N-gauge track pins

[danny]

I just wondered if there are small track pins for N gauge, as the ones I use for 009 and 00 usually are too big for the thin sleepers. Because I am only building a test track, I have used N gauge track.

[Brian Mosby]

Peco cat No SL-14

[danny]

OK, thanks, I'll give them a try.

[B.Meldon]

I find the Peco SL-14 pins are too long.

Peco used to make a shorter pin of the same diameter, but they do not list this anymore. (I think I have an old label somewhere and if I can find it I will post the number.)

However even with the thin pins I always pre-drill the sleepers as just pushing the pins through tends to distort the sleepers somewhat.

Brian Meldon

[jimowers]

I use the Peco SL-14 but only as temporary locators whilst the PVA glue under my track dries. Once I have set the track in ballast as well I get absolutely no movement in the track or the trackbed. Am I in a majority of one in doing this or do others agree?

[Hugh Norwood]

I too rely only on the PVA to keep the track in place after it has set.

[cnw6847]

I use the Peco SL-14 but only as temporary locators whilst the PVA glue under my track dries. Once I have set the track in ballast as well I get absolutely no movement in the track or the trackbed. Am I in a majority of one in doing this or do others agree?

pretty much what I do

[Harry Mantheakis]

I wish I had done that too - I ended up pulling out all the pins because I could not stand the sight of them - and sure enough the ballast glue kept the track firmly in place.

[Graeme Dunbar]

Pretty much what I do.

I have heard that it is better not to use high quality wood glue as it sets rock hard, but to use cheaper school/craft PVA as the set is softer. Apparently this helps noise dampening. Also it is less water resistant and so the track can be lifted if needed after a good soaking. Latex-based glue is also used, but I understand it yellows and deteriorates.

[danny]

On most of my layouts I just use PVA and no track pins, however I wonder if this will work on a test track (ie no ballast). On my 'proper' layouts the track is obviously ballasted which helps keep it in place.

[jimowers]

A good point abo

[Hugh Norwood]

On most of my layouts I just use PVA and no track pins, however I wonder if this will work on a test track (ie no ballast). On my 'proper' layouts the track is obviously ballasted which helps keep it in place.

It works OK round the back of Angst in the fiddle yard!

[danny]

My main OO9 trest track is Tillig HO/HOe dual gauge

I did consider this as well (could have saved width), but it's code 83 (not 100) so I wasn't sure if all of my 00 stock (cheaper/older locos with deeper flanges) would run on it. This was when I was going to have a continuous loop around the (very small) room, but the shelf would have taken up too much space so it is now just going to be a straight line up one wall. Another point is that I think for large quantities of track it worked out a lot cheaper to buy peco 00 and N separately than Tillig dual gauge.