Need help, screwed up track.

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

I have been laying down track using Elmers white glue. This is new to me, the last time I laid track was 45 plus years ago and I used miniture spikes.

I tried to run one of my engines today to see how things were going. I discovered that one of the joints where the rails join together was not in the connector. Of course it is in the worst possible area to fix.

If I soak the road bed with water and let it set for a few minutes, can I lift up the track and connect it properly?

2

Unless your track has fibre ties and is sitting on a wood-based roadbed, why would you use white glue? While I still prefer track nails, many folks nowadays use latex caulk to hold the track in place.

You should be able to lift the track without soaking it (not the right adhesive for plastic ties), but if you have difficulty, soaking it should do the trick.

Wayne

3

Hi!

Adding to what DoctorWayne said… I would try using a painters spatula to GENTLY pry up the ties, otherwise add water, wait, and pry up.

My advice is to lay your track with cork roadbed - which you can attach with basic latex caulk (use push pins to hold until dry). Then, attach the track with track nails (available from hobby shops or online). Some folks attach track with latex caulk, but I prefer the nails. In any case, I would not use any other type of adhesive - other than latex caulk.

4

I am using cork roadbed and Atlas HO code 83 track on 3/4 inch foam on top of 1/2 inch plywood.

I don’t like the nail option on Atlas track, that is why I glued it down with Elmers. If I soak the area down with water will it lift up?? If I used calk it would probably more dificult to lift up or am I missing something?

5

Actually, if you put on some isopropyl alcohol you might even be able to set it back down and when the alcohol evaporates it will hold tight again. But water will also loosen white glue. Also, you might be able to slide back the joiners with a needle nose pliers and slide them back in correctly, without tearing up any track.

–Randy

6

While I nail down my track, I am not so sure that using white glue is any more problematic than using caulk.

Both are somewhat permanent and make it difficult to reposition the track if you need to.

I use isopropyl alcohol to dissolve matte medium, but I suppose that it will also work on white glue. Water will loosen the white glue for sure.

Rich

7

If you don’t have the clearance to slide the rail joiner all the way back, then take it off. Cut it in half with a cutoff disk. Slide it back on one rail all the way, line up the rails and slide half on to the other rail. Solder the joint and you should be good to go.

Good luck

Paul

8

Thanks for the info. I will try the Isopropyl approach and see what happens.The area in question is located between 2 switches about 2 inches appart. As luck would have it, it is where I have soldered wires to the joiners so they probably will not just slide together. Good old Murphey’s law

9

Dribble enough water in the area to soften the glue. Slide back the bad joiner, insert new one if you can, or be prepared to solder the one that’s there when you slide it back to the proper position if you need electrical contact in that short section, which I am sure you do.

The trick for keeping the rails at grade while you wait for the glue and ballast to harden again, or just the glue if you haven’t ballasted, is to place a piece of cabinet grade wood over both turnouts’ through routes and place a single soda can on the wood. Once the glue re-hardens, the rails should all be at very close to the same height.

Crandell

10

Is the rail resting on top of the rail joiner? If it’s track with plastic ties, I’d trim the spikeheads off, slide the rail joiner back so it will clear. Then slide the joiner back in place.

11

Thanks again for all the help. Unfortunately the rail that is screwed up is the one coming from the turn out and is connecting to about a 2 inch piece of track that is connected to another turn out. all of which are glued down.

As soon as I get some of my “honey do’s” done I am going to give it a try. I can’t believe I didn’t catch it when I was putting the track down.

Thanks again

12

MILES and MILES of track! LIONS do not clue things down. Nor do the even bother with roadbed. NAILS in the Homasote! Makes adjustments much easier, and there are ALWAYS adjustments, even years after you build something you may wish to lift up some track to adjust it or re arrange it. Realroads do this all of the time, and so do we. I will not tell you how many times I have re set the tracks on my present layout, suffice it to say that the layout evolves into life rather than simply following a plan. And just what is the deal with gluing ballast down. BNSF does not do that and neither do I. They have to groom their ballast from time to time and so do I. But if I want to move a track or a turn out it is a simple job. LIRR recently moved many of its tracks an inch or two closer to the platforms. Job was done overnight, by a train sitting right there on the tracks.

ROAR

13

From your description of the problem. I’d first unsolder the wires from the joiners.

Using rail nippers, razor saw, or a cut off disc cut the other three joiners.

Remove the 2" piece of track one way or another. If the roadbed is damaged it can be repaired or replaced.

Make a new piece of track to fill the gap. Use a dab of caulk to hold the piece in place. Power the new piece with feeders or solder jumper wires on the two outside rails.

Just my 2cts. worth.

Bob

14

Or use a desoldering braid to remove the solder and slip off the rail joiners.

Rich

15

Thanks everyone. I soaked the track with water and alcohol and waited a little while. The track came up reluctantly. I did cut 2 of the joiners in half which helped a lot. So all is good again.

I didn’t have to do any soldering. I have been soldering 20 AWG wires to the bottom of some of the joiners. I know if I try to solder to the track that I am going to screw it up. Plus this way you don’t see the wires, I just drill a hole where the joiner will end up and gouge a little cork out (the length of the joiner) to allow for the thickness of the wire.

Thanks again everyone for the info.

16

Eh? What is wrong with seeing the wires???

17

Nothing I guess, to each his own.

18

There is nothing wrong with seeing wires Lion IF, they are run underground/above ground, like Subways or the very rare (in North America) Electrified railways. Plus, it costs a lot more money (1/3 more approximately) to run that extra third rail along the outside to supply power to run the Subway trains. REAL RAILROADS for the most part only require TWO (2) rails to run on as they generate their own power to run thus saving money. (And I know that Lions are extremely frugal. Cheap??? [swg]) That is why we who model railroads that run steamers and diesels prefer to hide our wires as best we can.

But then, Lion already knew that. Didn’t him.[:-^]

Blue Flamer.

19

Oh dear!! I never use glue or caulk to lay track for just your problem.

My track is on cork which in turn is on a soft board that holds track pins well

My track is pinned down with track pins so a problem like yours is easy to fix.

My track doesn’t see any glue or other fixative until its time to ballast the track after testing and fix up.

That said I assume Elmers is a US brand of PVA in which case warm soapy water will release the track from the glue.

Use dish washing liquid to provide the soap.

A paint scraper or other very thin bladed tool will be helpful, but don’t force the track up before the glue is well softened or you will have to buy new track to replace the stuff you just wrecked.

regards John

20

Thanks John

I have fixed the problem, water and alcohol did the trick.

Thanks for your input.

Ken