[Doug]

What methods do members use to secure track to baseboards and underlay?

I have glued cork underlay to baseboards then either glued or pinned track to the underlay. This works, but pinning can deform track or let it twist whereas gluing makes it sort of permanent.

Idealy I'd pin the track with big pins and then add ballast right away then remove the pins, but I'd like to run the trains a bit in the underlay to make sure that I'm happy with the layout design.

 

[neil_s_wood]

I pretty much do what you do but I put in lot more pin holes so that the stress is spread out over several pins and throughout the track rather than say two or three pins. If you have only a couple of pins holding it the track can lead to deformation over time as the tension stress is focused on a couple of points.

 

[Makemineadouble]

In the past I've pinned, let it settle for a good few months, when I finally get motived I paint the track with an aryllic rust colour, then ballast. I find painting track highly theraptic. Agood reason for waiting to completely test running qualities. Once ballasted changes are much more difficult.
I think we had a conversation about ballast before ?, I think I'm going to use Woodlands track bed to reduce sound, and speed up ballasting.

 

[ozwarrior]

For fixing I use pins but predrill the holes to (hopefully) reduce any gauge problems. I have in the past used Trackrite which is a rubberised preformed underlay but to be honest I've gone off it as it gives too much, increasing the likelyhood of deforming.
Talking about speeding up ballasting one chap at my club has a pvc pipe shaped with the track notched out of it and fills it up with ballast. The result is speedy ballasting.

I admire the patience of guys who use a spoon and a small brush gently wiping the sleepers clear of ballast but it's not for me!

 

[Makemineadouble]

I've got a micromart HO ballaster and that does a good job

 

[Doug]

QUOTE (Makemineadouble @ 6 Jul 2006, 10:25) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I've got a micromart HO ballaster and that does a good job

So what does that look like underneath then? Is it just a tube with hoes in the bottom?

 

[Gwent rail]

Doug, I think that pinning to cork is probably the best, although over the years I have used other methods.
I don't like pre-formed underlay and always seem to have trouble with double sided tape (probably because I never get my track exactly right first time).
Now I LIGHTLY pin my track to cork sheets (bought from Focus DIY), temporarily connect power and spend some time running trains. After modifying anything necessary and re-testing, I then add the permanent electrics (power feeds, point motor connections, section breaks etc. ), ballast and then remove the pins.
Over the years, learning by my mistakes, I now pin lightly (not quite driving the pin head to the sleeper face and pre-drilling the sleepers first) and test thoroughly before making anything permanent.
Having said all that, so diverse is our hobby that I know a few layouts that have each been done differently and all sucessfully. Try a test piece of any method you fancy, and see what works best for you.

 

[dwb]

I used to drill holes and then pin through the sleepers with the intention of removing the pins once the track has been secured by a combination of painted rail and secured ballast. The problem with that is that it leaves holes in the sleepers and sometimes the breaks the sleepers in half. So I've changed to another method which avoids drilling the sleepers at all.

I use Sundeala board for the bench tops. It's not cheap - around £10.50 for a 4x2 sheet but it accepts Hornby track pins if you use a pointy thing to start a hole first. I secure the track by pinning each /end/ of a sleeper. This prevents lateral movement. Occasionally I place pins either side of the sleeper in the centre to prevent longitudinal movement. When I am eventually happy with the layout and running qualities, the plan is to paint the rail, fix loose ballast and then remove the pins.

I have learned from previous experience not to drive pins into the baseboard with a hammer action. I don't seem to be an accurate shot and one miss bends the rail beyond redemption. Instead I press the pins into place using the broad nose of a large pair of pliers. Starting the hole with a pointy thing and using Sundeala board helps in this regard.

Using this method I can lay and relay curves until I get them just where I want them to go, though after 3 attempts the number of holes in the Sundeala starts to become confusing. One advantage of pinning sleeper ends is that there are plenty of sleepers so if a hole only has to move a mm or so, just use a different sleeper and avoid the problem of the pin going into the original hole - just what you didn't want.

If you can find the picture of the A4 I posted a few weeks back in the Photo forum, you may be able to make out the pin heads every 5 inches or so.

David

 

[Gwent rail]

Thanks for the suggestion David. As it happens, I've just bought 3 sheets of Sundeala to start again. As soon as the weather cools a little I'll make the framing and then start track laying for my latest venture. I'll certainly try your method of pinning. Meanwhile as it remains scorching hot I'll stay on the patio with my bottle of Bud and do some more "planning".

 

[jwealleans]

Try pinning it down with drawing pins between the sleepers. This means that you can run on it, move it if required, then ballast it in the conventional way when you're happy. The ballast will hold it in place, just like the real thing and once you've ballasted under the 'shadow' of the drawing pins it looks fine. It's also easy to lift again in the future - just slide a blade or similar carefully underneath it and use warm water to loosen the ballast.

 

[Makemineadouble]

Micromart Ballaster
Micromart
H0 BallasterProduct 82395 $8.95
there you go. It has a rotating base with a hole to let the ballast through, and two slots for the rails, it does the track shoulders at the same time and works perfectly with Woodlands N gauge ballast.
I think even Doug should be able to afford this handy gaget.

 

[oliver prin]

I have tried ordering parts from this site before from the UK but it won't accept my credit card even tried as a US serviceman in Europe but no joy any ideas how to purchase from here

 

[Dennis David]

Oliver are you a U.S. serviceman in Europe?

 

[oliver prin]

no I am not a US serviceman in Europe this was just a desparate ploy to try and purchase tools from this site although they advertise as supplying overseas customers they would not accept my credit card details so I tried the other option which also did not work

 

[pcc4199]

Are you sure that all your credit card details were correct & imputed properly?
I have ordered items from Micro-Mart with no problems.

Andy,
Burlington, Ontario.

 

[Dennis David]

Must be the Nigerian bank that issued his credit card.

 

[Gwent rail]

Or a daft Yankee bank that could't process it!

 

[80class]

I placed an order with micro-mart for the ballaster when I first came across this thread, pated for it with my card and it arrived in Northern Ireland 5 days later. No problems at all.

Rob

 

[Makemineadouble]

How's the ballaster working ?, I find it works very well with N gauge ballast which what I normally use for 00/HO
anyway ?

 

[80class]

I have only done a small section so far, which I used a mix of 00 and N sized ballast and had no problems. I found it gave a much more even covering than I had managed in the past. For the small price I would recommend it to anyone.

Rob