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The key for drilling into soft metals or plastic is to use a sharp bit and turn it relatively slowly to reduce heating and clear out the chips. Buy a miniature jacobs chuck adapter to stick into your power screwdriver. Carbide tipped bits do work well for metal drilling. <br /> <br />But soldering a wire to nickel silver rail is easy. for HO scale use solid pre-tined 22 or 20 awg wire bent into a 'J' shape to fit along the outside rail flange. It is easier to bend in springiness to hold it in position if the wire is protruding up through the benchwork rather than trying to solder while track is laying on the bench. Add one drop of liquid (or paste) flux. Touch wire and side of rail with a hot iron. when flux sizzles add solder to joint, not to iron. When solder flows around the joint remove iron and blow to assist rapid cooling.
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