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I was pretty good at laying HO track. This is my first N layout and my track laying wasn't real great. Now my trains derail and uncouple. The thing is that my layout is so small, that replacing any sections would be about replacing the whole thing. My wife gets on me for never finishing any layouts. I'm ready to tear this layout apart and start a simpler plan. Should I try to fix my issues, or start over? Its tough to work a layout I hate. Also, I have my flex track and turnout glued down and ballasted with diluted white glue and woodland scenics ballast. Are there any tricks to salvaging the track and getting it back up without ruining it?
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I understand the constant anger of frequent derailments and uncoupling. The usual source is rough trackwork and that is hard to correct after all has been set. It depends on the glue you used for ballasting and trackwork if you can dismantle the tracks with a water spray bottle or not.
In any case I would start with a perfect flat surface and perfect aligned tracks and turnouts to end up with a reliable layout. The imperfection will creep in anyhow 
ps. Does your wife know that model railroaders have an old habit to start with a new wife if they start with a new layout? That might help to convince here why it is it so very good to never complete the current layout.... 
Reinhard
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Rip 'er up and start again. You'll never finish a layout that's a constant source of frustration - ask me how I know! 
To get your track up, spray it with "wet" water (water with a few drops of dish soap in it) or Windex. Let it soak for a few minutes to soften the glue, then pull it up. Scrub with a stiff brush to get rid of the attached ballast, and you're ready to go again.
When you're ready to try again, try using a layout planning program like XtrkCad or RightTrack (both free) to test your layout design. XtrkCad even lets you run trains so you can check clearances and test operational aspects of your plan.
N scale, being smaller and lighter, is more sensitive to rough track than HO. You really want to make sure you have a smooth roadbed and tight, smooth rail joints. No big gaps or kinks. If you can't get the track to go where you want, there's probably a good reason for not doing it.
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I feel your pain, and have been there too.  Trying to add pieces into an existing layout that's been ballasted and such is a tough thing to do. So maybe it's time to start with a clean slate. But, all the track you've utilized should be reusable after a bit of cleaning. Resist the temptation to just rip the track up. Try to soften the ballasting first with water, then use a putty knife to get under the track. That will stop the rails from popping out of the tiny little plastic clips that hold them to the ties. Nscale track (IMHO) is tough to lay perfectly well and without flaw.
Mark
Citation Latitude Captain
--and--
Lt Colonel, USAF (Retired)
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..........and this time, re-lay your track, and run the __________ out of it, before ballasting. Track problems will happen, even to the best, but they are easier to remedy before the ballast is poured, and "solidified".
Oh, on the subject of plans....any drawing of a track plan I have ever made, is a drawing of where, and how I laid the track, not a plan of where "I had to put" the track........track was laid to operate smoothly, operated to insure it did, and the finished product documented in a drawing.
My 8' X 10' modular layout worked well, even after being moved, several times, by "Lowest Bidder Moving Company" *.
* The movers used by the military, to relocate military families. ( Least expensive, but not necessarily the best )
We always learn far more from our own mistakes, than we will ever learn from another's advice.
The greatest place to live life, is on the sharp leading edge of a learning curve.
Lead me not into temptation.....I can find it myself!
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joefryfry Wrote:I was pretty good at laying HO track. This is my first N layout and my track laying wasn't real great. Now my trains derail and uncouple. The thing is that my layout is so small, that replacing any sections would be about replacing the whole thing. My wife gets on me for never finishing any layouts. I'm ready to tear this layout apart and start a simpler plan. Should I try to fix my issues, or start over? Its tough to work a layout I hate. Also, I have my flex track and turnout glued down and ballasted with diluted white glue and woodland scenics ballast. Are there any tricks to salvaging the track and getting it back up without ruining it?
Two ways I would look at this situation -
1. If it isn't too extensive, there are probably other issues you would like to correct, as well, so you could consider it a golden opportunity to fix those at the same time.
2. If it is extensive, you could consider this an opportunity to try an entirely different approach.
In any event, consider this a learning experience and move forward. Don't get discouraged on the entire hobby because you didn't get it perfectly right this time. After all, next time you'll know all the mistakes to avoid before you make them!
Whatever you choose to do, good luck! 
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Squidbait Wrote:Rip 'er up and start again. You'll never finish a layout that's a constant source of frustration - ask me how I know!
To get your track up, spray it with "wet" water (water with a few drops of dish soap in it) or Windex. Let it soak for a few minutes to soften the glue, then pull it up. Scrub with a stiff brush to get rid of the attached ballast, and you're ready to go again.
When you're ready to try again, try using a layout planning program like XtrkCad or RightTrack (both free) to test your layout design. XtrkCad even lets you run trains so you can check clearances and test operational aspects of your plan.
N scale, being smaller and lighter, is more sensitive to rough track than HO. You really want to make sure you have a smooth roadbed and tight, smooth rail joints. No big gaps or kinks. If you can't get the track to go where you want, there's probably a good reason for not doing it.
One word of caution - RightTrack is not approved for Win7. 
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Sounds to me like you'd be happier starting the layout over. I see some good suggestions posted above regarding removing track successfully and I like Pete's advice about track planning. Its your hobby...make it fun and satisfying! There was recently an editorial in Model Railroader magazine about starting over. You are not alone on this issue!
regards,
Ralph
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When it comes to track work N Scale is less forgiving then HO..Take you time and lay smooth track work and besure to test it at various speeds in both directions and in reverse.
Larry
Engineman
Summerset Ry
Make Safety your first thought, Not your last! Safety First!
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Thank you. All good points. Before we moved here, I had an HO layout that ran perfectly in a pretty good size space. I was happy with it. The N scale track is quite flimsy compared to HO and I have to admit I wasn't thrilled with it. But I am going to start over.
A. I don't have a whole lot invested in this layout, time or money.
B. I wasn't that far along, but I did like how the scenery was coming. I was "afraid" to do certain things, but did them anyways and learned what my preferences were.
C. I don't think we will be at this house for long, so I need a simpler, smaller plan that I will be able to complete in a couple years. And I don't get much time to spend on the layout so I would just like to have a running train, even if it chases itself and get some photo opportunities.
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Time spent on very careful track laying is time very well spent!
The biggest mistake many beginning/inexperienced model railroaders make in their impatience to see trains run is to rush through the track laying process. That's like throwing a bunch of concret blocks in a shallow trench and calling it a foundation on which to build a house. You'll continually have major problems with that house for as long as it continues to stand.
The same is true for a model railroad.
So says the Voice of Experience!
biL
Lehigh Susquehanna & Western
"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves." ~~Abraham Lincoln
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P5se Camelback Wrote:Time spent on very careful track laying is time very well spent!
The biggest mistake many beginning/inexperienced model railroaders make in their impatience to see trains run is to rush through the track laying process. That's like throwing a bunch of concret blocks in a shallow trench and calling it a foundation on which to build a house. You'll continually have major problems with that house for as long as it continues to stand.
The same is true for a model railroad.
So says the Voice of Experience! I have done that before. I've also laid some pretty good track. I think the case here is the switch to N. You wouldn't think it wouldn't be that much different than HO, but I was surprised how much it was. I'm chalking this all up to a learning experience.
Also, I thought I had this track down pretty good, but things seemed to have "moved" over time.
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biL
Lehigh Susquehanna & Western
"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves." ~~Abraham Lincoln
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Maybe. There are two place in particular that are pretty bad that I did not at first have issues with, which leads me to another question....I do have more room in my house to put a layout, but the room is a storage room that is unheated. It gets very cold in there in the winter and warm in the summer. I live in PA, so we have all 4 seasons here. I've read a little here and there about expansion and contraction on a layout. I wondered if I put a space heater in there in the winter to minimize the temperature range if that would make it a good place for a layout. Could I put a layout in a place that possibly has large temp swings?
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joefryfry Wrote:....I do have more room in my house to put a layout, but the room is a storage room that is unheated. It gets very cold in there in the winter and warm in the summer. I live in PA, so we have all 4 seasons here. I've read a little here and there about expansion and contraction on a layout. I wondered if I put a space heater in there in the winter to minimize the temperature range if that would make it a good place for a layout. Could I put a layout in a place that possibly has large temp swings? If you're already having some issues with track moving on you, most likely due to expansion/contraction; moving the layout to the storage room would probably give you fits! Depending on how your bench work is constructed and the materials you used, it may be subject to a lot of expansion/contraction issues.
I haven't worked with N scale since about 1970, but I do recall that working with that scale and even HOn3 was a lot less forgiving then HO. What is a minor shift of the track or very slight bump in HO would most likely be compounded in N scale.
Most important, we've had a half dozen homes burn so far this winter here (KY) because of space heaters (electric and kerosene) so think long and hard about that too.
Ed
"Friends don't let friends build Timesavers"
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