Does anyone out there know who made the track pins that look like nails with a small tab punched at one side? They look like they were made by a company that made nails for a train manufacturer? I found them in some old Lionel standard gauge track I was cleaning up. At first I thought someone had replaced missing pins with pieces of cut nails until I started to remove them from the track. Thanks in advance for info.
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They are the "original" style Lionel track pin. The tab engages with a crimp in the track web to mitigate inadvertent removal. This type of track usually has two pins on one end and one pin on the other end- enforcing a specific directionality to each section/ loop of track. Lionel changed to the customary three pins on one end and the "modern" pin in the 1930s (perhaps coincident with the acquisition of Ives).
Note that similar "nail" pins were also used by Ives and American Flyer during at least a portion of their manufacturing.
Thanks! I wasn't sure who made them. I have a bunch of mixed Lionel and AF Standard Gauge track and the pins were mixed. Thanks again for the reply.
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