# Lionel track pliers



## Robes (Jan 5, 2011)

Anyone know where I can get a set of Lionel track pliers for O gauge. There is a pair on Evil bay,... but they look like regular pliers. I have both O and 027 trains. I want to make sure I get the real thing. Dad always told me to buy tools right the first time so I don't have to buy em a second time.....


----------



## njrailer93 (Nov 28, 2011)

Im assuming you need the track pliers to remove pins? Any pair of dikes will do the trick


----------



## Robes (Jan 5, 2011)

Nope,... got those,... I have some O gauge track that has flared at then end. I saw a pair of those track pliers that have the hole cut out of the tips to resize track to the proper ...circumference?


----------



## njrailer93 (Nov 28, 2011)

Me being a ford tech i always say use the right tool for the job. For twenty bucks id take a shot at them.


----------



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

ebay usually has several available from different vendors ... the kind made for tubular O track. Keep looking ... they're bound to turn up.

Maybe Jeff Kane at the Train Tender, too? Or East Coast Train Parts?

G'john has a nice pic of different types, here:

http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?p=181021&postcount=48

TJ


----------



## Robes (Jan 5, 2011)

Yep TJ....saw those. That is what perked my interest. I searched the Internet, but could not find them like that. The ones on e-bay,.... They don't have the re-sizing hole in them....and I want to make sure they aren't just a pair of Chinese knock-offs (I have a problem with junk Chinese made tools. I have had quality issues with them). 

Are the O gauge and 027 gauge resizing hole circumference the same size? 
Just searched for Train tender..... interesting,... it came up with Train Tender/Jeff Kane! Nifty site........


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Looks like Hennings Trains has them: http://store03.prostores.com/servlet/henningstrains/the-990/Track-Pliers-for-Lionel/Detail


----------



## Robes (Jan 5, 2011)

yep,... but they are out of stock hwell:

I will add it to my "scrounge list" though,....


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Right you are, I didn't spot that.


----------



## Robes (Jan 5, 2011)

GRJ,.... the ones you have in the picture,.... those are the "original" pliers offered back in the day. Am I correct? The new ones have the resizing hole in the tip. I'm gonna have to put out some feelers for a pair of hose.

I just sent a message to the guy selling the pair on ebay asking him if those are the official "Lionel pliers".


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Actually, the "official" Lionel track pliers are probably around $100 or so, I think it's been a long time since Lionel actually made them. Most of the pliers, including mine, are creations by various enterprises made by grinding the resizing hole. At least one version of the Lionel pliers had the very tip of the pliers ground out for resizing, don't know how that actually worked.


----------



## Robes (Jan 5, 2011)

The gal a few farms over is an avid garage sale shopper. Her and her mother go every weekend. I'll put the bug in her ear and have her watch out. She has found me quite a few train bargains last year....


----------



## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

I think all of the original pliers had the crimping hole on the tip.
I may be wrong, but I think some of the pliers made today do have a different sized crimping hole, one for O/27 and another for O.

Copy and paste, with pictures,
Several different track pliers were produced to assist with tubular track. They made pulling pins out of track or inserting them a cinch. Great for stripping wire as well. The end of the pliers had a hole drilled through so one could reform the track in a cleaner tubular shape if it got bent. You could also crimp the pin in the track if it was loose, thereby improving an electrical connection. Original Postwar track pliers did not come with insulation on the handles, but as operator John Palm notes, "you really have to add grips because the bare metal tears your hands up." The track pliers were offered to the public starting in the early 50's along with most set instruction sheets. Variations of the pliers are quickly identified by the lettering on the fulcrum.











The top two pliers are from the Postwar era. The blue handled pliers are from General Mills, and the large bottom pliers are from LTI.


----------



## ftauss (Sep 18, 2012)

I saw a bunch of those on ebay. Thinking of getting one of each to throw in the toolbox. All of the ones I saw were clearly marked O or O27. The ones I saw with both one hole was clearly larger than the other (in close up).

Originals might run a good bit more because of "collector value". The ones I saw ran $10 to $20. While Chinese tools are hit and miss what are your other options?


----------



## Robes (Jan 5, 2011)

I'll wait and look around for an original set. I have had some very bad experiences with cheap tools. I emailed the vendor on ebay and asked if they were "lionel" tools and he answered "they were not". Just FYI,....


----------



## Handyandy (Feb 14, 2012)

I made my own pair like those one day by accident. I was using the diagonal cutters to cut an electric wire that was supposed to have been dead. KAPOWEEEEE! Burned a little hole right into the blade!! Turned out there was another fuse box in the house nobody knew about!


----------



## Robes (Jan 5, 2011)

Handyandy said:


> I made my own pair like those one day by accident. I was using the diagonal cutters to cut an electric wire that was supposed to have been dead. KAPOWEEEEE! Burned a little hole right into the blade!! Turned out there was another fuse box in the house nobody knew about!



and I bet you looked like this ----->


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Robes said:


> I'll wait and look around for an original set. I have had some very bad experiences with cheap tools. I emailed the vendor on ebay and asked if they were "lionel" tools and he answered "they were not". Just FYI,....


My $12 Chinese based track pliers work just fine, both the O27 and O versions. They're pretty simple, not much they could screw up. The originals will cost far more and be no more functional.


----------



## Dave Sams (Nov 24, 2010)

FWIW, mine are from China, but work great. The hole for the rail is not as close to the tip as the ones pictured, but they do the job.

Mine are 027, but work for 031 in a pinch (I kill myself sometimes :laugh if you don't squeeze too hard.

They came from Moody Street Trains in Columubs, Ohio.


----------



## Robes (Jan 5, 2011)

Okay,.... that makes me feel better. I'm heading to the Hobby shop next week. I'll see if he has any. Always like to keep the local guy going. I always buy something when I walk in the door.


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I like quality tools, but I don't use track pliers enough to spend $50-60 or more on them. Now, the digital 'scope on the workbench, that's different...


----------



## Robes (Jan 5, 2011)

I had a ,...lets call it a "cheap" tool (represented as a quality tool) come apart a couple years ago. I was wearing a head/face shield at the time. Had I not,.... well,...I would be a vegetable, if not dead. I have had a couple more instances where I bought what I thought was a quality tool only to have it become dangerous. When you vouched for the knock-off,. I figured it should be fine. Had you not,... I would of spent the money for the real deal.

I just bought a new Rikon 14" band saw. I researched the Beeshesus out of it for over a year before I finally bought it. It is made in China, but to strict quality measures by Rikon. 
As Gramps once said, but a tool right the first time and you won't have to buy it again. I still have HIS Craftsman orbital sander from the early 60's.....


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I must admit, I like quality tools. I still have my radial arm saw that I bought in the early 70's when we moved into our first house. It's from a time when Sears Craftsman tools were made with quality, the thing is like a tank! Most of my old power tools are still alive and well, but some of the new stuff has already crapped out. I'm also still using my Dremel tool that I got in the 80's, though I did have to replace a motor coupler a few years back.


----------



## Robes (Jan 5, 2011)

I have that same radial arm saw! The joke used to be that I didn't have a wood-shop,... it was an alter to Craftsman. BUT,.... those were the good old days. Not much for the new generation Craftsman. Bad experiences with Craftsman (and B&D) has me buying other brands.....

I think I am buying parts for the tender I am working on,... so I will see if I can order up the pliers on the same order.


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

The old Craftsman stuff was bulletproof, I still have a saber saw, belt sander, and after 30+ years the orbital sander finally did bite the dust, but it didn't owe me anything!


----------



## Robes (Jan 5, 2011)

Got the sabre saw too,...my brother inherited the belt sander....
I think my son has the sabre saw now. That means it still works after four generations....


----------



## VT3RAIL (Sep 10, 2012)

Did you ever find a pair of the track pliers? I myself looked for it on Moody Trains and didn't see it. Just wondering if you finally picked up a pair, what you got, and if you liked it. Getting to that stage where I need to get a pair for myself.


----------



## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

I modified the pliers on the left. They work great to cinch the track around the tube. The other was purchased through ebay.


----------



## carinofranco (Aug 1, 2012)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> I must admit, I like quality tools. I still have my radial arm saw that I bought in the early 70's when we moved into our first house. It's from a time when Sears Craftsman tools were made with quality, the thing is like a tank! Most of my old power tools are still alive and well, but some of the new stuff has already crapped out. I'm also still using my Dremel tool that I got in the 80's, though I did have to replace a motor coupler a few years back.


Just saw your post and had to reply. I bought a Sears radial arm saw in 1968 and still use it. I built everything from doll houses to train layouts to garages with it!


----------



## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

T-man, nice custom job. I think I have some sparked pliers that look like this. Ditto on the older craftsman tools though when kmart bought them out there tools went in the dumper.


----------



## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

Track pliers help with the pins but you really need to pinch the end divet on the pin to lock it to the track.


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

T-Man, I don't lock them in place like that, I'd rather just have them tight and be able to remove them.


----------



## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

I just lock one side. I never got into the offset bending like Bruce does but it works. I don't do much track work either. Don't look over my shoulder when I have to pull one of those out.


----------



## ftauss (Sep 18, 2012)

VT3RAIL said:


> Did you ever find a pair of the track pliers? I myself looked for it on Moody Trains and didn't see it. Just wondering if you finally picked up a pair, what you got, and if you liked it. Getting to that stage where I need to get a pair for myself.


Got a pair off of Ebay fairly inexpensive. Seems to be sturdy enough. Fwwla good in my hands.

Frank


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Hennings Trains sells them.


----------

