Prewar track clips, how do they work?

I have a few of those myself !  I wish I could help.  Maybe they're Ives ?   Jim.

I searched and found this, it has pictures !      https://ogrforum.com/...-pre-war-track-clips

Many thanks Jim C. The pictures on the former post you lead me to are totally self-explanatory and now I know how to use them. Doubt if I will ever use them however at least now I know how.

Thanks again, Jim L.

I have a bunch and they are very hard to install.  The track must be very tightly together.  If the ties are a little out of place even harder.  Good for temporary floor / Xmas layouts theoretically.  So much pain to use I gave up them.

Maybe a little oil will help, especially if they're lightly rusted.  Jim.

Gee... I've been using them under all my Christmas Tree layouts since the 60's.  Never occurred to me that instructions were necessary!

Jon

I always use them, but then my layouts are always temporary floor layouts that wriggle apart without them.

Usually always use these on any tubular sections of track. As @ogaugenut stated, unfortunately they can be rather difficult to install. The tie from the end of one section of track has to be very close to he tie from the next section of track. They are, however, effective when you can get them to slide on(the O-31more thanO-27 in my opinion).

Also, just a heads, if you buy used tubular that someone has previously ballasted or are using tubular that has had ballast placed around it, the ballast will make it much harder to slide these on if it has adhered to the track ties' grooves. That problem applies more so for the O-31tubular clips than the 0-27 tubular clips which clip from the outside of both sides of the ties.