Flex Track Question


J

jetmech

New Member
I was on the forum yesterday with electrical questions. Thanks to all the help, I have decided on how many and where to place my feeder wires.
Last night, I rethought the type of track I will use. Originally I was going to use Kato Unitrack. I have changed my mind, and will now use Atlas code 55 flex track.
I have never used flex track before. I have drawen out my track plan on my foam table top. I read an article and added easments between my curves and straight aways.
Tonight I am going to the hobby shop and pick up cork road bed. I will glue the cork roadbed to my table top using yello glue.
My questions are:
1. Do you glue the track to the cork, or nail it down using spikes?

2. Do you remove a couple of ties from each peice, solder eaech peice together, and the lay on the corkbed?

as you can see I have alot of questions in regards to flex track. Does any one have any suggestions of any articles I might read to learn more.

Thanks
 
Most people use latex caulk to hold down the track to the roadbed. While it is drying people use anything from push pins to cans of soup. People do remove ties at the joints, then put them back after the soldering is done on the joints. You usually have to remove the spikes to get them back in place.

I don't know about an article, but it is detailed in the ABC's of Model Railroading and Lineside Details by KalmBach.
 
We have been using adhesive caulk to hold the track to the cork on my club's new layout. It works well, but make sure you are 100% certain of your track plan before gluing anything down. It is now easy to move track after gluing.

We chose to put feeders to every 3' piece of flex track and not solder the joints, mainly because the layout is in a basement with poor climate control and we have concerns with expansion and contraction of the rail and benchwork.
 
We used spray adhesive to glue the (foam) cork bed down. Buy the better can of spray, one is like $3 and other is $9...get the $9!!!...lol!!.. You can actually remove it if needed without destroying the underlayment. Track can be pinned and glued when ballast is added. Tacking the track is risky because if you hit the nail too far it bows the tie in and can actually bow the rails out of gauge.
Tip #1: Solder the joints with the flex track laying straight and curve it into place after it cools. This makes for a smoother turn. Ends won't line up easy if you place it first.
Tip #2: Paint the foam/cork "ballast colored" first. This saves on ballast. You don't have to add allot to cover the base. Just a thin layer looks well and goes farther.
Tip #3 You can rust paint the rail before its placed on the foam too (IE: spray paint..rusty primer)and then bright-boy the top off. Goes allot faster.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thanks SpaceMouse, CP9302, and Trucula.
I like the idea of using caulk to hold the track down. I assume you are applying a small bead of caulking and spreading very thin with a putty knife.
Is the cauking tacky enought to hold the track in place, or do you need to pin it over night.
How much working time do you have with the caulk.
I also like the idea of painting the cork road bed a ballast color and painting the rails before they are laid.
 
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