I’m finally ready to lay some track in my helix structure, …Atlas CODE 100 flex track.
Looking for a few hints/suggestions.
I’ll be attaching the Atlas track to my reinforced and painted/weather-proofed masonite roadbed. It will be a double radius installation of 32" & 29".
Naturally I will be starting at the lowest level, and working my way upward so as to have the best/clear access to the tracks. Probably be able to do a full half circle at a each shot.
I’m still debating with myself on what adhesive I will use, and how it might be applied. What do i mean by this?
There are any number of adhesives that can glue the track to the masonite, but some are instant contact, and some take longer to dry.
Those that take longer to dry allow one to readjust the track to get that ideal circular shape, but then you must secure them in multiple locations, and for a considerable time to allow for a cure,…and these are circular flex track that wants to return to a ‘relaxed straight condition’. I have considered using hot melt glue to tack the track down into its basic shape, then apply some sort of ‘flowing adhesive’ to finish the job? Remember the masonite hardboard will not accept ‘tacks/nails’.
I might be able to weight the track into its position with the longer term adhesive, but I get a slight uneasiness about it maintaining its ideal circular shape with no ‘temporary tacking’
The instantaneous glues concern me about placing the track down in its circular form exactly correct the first time.
All of what you mention above is why I like good old latex caulk, although, I’ve never built a helix, it is still track laying, and the flexibility of caulk, as it cures, allows plenty of time to make adjustmenst as you go.
I used E6000 to hold the track down in my last helix.
It goes down clear so you can see your center line, and allows enough working time so you can get it lined up. Then when you press it down, it’ll stay put. I used prescription bottles filled with lead shot to hold the track down while it dried.
The instructions tell you to use it like contact cement, but I put it on the plywood and then put the track down on top of it. The track will not be reusable if you later decide to take it up.
But… You’ll need to do some testing because you have to worry if it sticks to the paint you used. I think the paint to hardboard bond will likely be the weakest link.
You may need to go mechanical. If so, a lot of guys have used #4 wood screws with washers to hold down the track. If the hardboard won’t hold screws, you could put a nut on the underside if it doesn’t affect your clearance. Be sure to use a little loctite. It might help on the wood screws too.
I know this is not code 100, but this method worked 100% perfect.
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Years ago I helped a friend build an N scale layout with a helix to staging.
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We used Kato Unitrack for all the hidden trackage. We did not glue any of it in place, but instead glued 5/16" wooden cubes to the subroadbed to act as holders. We ran electrical feeders every 180 degrees.
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The operation was flawless, and if it ever would have developed a problem, it would have been simple to replace pieces of Kato Unitrack.
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There was no chance of kinks or weird changes in radius. Everything was bullet-proof and perfect.
Why not just use short flat head screws? I have seen several helices where the track was simply screwed down every few inches. The screws are installed between the ties as opposed to through a tie so in effect they are holding down two ties. The screw heads apparently don’t cause any problems even though they stick up above the ties. Your equipment will have to be properly tuned of course, with no low hanging coupler pins or snow plows, but you are going to do that anyhow to make sure that they clear turnout frogs etc.
I’m assuming that you haven’t assembled the helix roadbed yet and that you will have enough clearance to install the screws as you build the helix.
For my helix into cork and plywood, I used small flathead nails through the holes in the center of the ties. Depending on how well supported your masonite is, this could be easy or very difficult to do (springiness between supports under the masonite can make driving a nail very difficult. Holding a small sledge hammer or other hard weight under the nailing point will help tremendously).
Nowadays I use Dap caulk for almost all track installation. I add soda or beer or soup cans to hold the track down after sticking it in the caulk and final adjusting it, until the caulk cures, like this:
I looked that E6000 up on amazon, and it does appear to have some good reviews. I did find one interesting negative, “And I’ll add that “this adhesive glues just about everything I’ve thrown at it”. I say “just about” because I found it won’t adhere to PVC plumbing pipe or the fittings”
I did a number of little experiments with some old sections of Atlas brass tracks yesterday and several different glues I had around. I’ll report on that later today when I get around to inspecting them.
I used DAP Dynaflex 230 for gluing down most of the track, except 6" ± where the track was going to be double gapped for occupancy zone purposes. In the area 6"± double gaps I used DAP 3.0 Window/Door sealant which is thicker/stronger than the Dynaflex 230 (which is thicker/stronger the Alex+ clear which I used for all the other track on the layout). I used FastTrack 37.5" and 40" Sweepsticks to ensure true curves and then laid soda cans to weigh down the track. No problem with the track moving after laying/weighing down. I soldered 4 sections of track together before laying/gluing each 4 track section.
We used to have a gentleman here who went by the name tomikawaTT. He was really Chuck Beckmann from Vegas, or near there. Chuck offered a tip which I immediately began to follow, and it has served me well.
I built a substantial helix last time around. It only had one-and-a-bit turns, but it was nearly six feet in diameter (I had the space). Chuck had suggested that, on curves, one should use a needle file or a small flat file and slightly bevel both the top bearing surface of the rail head at the very tip where it was trimmed, but also the inner flange face. This reduces the chances of a flange picking the sharp top or inner edges of the rails and lifting off, thus forcing you to hope to keep the train in one piece and have it limp out of the hidden trackage, or to crawl under there and fix what needed fixing. I have done this for every rail joint, no matter where it is on the layout. It only takes an extra 30 seconds per pair of joiners.
I also used the clear-drying DAP Alex Plus with silicone. It held very well. But, at the joints, on the outside of the outer rail joint, I would place a couple of the small wooden screws with the slightly domed head, flat on the top. This was cheap insurance against creeping rail joints held only by a thin skiff of latex caulk. In truth, I placed many of those joints across natural ends of the cookie-cutter roadbed inside the helix, so the screws were kinda important to keep everything lined up when I didn’t want to use joiners across the gaps. Can’t remember why just now.
But, the bottom line is to make darned good 'n sure the roadbed is solid, that the tracks are well secured, and that the joints won’t give your rolling stock fits…ever. Keeping good separation if the mains in the helix will be twinned, that should be about all you have to worry about. Well, that and planned access for…you know…[:|]
The cans do work on curves, but you can use lengths of 1X2, 1X4, and 2X4 scrap lumber across the rails and stack soda tins on the wood. Or driver batteries, driver tip carriers, metal files, cans of paint, pots of spackle, bags of nails…just ask, I’ve used 'em.
If you’re speaking of contact cement, yes, the bond is instant. However, much of the track on the upper level of my layout is Central Valley tie strips on cork roadbed, with Micro Engineering rail (usually in 12’ soldered-together lengths).
After drawing a centre line for the cork, I used a 2" brush to apply LePage’s gelled contact cement to the plywood surface, and to the cork. After allowing it to dry for at least 20 minutes (it usually remains viable at least for an hour), I layed waxed paper over the plywood, then over that, added one of the half-strips of cork. One end was butted against the end of the cork already in place, then aligned with the centre line, visible through the waxed paper. Carefully watching the alignment, the waxed paper was withdraw towards the free end of the cork, with my free hand pressing the cork onto the contact cement as it was exposed. The other half the the cork strips didn’t need the waxed paper, as they simply butted against the strips already in place.
After the cork was all in place, the tie strips were done in the same manner - they have projections every few ties to denote the centreline, and these were simply aligned with the line in the centre of the cork as the waxed paper was withdrawn.
While some CV tie strips call for deforming plastic projections on the ties to keep the rails in place, I again used contact cement and the waxed paper…
I’m guessing that cork isn’t used on your helix, due to clearance issues, so it would be one simple operation to install the track. You could do a centreline, but I think that an outer-end-of-the-ties line would be easier to follow.
Sounds like a good idea, and since the track laying in the helix all has to be done in stages, there is time for that.
I’m going to use rail joiners in the helix, probably staggered. The screw idea is not a bad one, I’ll keep it in mind as I start the process.
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But, the bottom line is to make darned good 'n sure the roadbed is solid, that the tracks are well secured, and that the joints won’t give your rolling stock fits…ever. Keeping good separatio
Neat wax paper trick. I wasn’t aware of such ‘durable’ wax paper in this modern day. I got several rolls of the cheap stuff at the dollar store when I was glueing the dbl-layers of masonite roadbed together.
I was thinking of some like that,…perhaps another piece of masonite or just thin plywood circular arch that the outer track ties would be pushed up against.
As I’m laying track around a curve, I use rail joiners AND solder the joints between track sections, before I curve the the last few inches of the section laid and the next one going in. This makes a solid section that curves naturally (at least for the “spring-back” type of flextrack).
I originally thought that I could put the roundhouse together with contact cement, but the relatively small contact areas and some warpage of the parts lead me to opt for the screws. I think that the only reason it worked for the added-on cornice was the shape (and extra gluing surfaces) provided by the sheet styrene used for alignment.
The structure was handled probably more than any kit I’ve ever built, with it standing on edge (any side) on the workbench or floor, or even on my lap, just trying to create the truss system for the removeable roof…
It wasn’t one of my more enjoyable projects, but I finally got it finished and operable.
As for the gelled contact cement, I first used it to veneer kitchen cabinets, and it’s still performing, as advertised, after more than 30 years.
It’s main drawback for modelling projects is that, as far as I’m aware, it comes only in quart or gallon cans. The shelf-life is pretty good if you keep it closed when not in use, but it does, over time, lose its solvents to evapouration, and adding more supposedly breaks-down the gell, making it stringy like regular contact cement.
