Fastening O27 and AF Track

I use #3x1/2'' round head wood screws for 027 track. Most manufacturers offer #4 screws for their track.

Larry

Try here: Micro Fasteners

the ever reliable wehonest from overseas 1.4mm x 16mm(.055 x .629)some cool train stuff, cheap.

You usually have to order those ahead of time and keep a supply once you discover you can't get them locally. Ask me how I know.

Just a reminder, most folks agree that the track should not be fastened too tightly. I always leave the screw heads about 1/2 turn away from the tie.

Lots of folks use #4 sheet metal screws into plywood.

Its been a while. I think they will fit the tie holes without enlarging them, and most hardware stores carry these screws in useable lengths.

Plastic coated wire twist ties.  Two small holes drilled, one on either side of a tie.  Slip the wire tie over the track tie, through the holes, and twist it to your preferred degree of tightness, and, voila, you are done.  Since the track is secured to the plywood, you do not to do this on every piece of track.  I do every third or fourth piece of track on straights, and every other curve piece.  Has worked fine for me.  

I used the #4 screws in both of those tracks, but I had to enlarge the holes in the AF track (original stuff).

I didn't know to keep the screws loose. All of my track has been firmly screwed down for 7 years...

quote:

I didn't know to keep the screws loose. All of my track has been firmly screwed down for 7 years...

I am certain that many people do.
I don't recall your posting about issues, so I assume you are fine.

And maybe the recommendation is out of date. If so, I expect there will be another post or two about it.

I did find 1 Home Depot in the whole PHX metro that had the #4 and #2 screws.  It was 40min away, so I probably spent as much on gas as I did on the screws.  But I got them and got the track down this long weekend.  I was hoping to squeeze a loop of HO between the two others, but not enough room, so there is now a loop of N.  I can't run the N and O at the same time, but at least now there is a loop to run N on, as my oldest son, wife, and I all have N scale equipment.  Here's a photo of my boys watching the trains go.

I still need to finish up by securing the transformers and wires to the board.  But it fits under the couch without removing the trains.  And the combo of my AF locomotive and the Lionel accessory transformer makes for a train that even my 1 year old can drive.  He can turn the knob all the way up and the train doesn't go too fast to fall off the track in the turns.  He loves it.  Not sure if the CW-80 will be the same or not.  He already ran the O train off of the track by turning the handle up too high.  Being it was my old Marx locomotive, he got a metal bodied locomotive shorting out the O and S tracks.