# How straight is (a) straight - or how warped can it be?



## wm_brant (Nov 21, 2004)

I've read a couple of comments here and there about warped AFX/Tomy 15" straights. 

I'm going though my supply of new AFX/Tomy track I recently bought looking for problem pieces in my 15" straights, and I don't think I'm finding any. 

I'm taking the 15" straight and assembling 6' long straight sections, and arranging these sections next to each other, looking for gaps between sections or raised sections.

What I have appears to be a) flat, and b) pretty straight. Yes, there are a few pieces that bend as much as 1/16" to the left or right in a single straight, but in all cases, it looks like something that would pretty much go away when you nail it down. I've not found anything that bends up or down.

So... I guess what I'm asking is how warped or bent does a track piece need to be before it constitutes a problem?

I'm trying to identify any problem pieces so I can get them exchanged before I start cutting off the locking tabs.

-- Bill


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## SwamperGene (Dec 1, 2003)

Bill are they set pieces or loose pieces (ie two-pack). I've found that set pieces are almost always flat and straight(er) than bulks pieces. I've seen some that are visibly warped, in that you don't even have to sight 'em in. Those are junk. For a 4 lane, I just mate the pieces together alternating the direction of any lightly bowed pairs if needed. Since many custom layouts need a little fudgin', you can actually use it to your advantage.


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

I have 74 of those 15" Tomy straights in my setup and they are all just fine.


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## Scafremon (Dec 11, 2006)

You may have a rare collection of straight straights Bill!

If you do have some that are bowed to the side, you can spot them really easily by holding them up to your eyes and sighting down the slot. 

I've done my fair share of complaining about them, but like Gene said, you can usually work around them. I take a paint pen, and mark the undersides with a curved line, indicating the way they are bowed. I then pair up 'em up bowing the same direction, and if need be, alternate with an opposite pair.

Also, like Gene said, you can sometimes use them to your advantage. On my current track build, I was short two straight-straights, so I grabbed a pair of bowed ones, and found a spot where they actually helped bring the track together better.

Where it really upset me was before I knew about the bowing. I had made up 14 power tap tracks (for 7 taps on a 4-lane circuit), and drilled holes in my table for the wires to drop down - hole locations that were fairly unique to each track piece.When I started my final assembly, I started noticing the bowing, and flip-flopping pieces required that I drill even more holes. I think it was then that came here and posted my first complaint about them.


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## wm_brant (Nov 21, 2004)

Thanx for the responses, guys.

The pieces are set pieces; I designed a layout that I liked, then bought the combination of sets that got me closest to the track pieces I needed.

I'll be buying a few more straights and a bunch of 15" curves. 

I've got enough 6" curves to equip Guantanamo. 

-- Bill


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## twolff (May 11, 2007)

wm_brant said:


> I've got enough 6" curves to equip Guantanamo.
> 
> -- Bill


Me too. Anyone that thinks waterboarding is torture hasn't run on a track that uses only 6" curves


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

I made up a couple of circles from 6" curves, glued and soldered all the sections, and mounted them on cheap lazy suzan bases. These make nice little places to park the cars I'm working on at the bench. 

You could easily extend my idea to several layers to make a floor standing cylindrical storage unit for parking or displaying a large number of cars. Use 9 inch turns for even greater storage capacity.

Unfortunately, none of these ideas will consume all of the 6 and 9 inch pieces laying around collecting dust.


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## roadrner (Jul 21, 1999)

I have a few of the 15" straights that look like bump tracks now. Can't believe how they bowed. :freak: rr


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

If you're getting bowing post installation it may be due to the expansion of the table the track is mounted on. This is more pronounced in high humidity environments. I've seen some pretty good bumps due to this.


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