American Flyer - Track Pins

[richhotrain]

As part of the rehabilitation of my American trains and related equipment (which have sat in storage for more than 35 years), I have reached the track cleaning stage.

I have cleaned each individual piece of track and rubber roadbed, sanded the rails lightly to remove some rust and grime, and straightened out the pins which fit into the hollow portion of the rails and provide electrical contact from rail to rail.

Unfortunately, after I left home ,got married and raised a family, my younger brother took over the trains and did not care for them anywhere near as well as I had done before him.

Several pieces of track are either missing pins or the pins are broken leaving a part of the broken pin lodged inside the rail.  I can buy new pins to replace the missing or broken pins, but I have a few questions. 

I noticed that the side of each rail has two notches, presumably to hold the pins securely in place.  How do I get the broken pins out of the rail, since these notches are holding them in and I cannot grab them with my snip nose pliers?

Also, can the unbroken pins be pulled out with a pair of pliers?  A few are pretty badly bent, and I don't want to break the rails or the pins as I try to pull them out.

Lastly, how easy or difficult is it to put new pins in the rails?  Any hints on how to secure them?

Thanks.

Rich

[Sturgeon-Phish]

Place the track upside down on a solid surface.  Take a small flat blade screwdriver and insert the blade of the screwdriver in the seam where the rail bends around and meets.  Slightly spread it apart.  Hold the track and pull out the pin.  Do not use too much force because you may pull the track out of the paper insulator.  Once you remove the pin, use a pair of needle nose pliars to squeeze the track back together, then re-insert the pin.  You may need to re-shape the ties and the place where the tie holds the paper insulator and rail. 

Oh, a brass wire wheel on a motor frame will clean up a bunch of track in a hurry.  The tops is the most important part.  IF the rails are bent avoid using it because it may cause problems later and track is fairly easy and cheap to come by.

Jim

[servoguy]

 Good advice.  I would advise you not to use sandpaper on the rails unless they are very rusty.  Sandpaper will remove the plating, causing problems later on.  Use a Scotchbrite pad.  it is quick and easy, or if the rust is bad, use a wire wheel.  I use a medium steel wire wheel on a bench grinder to remove heavy rust from Lionel track.  Also, I wouldn't worry about the sides, just the top and bottom.  The wheel may tear up the insulators. 

I would suggest that you carefully spread the tie clips and remove the tie from the end of the track section before you try to spread the rail.  You could slide the tie toward the center of the track section to get it out of the way.  This would be preferable to taking the tie off as you would have trouble putting it back on.  Spread the tie clips as little as possible so they don't break off.

Bruce Baker

[servoguy]

 I recommend you gently spread the tie clips and move the tie toward the center of the track section.  Then you can easily spread the rail and remove the pin.  I just tried it and it work well.  To re-crimp the rail, use an ordinary crimping tool for wire lugs which you can buy from Radio Shack or an auto parts store for about $8.  Hold the tool parallel to the track section, and come under the pin.  I use the same tool for Lionel tubular track.   To re-crimp the tie, you can use ordinary pliers.  You can use an ordinary pair of slip-joint pliers, and come down perpendicular to the track section and squeeze both of the tie clips at the same time.

I don't recommend you use sandpaper to clean the rails.  It will remove the plating.  Use a Scotchbrite pad.  It is quick and easy.  Or use a wire wheel on a motor.  I use a medium steel wire wheel to clean up Lionel track. I clean the top and bottom but not the sides.  The wire wheel might tear up the insulators. 

Bruce Baker

 Bruce Baker

 

[richhotrain]

Sturgeon-Phish

Place the track upside down on a solid surface.  Take a small flat blade screwdriver and insert the blade of the screwdriver in the seam where the rail bends around and meets.  Slightly spread it apart.  Hold the track and pull out the pin.  Do not use too much force because you may pull the track out of the paper insulator.  Once you remove the pin, use a pair of needle nose pliars to squeeze the track back together, then re-insert the pin.  You may need to re-shape the ties and the place where the tie holds the paper insulator and rail. 

Oh, a brass wire wheel on a motor frame will clean up a bunch of track in a hurry.  The tops is the most important part.  IF the rails are bent avoid using it because it may cause problems later and track is fairly easy and cheap to come by.

Jim

Jim,

Thanks,

This is helpful. 

Rich

[richhotrain]

servoguy

 I recommend you gently spread the tie clips and move the tie toward the center of the track section.  Then you can easily spread the rail and remove the pin.  I just tried it and it work well.  To re-crimp the rail, use an ordinary crimping tool for wire lugs which you can buy from Radio Shack or an auto parts store for about $8.  Hold the tool parallel to the track section, and come under the pin.  I use the same tool for Lionel tubular track.   To re-crimp the tie, you can use ordinary pliers.  You can use an ordinary pair of slip-joint pliers, and come down perpendicular to the track section and squeeze both of the tie clips at the same time.

I don't recommend you use sandpaper to clean the rails.  It will remove the plating.  Use a Scotchbrite pad.  It is quick and easy.  Or use a wire wheel on a motor.  I use a medium steel wire wheel to clean up Lionel track. I clean the top and bottom but not the sides.  The wire wheel might tear up the insulators. 

Bruce Baker

 Bruce Baker

 

Bruce,

Thanks for both replies.  I will follow your advice.  Also, thanks for that tip on the crimping tool.  I will head over to my Radio Shack store to pick one up.

Rich