Jerry
We have run into similar problems on our club layout. Our flex track is mounted on cork roadbed with clear latex caulk, and the cork roadbed is mounted to 2" foam with the same clear caulk. Trying to get a stable mounting for the Caboose Industries switch stands was an issue. One of our members came up with this solution:
He took a handi-panel of 3/16" plywood(same thickness as the cork roadbed) and cut it into 3/4" strips. He then cut a 3/16" wide ‘kerf’ down the center about 1/16" deep. He then cut the strip into 1.5" blocks. We glue the switch stand block next to the throw bar with the same clear acrylic caulk and let it dry. We then attach the switch stand to the turnout and mark where the track nails need to go. We pre-drill the mounting holes and push the track nails home with a needle nose pliers. The result is a good solid mounting base!
A thought crossed my mind as I read these replies, and I wonder what others think of it.
Why not nail or caulk the ground throw to the mounting block, position the ground throw/mounting block assembly to the throwbar, align it properly, and then secure the entire assembly to the layout surface?
Jerry, gorilla glue, the expanding stuff, NOT the super gorilla glue. There is a difference as you note.
Rich, your idea is possible but it depends on how you would secure the assembly to the layout surface. Most likely, you will need to apply some clamping/compressive force depending on the adhesive you use until the adhesive sets and cures. In which case, you could add a little bit of extra width to the mounting block, apply the adhesive to the bottom of the block and the use nails on either side of the ground throw to provide the necessary clamping force.
Batman’s pads look great. We use an .040" styrene pad attached to the layout with household silicone adhesive, and #2 wood screws through the mounting holes in the CI 202S base. The screws won’t hold very long in Homasote or foam board.
I think the No.2 is too large. I use either a No. 1 or No. 0 screw. It depends on which one fits better. I keep a supply of both on hand. I get them from Microfastener.com.
