# Best way to attach track



## cr123890 (Feb 24, 2013)

I have my track on a perminate table made out of plywood and on top is a piece of 5/8 insulation board painted green my question is how to attach it and be able to work with it easy for instance like a derail issue in the past I've used wood glue which holds good it just is hard to move once dry to replace or add on without going through a lot 
I'm just curious what everybody else uses I haven't quite figured out how I want my layout yet I keep changing it and wanting to add on 
Any ideas
Thanks 
Cr


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## Magic (Jan 28, 2014)

Well I got all my track laid on foam and cork roadbed, the roadbed is held down with track nails only, no glue. The track is held down with T50 staples, they just fit over two ties and will hold everything just fine. Put them up against the outside of each rail and you can run trains to your hearts content and not have any problems. You can make any changes you please simply and easily, just pull the staples and nails, relay the track and away you go.

Once you have everything to your liking and are ready to ballast, remove the staples and ballast and the glue will glue the track and roadbed at the same time. Even use the staples right on the foam in my yard and works just fine. 

Magic


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## Jim 68cuda (Apr 23, 2014)

In the 90's I built my layout entirely of foam insulation board. At that time, I didn't think the nails would hold the track in place on foam. Instead, I used double sided carpet tape the full length of all the track, then ballasted over it gluing the ballast and track in place on top of the tape. In the long run, that didn't work out so well. After 10 or 12 years, the foam shrunk a bit and buckled the track in a few places (mostly on long straight runs), and the track (with the tape and ballast attached) separated from the foam where the buckling occurred. I am in the process of rebuilding and expanding the layout now and am sticking with laying the track on the foam. This time I'll be using caulk to attach the track and hope the foam won't shrink enough to be a problem again for at least another 10 or 12 years. But, if you are at a point of wanting the track held in place and still be able to remove it with relative ease, then cutting small squares of the carpet tape and putting it under each joint might work well as a temporary measure. But I would remove the carpet tape before actually gluing ballast in place. I don't know if the carpet tape sold today is as strong as the carpet tape sold in the 90's, but I know that I bent some of my track trying to remove it two years ago. That's why I'm suggesting just putting it at the joints for a temporary arrangement (instead of full length under all the track).


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

I still argue for white glue like Elmer's. 
But it's important that you go very easy
when applying it. Just a dab here and there will keep your
roadbed and track where it belongs. And, when you want to
make changes, you simply use a wide flat blade, such as a
wide putty knife, and slide it under your track, roadbed, or
even the foam overlay. You can then reuse what you just
removed. Might need a little tidying up but it'll work.

Don


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## riogrande (Apr 28, 2012)

The down side if you are laying the track with glue, it's basically permanent first time. I'm building a staging yard right now and I've had sections of track I've had to pull up and relay. So unless you can lay it perfect 1st time, I'd advise against glue.


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## mikek (Dec 29, 2013)

I'm trying to clean up some E-Z track I got with ballast glued to it. Not sure of what glue, any suggestions on how to remove the glue and ballast? If I pick at it, it will fleck off, but that's a lot of picking.


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## oldmerc (May 12, 2014)

My layout is mainly on plywood with the logging branch on 2" foamboard . The roadbed is cork glued down and I attach the track with track nails . The ballast doesn't get added till I am happy with the way everything looks and runs .


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## riogrande (Apr 28, 2012)

oldmerc said:


> I attach the track with track nails . The ballast doesn't get added till I am happy with the way everything looks and runs .


Bingo! Thats exactly the logic. Why people glue or use adhesives first time is just beyond me, unless they can lay their track perfect first time. I never can and I have been in the hobby since the mid-1970's.


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## Hutch (Dec 19, 2012)

That's something we have to learn the hard way. I've learned.


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## riogrande (Apr 28, 2012)

It's a very popular thing these days I read in forums. It seems 2/3 to 3/4 people say the lay their track with adhesives of some kind, whether it is Liquid Latex Nails, white glue, self adhesive sub road bed, you name it. The bad thing, in my opinion, is the track is more or less permanent at that point. You have to get it perfectly right the first time or else you are forced to pull it up, most likely damaging or ruining the track. 

Some manage to learn techniques to pull it up with minimal damage by dissolving the white glue or using a putty knife. Let me say, it's a lot easier to use needle nose pliers and maybe a thin screw driver to pull out Atlas track nails or spikes to pull the track up and re-lay than to pull up track that's glued down. Just because adhesives are the "modern" way of doing things doesn't mean it makes sense - especially if you think ahead a few moves and realize oops, I have to redo that. I've already done that multiple times on the track I've laid so far and been very glad for the track nails and/or spikes I used.

Anyway, you can have plenty of time be be sure the track is right and then you can ballast it with glue, by then you've had a chance be much more sure of the track geometry and layout. My staging track is never glued so I will be able to remove it some day and re-use it, saving hundreds of dollars. I saved all my track from the last layout including many Shinohara, Walthers, etc turnouts - and spent very little on the current layout because I saved nearly all the track in very good condition to re-use.

Just sayin... I'm not made of money so hate to have to replace track damaged by pulling it up when something wasn't right, which is often. In some cases I pulled it up and re-laid because the gap between the rails was too big, and I needed to move the track closer and put it back down, other times I realized I'd need a hole under a switch machine for a under table motor when I was originally going to use an above table motor. etc. you name it, it happens for many reasons.


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## mikek (Dec 29, 2013)

Whenever I'm doing something not too permanent I use silicone adhesive. It comes in all colors plus clear. It sticks to about everything, but lets go without damage. I like the way you can rub or peel it off completely, leaving no residue (except in porous stuff, like cloth).
Currently I'm wiring ditch lights and led headlights in a loco, and plan to use hot glue to hold the wires and the circuit board in place. I like the way it grabs fast and sets quickly. I can still rip it out if I have to. Not sure if I would use it to lay track. I probably would use silicone and screws or nails.


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## scaleddown (Mar 13, 2014)

I have some old brass track (from the 1960s). Can I use that along with the new nickel track in the same track line? I was going to use it in the tunnel section of my layout so you won't see it. Since I am about 2 months away from starting this hobby again, I will have a few more questions.


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## mikek (Dec 29, 2013)

First I would make sure all the track is the same gauge, 100, 87, or whatever. That's the height of the rail in thousandths of an inch, you would need a micrometer or vernier caliper to tell the size. Putting the rails together and feeling for a difference might work, too. 
It would be interesting to know if the difference in metals causes any galvanic corrosion, making the brass corrode faster. I presume the brass is less noble than nickle/silver.


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## oldmerc (May 12, 2014)

riogrande said:


> It's a very popular thing these days I read in forums. It seems 2/3 to 3/4 people say the lay their track with adhesives of some kind, whether it is Liquid Latex Nails, white glue, self adhesive sub road bed, you name it. The bad thing, in my opinion, is the track is more or less permanent at that point. You have to get it perfectly right the first time or else you are forced to pull it up, most likely damaging or ruining the track.
> 
> Some manage to learn techniques to pull it up with minimal damage by dissolving the white glue or using a putty knife. Let me say, it's a lot easier to use needle nose pliers and maybe a thin screw driver to pull out Atlas track nails or spikes to pull the track up and re-lay than to pull up track that's glued down. Just because adhesives are the "modern" way of doing things doesn't mean it makes sense - especially if you think ahead a few moves and realize oops, I have to redo that. I've already done that multiple times on the track I've laid so far and been very glad for the track nails and/or spikes I used.
> 
> ...


The only thing I got perfect the first time is my marriage , not to say we don't run off the track from time to time .


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## Magic (Jan 28, 2014)

scaleddown said:


> I have some old brass track (from the 1960s). Can I use that along with the new nickel track in the same track line? I was going to use it in the tunnel section of my layout so you won't see it. Since I am about 2 months away from starting this hobby again, I will have a few more questions.


The very last place I would put brass track is in a tunnel. Brass needs cleaning much more often than nickle silver. So unless you have very good access to the track don't put it in a tunnel. I wouldn't use it any were, new track isn't all that expensive.

Magic


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## tr1 (Mar 9, 2013)

*Techniques/methods.How does "Nike", say it?*

I second Magic's opinion. Also, pick a plan you like, stick with it and make it work.


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## scaleddown (Mar 13, 2014)

Looks like the brass will be used as a display. Thanks for the insight, guys.


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## oldmerc (May 12, 2014)

I have had very good results with Atlas nickel silver code 100 flex track . I think it's good value when purchased in bulk . I always solder every rail connection . I would stay away from using old brass track if possible .


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## wingnut163 (Jan 3, 2013)

you could use the brass for old sidings that are not used any more.

like: run a brass siding up along a main line to an old abandoned building. make it look like it came off a turnout that has been removed.


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## Northern Route (May 12, 2014)

I made my own wood roadbed out of white pine to the same dimensions as cork, my sub roadbed is 3/4 inch plywood wide enough to attach the road bed and scenery over the open grid. I use an electric stapler/nail gun to nail the roadbed about every 6 inches to hold it in place. I use Micro-Engineering spikes and a pair of needle nose pliers to set the spikes about every 3 inches on the outside of both rails, which also pushes the flex rail against the tie plates. When I want to make a change or a repair, I push the track side ways to spread the spikes and lift one side of the track up to remove the track. Then to relay the track I just set the track in place and push spikes against the rail. This also holds the track straight during humidity changes and if you see a wave in the track just push the spikes to move the track sideways.


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## wingnut163 (Jan 3, 2013)

and i bet it makes a lot of noise with nothing to deadening the sound reverberated off the wood.


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## JJones (Nov 26, 2011)

I use a brad nailer with the air pressure turned down to attach my cork roadbed then use the track nails to attach the track. I have never used glue or anything else to attach the track. I saw a video using a hot glue gun on youtube and it looks fast and simple...but what happens when you find a problem after the fact that you need to fix??? seems like you would have to destroy the piece of track to remove it.


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## Hutch (Dec 19, 2012)

How do you nail to the cork? The holes are usually in the center of the track and the cork is split in half. Are you nailing on the outside?

I think I like your brad nailer idea.


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## JJones (Nov 26, 2011)

Hutch said:


> How do you nail to the cork? The holes are usually in the center of the track and the cork is split in half. Are you nailing on the outside?
> 
> I think I like your brad nailer idea.


I draw a line on my plywood then lay my cork along that line. the cork is in 2 pieces so I lay one piece along that line and nail in the center of it. then I come back with the other piece and nail it. I use the shortest nails my bosch nailer will use I believe they are 5/8" and I think im using 50psi on my air compressor regulator and that gets the nail through the plywood and leaves the head of the nail just below the surface of the cork. we just started using this process and it has been working great! before I was using track nails and it was a royal PITA. for the track the nails end up between the pieces of cork and I predrill with a 1/32" drill bit before nailing to keep the tack from bending. only problem I have had with that is chucking up the drill bit. the drill I have has a 1/2" chuck and doesn't pull down tight enough for that small of a bit. I have been wrapping the shank of the bit with tape for now but I think im going to go pick up a new drill with a 3/8" chuck that will pull down on it.


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## Hutch (Dec 19, 2012)

I have 2" foam to go through so for the road bed I would have to use a pretty long finish nail or nail on an angle. Sounds better than gluing. As for nailing the rails, I'm not sure I understand. Are you just nailing into the road bed or all the way to the plywood?


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## Hutch (Dec 19, 2012)

If I had it to do over again, I wouldn't use 2" foam. It's created more problems than it's worth. I've had to get pretty creative when installing Tortoise switch machines and it's quite time consuming.


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## ggnlars (Aug 6, 2013)

I have seen that people use latex chalk. They claim it holds well and is fairly easy to remove the track. I'm planning a test set up and am thinking that will be a good option.
has anyone had any experience using it for track laying?
Larry


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## wjacob (Nov 26, 2011)

My layout has 1 inch foam board on top. What I use to temp attach it is just nails into the foam. It holds well until I'm ready to attach for real. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## Hutch (Dec 19, 2012)

That's what I did also but instead of regular nails, I used the WS 2" foam nails while the glue dries. They're easier to pull out with pliers or fingers. I would much prefer to have a nail that I can leave in. I think if I get some 2" brads I might be all set. I don't really need to go into the wood. I've noticed the foam nails hold pretty well even when used to hold the track while the glue dries. If it wasn't for the big head, I would just leave them in and skip the glue.


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## JJones (Nov 26, 2011)

That should work Hutch just make sure you start with a real low air pressure so you don't drive the brad though the road bed. I had to play around a little to get it just right but once I had it there I havnt had any problems since.


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## Northern Route (May 12, 2014)

Actually no, there is not enough plywood under the roadbed to transmit much sound. My last layout was on cork and a sheet of plywood and it sounded like I had a 2 inch water line filling up my basement.


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## oldmerc (May 12, 2014)

Even with a foam base track nails will hold until you have everything working to your satisfaction then when you glue down the ballast the track will be locked in place.


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