what is the best way to attach track permantly???
What kind of track? What surface are you trying to attach it to?
I am using Lionel tubular track and attach straight to the plywood top with 1-1/8" drywall screws. The dark color hides the screws. My platform is 3/4 " plywood with a layer of painted lauan plywood on top. The lauan is very thin with a smooth surface that is easy to paint.
Since I use homasote over wood for bench top I use 1" #4 flat head sheet metal screws for my MTH realtrax. In the area where I use Atlas track on cork roadbed I use the black Atlas track screws which are long enough to go through the cork and a little way into the homasote.
i am using lionel tubeluar and 1’ finishing nails in 3/4 inch smooth top fiber board/plywood mix it is not easy but it is working.
You could always try one of these. Railroads have been using them for many years[:D][:D][:D]…[;)][;)][;)]
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good one ha ha!
That’s an easy one: Ballast the track! The glued ballast will hold everything in place securely, and the track itself will look a whole lot more realistic (especially if you go to the extra step of painting the sides of the rails).
0-27 in all its various circumferances with #4 half inch screws.
100 for $2.00
laz57
How permanent do you want it? You want permanent go with ballast. You want to be able to rearrange your track from time to time, go with screws. I like 1/2 " panhead machine screws.
PIGSEYES,
LOL, LOL, LOL!
laz57
I’m with George (Laz)–1/2-inch #4 sheet-metal screws into plywood for O27. (To make it more permanent, you could grind off most of the screw head…
Actually, prototype spikes make excellent and very appropriate weights for the likes of tenders and baggage cars.
Stilmon6:
Once upon time I made a 9 X 5 “permanent” layout. I used atlas track, a layer of rubberized shelf material for sound deadening, screws and ballasted the track. I should have used homesote or another sound board material to keep the screws from going into the plywood top because of the noise. I eventually removed the track and switches when I changed my layout and it was a real chore. I am not suggesting that a permanent layout is a bad idea. My humble advice is to model and run trains on your layout for a while before you commit to making it permanent by ballasting the track. In my opinion, the screws for atlas track are fine to keep atlas track in place and they can be removed if you want to rearrange track. A sound deadening material is recommended. There are many RRmodeling books and articles on trackage. Once you ballast track, it is a whole other “adventure” if you decide to change. Good luck.
thanks guys you’ve really helped!!![bow][bow][bow]