# sectional track for new layout



## yellerstang (Feb 20, 2012)

Hello all,

I have been using lock and joiner tjet track since it was new.... and thats a long time. Im looking to build a new 4 lane layout with 18" outside curves, some elevation changes, and at least one over and under...

How well does Tomy track react to building a layout that isnt flat, like my tjet track?

Why the change? 18" (I have seen 21" out there) corners and better electricals. Deeper guide pin slot.

Pluses/minuses??? Thanks

Im not going to routed, cost is an issue. I will have a pile of tjet track, locks and joiners to sell once I start building the new layout, this will help me finance the new AFX track.


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## Boosted-Z71 (Nov 26, 2007)

YellerStang this is my first track-layout I made from Tomy track, Jaybird Speedway, it has several elevation changes like you want, both inclines & declines, I made sure that I supported all the elevations very well with custom wood shims, The track has a paperclip elevation type change into an elevated long straight that is supported by a shelf on the wall. 

http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?p=3622410&highlight=boosted#post3622410

As for flatness the tomy track is pretty good, I soldered all the joints on my layout, and screwed all the sections down, so its permanent. My only complaint is that the rail height took some filing work to get them all consistent, and it was all new track to start with. I also took the knub off the latch tab as some of them did not set all the way down when fully seated. 

After the work, it is smooth, close to routed as you really dont hear much of the clack / clack from sectional track anymore, but its not as flowing as a routed setup. 

Sometimes if you watch you can pick up a nice routed track fairly cheap, I bought mine at what I thought was a reasonable price and its a great track (The Glass Ring) it has elevation changes, banked turns, decreasing radii curves and some killer straights that just lure you into leaving the trigger down.

http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=332306&highlight=glassring

Boosted


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## slotking (May 27, 2008)

on the rail issue
I took a rolling pin to all my track to press the rails down.
If the rails seemed to low on a piece, I would push it up from the bottom side.

once the rails where close to even, I put a drop of black max on each exposed rail section on the bottom.

black max will flow and glue the rail down.

I did this because I run NEO mag unlimited cars and I did not want the rails popping up.


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## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

yellerstang said:


> I have been using lock and joiner tjet track since it was new.... and thats a long time. Im looking to build a new 4 lane layout with 18" outside curves, some elevation changes, and at least one over and under...
> 
> How well does Tomy track react to building a layout that isnt flat, like my tjet track?
> 
> ...


When I got back into slots in the mid-2000s, I used my old lock-and-joiner track and even bought some more of it, lightly used, from a local guy. But I found it fussy, frustrating and time-consuming to set up and get running - I had forgotten how much fiddling it took, especially with the failure-prone touch contact system for the rails. That's not so important if you're only doing the assembly once for a permanent layout. But, having no permanent layout, I'd build temporary ones tacked down to tables made from flush doors and foam board, so the assembly difficulties were an ongoing problem.

I tried Tomy, and never went back. Life's too short for lock and joiner track. 

Plusses -
Tomy assembles quickly and has a large variety of track pieces and good electrical connection between the pieces, meaning fewer feeders are needed. 

But it has some Minuses that may make it less suitable for some people:

NUBS - The nubs on the connector extension do a good job of holding the pieces together solidly, so the track doesn't come apart so easily on floor layouts. But they make the track joints more rough, so for permanent or fixed-down layouts, many people standardly file them off to get smoother track. You've already discovered that.

CURVE FIT - Since you are building a four-lane, you'll want to know that, unlike old Aurora and Tyco, the different radius curves do not nest perfectly and precisely inside one another. There is a small gap between say, a 6" curve and the 9" curve it is fitting into. You can press them together, but that just means that the gap will be larger on the other side of the layout. I think that is inexcusable - if Tomy is going to design pieces that will stay in production for decades, they should have taken enough care to get it right (or at least fix it over the years). That said, on a permanent layout the gap can be filled with any filler putty, or plaster or black modeling clay, or pieces of thin MDF foam sheet ("fun foam") from Hobby Lobby or Michaels, and doesn't have a lot of practical effect on racing. 

ELEVATION - In building ramps leading up to higher level track, I haven't noticed much difference, except that Tomy has none of the steep hill tracks that allowed L&J track to change elevation quickly.









Two hill tracks made an up-and-over bridge.









Of course, those tracks limit you to running only Tjets or other early cars. The AFX (and nearly all later cars) have very little ground-clearance and will high-center and magnetically clamp to the rails on the hills and bridges. 









So Aurora discontinued the Hill/Bridge tracks, the one-piece hump track, and the "Daredevil Obstacle Course" bumps that could be placed anywhere on a flat piece of track. It's too bad, really; those tracks were fun, and the hill tracks were very useful in designing layouts. But I think I'm the only one who misses them.

If you seriously like the lock and joiner track, you can fairly easily make an adapter track section with L&J connectors on one end and Tomy on the other to add the Tomy 18" curves into an L&J layout. Or use commercial adapter tracks - one Lock & Joiner-to-Aurora AFX, and then one Aurora AFX-to-Tomy. But then you'd miss out on those other Tomy advantages that you mentioned.

Send pictures of the progress on the new layout.

:wave: -- D


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## slotking (May 27, 2008)

2 things I have seen done:
with lock & joiner's short slot, I have seen it routed into a deeper slot.

the other is using life adapter track to convert specialty MM track into a TOMY layout.


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## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

.
I said:


Dslot said:


> Of course, those tracks limit you to running only Tjets or other early cars. The AFX (and nearly all later cars) have very little ground-clearance and will high-center and magnetically clamp to the rails on the hills and bridges.


But I guess I spoke too soon. 

I had to post a partial retraction in the *Unknown AFX Track Pieces * thread, where these track sections are also being discussed. Apparently some magnet cars can power themselves up the bridge track hump and past the scraping point onto level track beyond. Details in post 14 of the linked thread.

Sorry for the overgeneralization.

-- D


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## yellerstang (Feb 20, 2012)

*sectional track*

I havent bought track yet, that is something Im looking to do. I need to save a few bucks before I pull the trigger on that. But, I do need to plan, so thats where I am right now.

I have enough room to lay a track about 55-56" x 16'. I have been looking at layout pics I have found, but I need to get some design software thats easy to use. 

Im looking for big sweeping turns, an over and under, and some elevation changes. All elevation changes will be gentle and smooth. Im thinking about laying the track on its own surface of plywood and have that laying on the deck of my table. I am studying layouts and track building now.


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

*what?*



yellerstang said:


> I havent bought track yet, that is something Im looking to do. I need to save a few bucks before I pull the trigger on that. But, I do need to plan, so thats where I am right now.
> 
> I have enough room to lay a track about 55-56" x 16'. I have been looking at layout pics I have found, but I need to get some design software thats easy to use.
> 
> Im looking for big sweeping turns, an over and under, and some elevation changes. All elevation changes will be gentle and smooth. Im thinking about laying the track on its own surface of plywood and have that laying on the deck of my table. I am studying layouts and track building now.


what-what-what?

you only need 32' X 10" for a good layout!
LOL
sounds like fun.
Happy New Year


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## Boosted-Z71 (Nov 26, 2007)

Watch for deals on Tomy track sets on ebay, sometimes you can get some really good deals on track only sets. When I started my Tomy layout I bought 2 of the 4 lane Super International sets like this

http://www.ebay.com/itm/AFX-21018-M...748614?hash=item3f5983c946:g:~BYAAOSwNSxVAdL0

Keep us posted with some pics as you go along

Boosted


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## yellerstang (Feb 20, 2012)

*layout*



alpink said:


> what-what-what?
> 
> you only need 32' X 10" for a good layout!
> LOL
> ...


My table is 66" wide x 16.5' long... Im leaving room for a 1/8 mile drag strip. Moving the drag strip to the other side of the tabe for easier access.

If I had a bigger house, I would build a much bigger drag strip!


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

LOL Jess.
yeah, i only have room for a 1/8 in my house too.
but, I have just purchased 24' of Maxx Traxx and will build a portable 1/4.
just joshin ya about having a roundy-round.
LOL


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