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What is the purpose of the dish soap?
What is the purpose of the dish soap?
To help break the surface tension.
I just did a section at the club. It's glued down due to moving it to shows. The ballast is spread with small brushes, and then tap the rails to settle the ballast. A mist type sprayer with water and a couple drops of dish soap. Then a 50/50 mix of glue and water.
I’ve removed, relocated, redone, revamped and recycled track ballasted with white glue many times.
A little water and alcohol mix will soften it enough.
Come to think of it, an alcohol mix may have played a part in having to redo it in the first place…

I'm liking what I'm hearing and will not worry about it any further. Elmer's glue it is then.
If you ever had a piece of loose ballast get into plastic gears, you'll be sorry you skipped the glue.
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