Screws to hold American Flyer track down?

Use a #4 or smaller screw 1/4 inch longer than the depth of your sound proofing roadbed. Gargraves makes some in 1/2, 3/4, and 1 inch lengths.

Al

There is no screw to use that will not destroy the ties. A very fine brad might do if you can find them thin enough to go through the provided holes and at the proper length. When I modeled in AF I used 1" long black round head wood screws. I placed one on each side of the lip at the bottom of the tie between the rails. The head of the screw grabs the little lip. This effectively squeezed the tie in and down to the roadbed. Not too noticeable, and if you ballast you cannot see them at all.

Gandy

Several years ago I bought some screws off the bay which were billed as American Flyer track screws. They are pretty skinny! I used them sparingly and you have to use a Jeweler's screwdriver carefully. They work great but I have never been able to find any more! :-(

I USED A SHEET METAK SCREW IN THE CENTER OF THE TIE AFTER I DRILLED A HOLE IN THE CENTER

Black 5/8" screws (5 of them) that are on the back of every VHS tape you discard.

 

They're already black, they're the right length, a small standard Phillips screwdriver will drive them, and they're free!

 

Drill a 5/64" pilot hole first, as they're blunt ended.  Works perfectly for O/027 and GarGraves as well.

 I have always used #4x 5/8" sheet metal screws. They screw in easily. Al

 

I don't screw, I staple!
I found buy using American Flyer rubber roadbed and stapling the road bed down at just one end. This lets the track "float" within the roadbed. All my trains run much smother with less track sound to contend with. Just smoke, cho-choo and Railsound.

I use a air gun with 3/4" long staples. Set the depth gauge on the air gun so it just holds the roadbed, but not pulling it down. Practice on and old piece of roadbed first, till you get the depth set right. This way you can cover the staple with a little paint and ballast material. I laid all my track this way and had very few problems over the last 8 years.

I just pulled up the inside loop and re-done this after hosting our S-Gauger club meeting last month. When you have a dozen S-Gaugers viewing your layout you get some good ideas, most of the time. Anyway the track was easy to take up by just cutting the staple with side cutters and removing one of the staples side at a time. When you have four section of roadbed loose the track will come apart quite easily.

 

You can go to my web page to view the roadbed photos: http://az-flyer.blogspot.com/p/scenery.html

 

AZ-Flyer

Thanks everyone. Sorry for the late response, but I got really busy with school after this. (my layout has probably only operated a couple times since I posted this). Anyway, thanks for the ideas, I hope to start trying them with the free time I now have now that I graduated!

Atlas track screws are a #2 by about 7/8"   I have also uses #4 X 3/4" flat head screws.

An assortment of small tapping screws.

 

Top to bottom.

#6 flat head drywall screw that has been cut about 1"

#6 flat head screw 1/2"

 

#4 pan head screw 7/8"to 1"

#4 pan head screw 1/2" to 3/4"

#4 pan head screw 1/2" to 3/4" black

#4 flat head screw  listed as 3/4" black

#4 flat head screw 3/4"

#4 flat head screw 1/2"

 

#2 flat head screw 1/2"  Very poor machining

#2 pan head screw 7/8"  Atlas track screw

#2 pan head screw 1/4"

Just about all these screws require pre drill holes and possibly a counter-sink hole for those flat head screw to flush top of wood ties.