Glue or pin rail?

[Spotty Muldoon]

I am waiting fora 6’ x 3’ piece of plywood. My question is, I am using Kato track (n gauge) and unsure whether or not to remove it from the baseboard after use then put the board away (cannot leave it up, no room). Or, pin or glue the track down, this will save me the agro of laying the track every time. Not a great fan of using track pins so glue seems to be the best option. The question is, what type of glue? Would those glue dots work? Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

Brian

[Brian]

Hi
I would opt for the fixed track.. As continually disconnecting sections then reconnecting them will eventually result in weakened electrical path rail to rail.

As for gluing or pinning, I would until your 100% satisfied with the final track plan and have tested it for a couple of hours by trying different moves etc pin the track, this allow subsequent alterations to be easily made. Only once your fully satisfied consider the glue!

[IanS]

I use track screws, a lot easier to remove without damaging the track (00) so would think that n gauge track would be mean it is still easier.

As Brian says, only after you're satisfied with the layout then glue. With screws you can change your mind easier than with pins.

[Walkingthedog]

Gaugemaster track pins for me. Obviously if you ballast the track the pins can be removed if you wish. I don’t bother. Screws too much work I reckon. .

[sandy]

IainS. I like to pin with Gaugemaster or Hornby 10mm pins and have found if you wish to remove track you can lift it easily using a narrow ended dinner knife (don't tell the wife) with a twist of the knife having pushed the tip of the knife under rail and pin you twist the knife and the rail will lift with no damage. Works for me. Have not yet damaged a knife.

[dtb]

I use screws purchased from.................remove link if not allowed but message me if you want it
http://www.alansrobinson.co.uk/model%20 ... crews.html

[Tricky Dicky]

I am waiting fora 6’ x 3’ piece of plywood. My question is, I am using Kato track (n gauge) and unsure whether or not to remove it from the baseboard after use then put the board away (cannot leave it up, no room). Or, pin or glue the track down, this will save me the agro of laying the track every time. Not a great fan of using track pins so glue seems to be the best option. The question is, what type of glue? Would those glue dots work? Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

Brian

Being able to dismantle a layout can be satisfying for a limited period in that each session might be a different layout, but the limitations of having set pieces of track mean that there is a limit to how much you can create “new” layouts. Scattering a few buildings and other scenery about on a temporary basis never looks as good as as a properly constructed layout either.

So you are faced with the perennial problem for most layout builders as to where to have a layout made even more difficult by the fact you say it will have to be put away. Not knowing your circumstances there are some solutions that will allow a layout to be made permanent yet easily put way.

One way depending on having wall space available is to make a layout that folds up against a wall, one problem with that is that allowance needs to be made for any scenery and buildings by offsetting the hinged edge away from the wall to accommodate them Brians book does contain some suggestions on how that might be done. Also working in N-gauge buildings are never going to very high and those that are could be made removable.

I have heard of but not seen it of a layout that was stored on the back of a door. A standard door is usually 6’ 6’’ x 30’ (in old money) so cut off 6” of your plywood width and it will fit a door. Limiting factors there are what does the door open against and is there room to accommodate the layout? Also what and how you are going to hang it off?

A layout that is suspended from a ceiling is another possibility, although most examples I have seen have usually been in garages where users have required to garage a car when not using the layout. There is at least one company that can supply all the pulleys and other bits to raise the layout. I have heard of one modeller who did that in a bedroom and literally created a false ceiling on the underside of the layout which even incorporated the room ceiling lighting but unless you are OK with domestic electrics will probably need some professional to do the install.

Finally, going back too many decades than I care to remember, a school friend of mine acquired a layout that was a model of Peel harbour in the I of M. It folded together like a suitcase and simply slid under his bed. For people who live in rented accommodation limitations set by the landlord may severely limit what you can do, but I did read in a long time magazine article of a modeller who converted an old freestanding cupboard/sideboard into a layout by splitting the top so it opened out into a layout which fitted into a bay window which in many houses is often an underused space.

Richard

[Mountain Goat]

I tend to pin, though when one adds ballast this ends up being rock hard anyway so I guess that will be both methods. But normally I pin with either Hornby or Gaugemaster track pins. Peco pins are far too thin and flimsy unless one is using a soft board to pin to. (Unless Peco have changed to different pins in recent years? I have no idea! I only once bought a pack some 30 years ago).
The older Hornby pins were nice but only available secondhand. The newer ones are slightly longer and wider and are pretty good but one needs wider holes in sleepers. The new type have domed heads. The older Hornby pins from the Margate era (Before they moved production to China) had flat heads.
Gaugemaster (I bought a pack of their brass pins) pins are very similar to the older Hornby pins in size and shape and are nice.
To sum up, both Hornby and Gaugemaster do do nice track pins. The Hornby domed heads maybe a bit too visible but they do the job well. Peco track will need the sleepers drilled with a minidrill to pin the track down. I did just hammer straight through the sleepers with the older Hornby pins but todays Hornby pins are wider so really one needs to drill a hole.
While Peco track does need a hole drilled to pin, Hornby track does come with holes already in the sleepers at the most convenient places so that can save a little extra work, but drilling holes is easy enough in plastic so...

The main reason why I pin is because flexi track needs to be pinned anyway as trying to hold a bend just with glue is almost impossible unless one uses very quick drying glue. Apart from that pinning track does allow one to reposition it if one changes ones mind. Very useful indeed. I have rarely ever made a layout that has not had its track plan altered. Actually only once have I ever not lifted and relayed track on a layout. Pinning allows for this.

[Chuffchuff]

My track is screwed down.

A quick zip up and down with a Archimedean drill for a pilot hole a d pop in a mini Philips screw job done.obviously need a screwdriver that is sold with the screws ( generally )

https://www.railwayscenics.com/miniatur ... -2930.html

Other suppliers are available.

Rgds

[sandy]

I use track screws, a lot easier to remove without damaging the track (00) so would think that n gauge track would be mean it is still easier.

As Brian says, only after you're satisfied with the layout then glue. With screws you can change your mind easier than with pins.

No he didn't. He said, consider the glue.
For me pins are easy as falling off a log. Screws are to much faff and would think cost more as well.