# Lionel FasTrack Broken Pins



## dm76 (Nov 16, 2014)

Is it common for the center-rail pins to break on Lionel FasTrack?

I ordered a Road-Crossing section, and one of those pins came broken (it fell from the box when I opened it).

I also purchased an Accessory Activator Pack, and the first time I tried to take the two isolated sections apart, one of those center pins immediately broke off. I'm no brute, but pulling FasTrack apart DOES require some force (unless i'm doing it wrong). 

Is this a common thing? If so, is it easy to get replacement pins? My searching would lead me to believe that this isn't a common issue with FasTrack. But here I am, experiencing it twice on the same day.

I guess my questions are:
1) Is this common, or am I just having bad luck.
2) Is it easily remedied (i would hate to have to keep returning things via mail)
3) Is the right way to disassemble FasTrack to simply pull them apart with force?


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## dm76 (Nov 16, 2014)

And I do apologize. After I posted this, I found another thread:

http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=24384&highlight=fastrack+pins

Still hard to tell if this is common. But someone did make a good suggestion of just making a jumper beneath the tracks. That's great for a permanant layout, but my concern is that this is going to be set up and taken apart over the next few Holidays. Maybe FasTrack just isn't meant for the casual "let's play with some trains" scenario.


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## Motorbones (Nov 14, 2014)

I have about 115' of track and have never had one break on me. I don't think it's a good idea to force anything although sometimes connecting them together can be a bit tricky. When I need to separate track, I usually slightly jiggle it side to side just a little bit and it seems to separate OK for me. Any thing that arrives broken should be replaced by the seller IMHO.


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## Dave Farquhar (Feb 20, 2013)

I have a loop of Fastrack that I've been using around the Christmas tree for about 10 years and I've never lost a center pin. I will say the plastic tabs that hold the track together mechanically are getting weak on a few of the pieces, but I've found the pins themselves to be pretty robust.

Eventually those plastic tabs will wear out from putting the track together and taking it apart but that is indeed the target audience. What I typically do to reduce wear and tear is to just break the loop into 2-3 pieces, leaving several pieces connected, to reduce the amount of wear I cause every season.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I too have never had a Fastrack pin break. I certainly don't think it's common, though the center rail has the thinner pin, so it's the one most likely to break with rough handling.


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## njrailer93 (Nov 28, 2011)

agreed ive never had them break. maybe just a few defective pieces or a little too much force to pull them apart.


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## BigAl56 (Dec 14, 2011)

Did it break or just fall out? I agree with the others the pins are very solid. Perhaps someone was making an insulated track and left the pins loose?


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## Dave Farquhar (Feb 20, 2013)

I'd definitely believe pins falling out. Of the 10-12 pieces of Fastrack I have, two of them were pretty loosely put together (from the factory, no less) and I had to tighten them up.


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## mtfrizzell (Jan 1, 2016)

Color me embarrassed. I broke an O-gauge fast track pin on an operating straight section while trying to move and lift a long section of layout without disassembly







. It kinda bent in the middle. Solution: buy a 1 1/2" section and scavenge parts. Nobody sells the pins. Seems to be some kind of "pot" metal instead of steel. 
Mike


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Volphin (Dec 7, 2015)

I've actually had more break on me this year! Someone donated 12 or so 30" straight sections to our club. Some track was even slightly rusty from storage in a damp area. Lost 3 common pins due to weakness. Some O48 and O60 sections have lost 2 center pins and 2 common pins. What stinks is if you don't notice and try to assemble the sections and they won't click together!


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## santafe158 (Jul 14, 2010)

I've had several (probably half a dozen) of the outer rail pins break. I'm sure it's a result of frequent assembly and disassembly, though it's kind of disappointing that I can't buy replacements. It's not much of an issue with the number of track feeder wires I use on my semi-permanent Christmas layout. I wouldn't go as far as saying they're "Very Solid." They're simply cheap die cast pieces. Certain types of cast metal aren't really designed to take flexing/shocking motions, so I think it's sort of a design flaw to an extent. It shouldn't be a problem if you're careful, but they definitely don't take much to break.


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## DennyM (Jan 3, 2016)

I'm with the other guys. I have never had that happen......yet.


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

I have some older fasttrack I use for around the tree. I haven't had a pin break but it only gets used a few times at most a year. I would guess your millage will very upon the amount of times you take apart and put it together.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I've seen them break, but I've never personally broke on yet.


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## L0stS0ul (Feb 6, 2015)

I've broken two fastrack center pins. Just like the pictures shown in this post. My experience with fastrack is not normal though. I think I got a completely bad batch that had lots of continuity issues. I fixed mine by reusing pins from sections I created blocks from  

It's really easy to create a center rail jumper using 18 gauge wire and a connector like this 

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Gardner-Bender-Yellow-0-250-F-Disconnects-50-Pack-75-145F/202522694

not recommending home depot or the price (much cheaper elsewhere) but noting the type of connector. Only time I really had to solder was for the small filler fastrack pieces that don't have the connection points.


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