Bill, You’re right: the Walthers “Code 83/100” spikes are very nice. I bought some to play with because when I opened a new bag of Micro Engineering “Small Spikes”, I discovered that they have changed from the ones that I have been using. The heads are large, misshaped and ugly. They are almost unusable.
In the more visible places, I still prefer the Micro Engineering “Micro Spikes”. Not great holding power until the ballast glue is applied, but they are close in size to the spikes on the Tomalco flex Track that I use. Roger Nulton From: scale S only Sent: Friday, March 23, 2012 11:30 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: {S-Scale List} Upson Board (was Re: Homasote) Hi all -- My experience is the the glue joint between the ties and the road bed is what really holds the spikes. I have been doing hand laid track on cork roadbed for more than 20 years, and I have never had a spike come loose on its own. Once ballast is added and more glue hits the ties, spikes are almost impossible to remove... In the past, the spikes I used barely penetrated beyond the ties anyway. Now I use the Walthers (made by Shinohara?) spikes which are longer, sharper and more consistent than any I have used before without being significantly more expensive. Bill Winans ----------------------------------- A good friend and O scale modeler, used Upson board for his entire layout's roadbed, all handlaid track and the spikes have held well for over 10 years now. Bud Rindfleisch
