Lionel Graduated Trestle

I don't think anybody understands what you are talking about. Give us the number of the set for starters.

Regards

Romiller

I'm sure your talking about the newer style trestle for fast track. I had the same problem and even tried using needle nose pliers to get those plastic pins in, they are tough. I remember reading here on the forum that someone replaced the pins with screws, Not sure what kind. 

franktrain

I ended up putting the supports in the base then using needle nose pliers to push the pin into the support.  Then the metal piece is pretty easy to clip on.  I thought they were a pain in the neck to assemble.  My suggestion is to forget about the spacers.  You don't really need them because it isn't that hard to eyeball where the next trestle goes.  Also, if you decide you want a steeper (bad idea!) or more gentle grade you will then be able to move them closer (bad idea!) or farther apart as needed.

Gandalf, it is a pain, that is for sure. You say you pushed them through the support first. Does that mean you came up from the bottom. I have been trying to put them through the two spacers first, then the metal clip then lastly into the "wooden" trestle. They seem to go into the trestle well in the end, but it is the 3 metal pieces that have me crying.

Thanks

Todd

I started out doing it the way you are but popped the metal part that clips onto the track on last.  It goes on pretty easily.  I very quickly gave up on the spacers.

What I am doing now is replacing all my trestles.  I'm going to use Woodland Scenics inclines and risers instead.  They will look ugly until I get to adding the colored foam but they will give me better support than what I currently have.

I have a solution to this, as I recently installed a good deal of Fastrack trestle.  Getting the little plastic pin into the brace, spacers, and trestle is indeed a nightmare. And the fact that I can't swivel the trestle a few degrees in either direction is a design flaw, from my perspective. 

So even when fully assembled and secured to my table, I found the track was still not as stable as I wanted.  I bought a pack of locking nylon wire ties - about 4" long and 1/8" wide, see picture - and I looped them around the brace, the spacer, and the trestle itself.  Cinched it up tight and cut off the excess amount, and it's as solid as a rock.  Nearly invisible unless you're looking for it.

I plan on replacing the plastic pins with screws and gluing the trestle "wood"

to the base with plastic model cement.

Any comments ?

I haven't experienced any problems with joining those two pieces.  They seem to go together and hold well without cement.

I am planning on making a home made riser that will support a longer length of track and screwing the metal clip to it.

(edited to correct a typo)

I like the idea of using small screws/nuts. I think that will make it a lot easier to put together, but I am wondering if the lack of "play" created by using those will cause something to break instead of just coming apart if something happens when I am putting the track on. Just a thought.

I also have no problem conecting the "wooden" part to the bases and hadn't thought about using glue for that.

Thanks for the input

Todd

I have the 6-12037 FasTrack Graduated Trestle Set i want to replace the pins with screws what size screws would i use if i went that rout