I just posted elsewhere about some problems I had with a Lionel loop. I, too, took needle nose pliers to my center pins. But I also wondered about the "play" that I saw in the outer pins -- so thanks for the tip. Part of my problem turned out to be related to uneven flooring. It made those track sections more vulnerable. It may be worth checking for flexing but it sounds like your crimping is tight.
Good luck with the setup.
Tomlinson Run Railroad
