Must use copper wire for track pins. What gauge please? What does "half-hardened" mean please?

What did you consider that lead you to use copper instead of aluminum wire?  john

Roughly 10 Gauge wire

https://www.zoro.com/southwire...OEAQYCSABEgK2GvD_BwE

Most of it will be stranded though in Home Depot or Lowes I suspect.

John

Thanks John for that measurement.

Thanks Rattler, but it is my understanding that aluminum doesn't conduct electricity.   That rules it out for me because I don't want to add more power wires.

Mannyrock

Aluminum is a great conductor of electricity and is used for most of the high tension transmission wires.  It is not now used for house wiring due to problems with connections to switches and fixtures due to its expanding and contraction when heated causing connections to work loose.

You might consider using pieces of steel wire coat hanger wire for the track pins as it is soft for steel and easy to bend and readily available.  There are a few different diameters of coat hanger wires and pick the one closes to the track ID.

Charlie

I would not use aluminum, copper is the way to go.

@Mannyrock posted:

Because I mixed different curve radius sections in a large curve, I can't close that curve up with my straight-run section unless I add a One-Inch section of 031 curve to the end of the last 10 inch 031 curve section.

Cut the full curve down a few inches and use a larger curve segment, then you can use normal pins.  It'll also probably line up better than a 1" piece of track.

Thanks.  Great advice from all.

I'll try John's comment first.  Can't believe I was so stupid I didn't think of it.

If that doesn't work out, I think I'll go the coat hanger route.

Nothing wrong with copper, but I hate that grimy green coating it develops.

Mannyrock

Not sure about Aluminum pins. Wouldn't there be corrosion with the steel track?

I agree with John, think using two larger segments is better than inserting a 1" curve segment.

@Mannyrock posted:

Thanks.  Great advice from all.

I'll try John's comment first.  Can't believe I was so stupid I didn't think of it.

That's the great thing about a conversation like this, sometimes the obvious escapes us all until we get a little slap.   It happens to me regularly, someone will post the obvious and I'll be...