Ladder track on foam

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

I have 4 right hand #4 turnouts (Walthers Shinohara HO code 83) in an end to end configuration. Therfore, there is no piece of track between them to glue down. Since It has been said not to glue down turnouts, How do I keep them in position? Will ballast alone suffice?They will be run with Tortoises so there is always some side forces trying to displace them. Track nails shift in the 2" foam over time.

Thanks,

2

Why not glue them down? I glued mine down using caulk, just avoid putting glue on the moving bits. I found marking the area not to glue with a sharpie helped when spreading the caulk

3

Sure, you can glue them carefully, as long as you stay away from the moving parts. Latex caulk will allow you to take them up with a putty knife if you have to.

4

You could just spot glue them down with latex caulk in 2 or 3 strategic locations (i.e. not near any moving parts). That way, they are secure but fairly easy to pry up later if you need to.

5

If you ballast them, they will be glued down. As others have said, glue them and keep the moving parts moving.

Joe

6

I put a piece of styrene on the bottom side of the moving parts…that way when you glue it down you wont be glueing the moving bits.

David B

7

I think when many people say “never glue down turnouts,” they are really meaning to say “never permanently affix turnouts to the roadbed.” As others have said above, the use of latex caulk would allow to to remove and repair/replace the turnout in the future. Jamie

8

When you “pry them up later”, assuming you didn’t go overboard in the first place, does it pull chunks of foam up with it, or can it come up cleanly?

9

My experiences gluing turnouts and track:

White glue (Elmers) no clumps, hardest to get permanet bond (without ballast), easy with ballast.

Liquid nails for projects, clumps abound, some difficulty getting a permanent bond quickly.

Latex silicone caulk, some clumping possible, easiest permanet bond.

A belt sander and a little care will quickly remove and smooth the bottom of a turnout once secured with Liquid Nails.

my [2c]

Joe Daddy