# AFX/TOMY track questions



## Marty (Oct 20, 1999)

As many of you know I recently purchased a door track w/AFX TOMY track on it

http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=370042

Before I ran any laps on it I vacuumed the track and cleaned it with WD40 and finished with Windex. That combination has worked for years with my Aurora L&J track. What is happening is the track seems to constantly need cleaning. The rails get dull after only 1 day. The cars still run but run better after I clean it again. Is this commomn for TOMY track?

Next the track connection is not consistent. Some joints have a gap and others are so tight it pushes up on the track and makes a little ramp for my T-Jets to go flying. The track is fastened down with small nails so I am not going to take it up. I have been filing down the uneven spots and it works much better. Again, is this common?

Next one lane quits running after a couple minutes. Let it sit for a little bit and it runs again. My first thought was the controllers. I switched them, no difference. Next I switched the power suppliies, no difference. I pulled the connectors and cleaned them, no difference. I trird to get a reading with my DVM but when the cars stops by the time I get the DVM leads on the rails the car runs again. There are two areas, not always the same sections of the track, where the cars stall. My next step is to check resistance between track sections. Any other suggestions?

Not TOMY track related but every once in a while the will stop or go flying for no reason. I push the car along the track and find little balls of track scenery "grass" in the groove. The frequency of this happening is less every day. I think all the loose stuff near the track is gone.

Marty
Marysville, OH


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

My Tomy track seems to stay cleaner than the L&J I used to use, but it also gets used a bit more often. I don't have the joint issues, but then my track isn't secured to the table.I would assume your track is in the basement, so temperature swings aren't an issue, but moisture might play a role in the dulling. My biggest issue usually is dust, but the whole house is like that. I generally run a Swiffer over the track, and then run a US1 truck for 5-10 laps to clean the rail. Then it's ready for test driving.


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## Marty (Oct 20, 1999)

I posted before about my experience with L&J track. It is in the unheated, no A/C garage. It can sit for a year and I usually can set a car on it and make laps.

My door track is not in a basement, wish I had one! It is in the back used-to-be-a bedroom.

I am as gfar as I know the 3rd owner. I don't know when it was built. The person that down the track may not have had it lined up exactly when it was nailed down.

Marty
Marysville, OH


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## TK Solver (Mar 18, 2004)

The bumps appear when the locking tabs aren't pressed tightly together OR were made outside of tolerances. I trimmed the bumps off the BOTTOM of many of those tabs with a box-cutter soon after piecing my track together and have no bumps on the track.

Rail height may be different enough between your old track and this one that you might actually be seeing some friction issues with the rails. The WD40 treatment reduces that rail friction for awhile after a cleaning. I've seen that phenomenon.

Your power issues sound frustrating. That will take some testing. I hope you get it figured out.


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## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

I use Tyco/Mattel, but when I clean the track with Formula 409 and/or alcohol, I have to go over it with fine sandpaper and then a clean dry rag. If I don't, it seems there must be a little "film" that remains on the rails because it takes a long time before the lanes are running well. If I use the sandpaper and rag after using the Formula 409, the track runs great immediatly. The rails will lose their shine fairly quickly, but they continue to run just as well.

Of course, summer humidity doesn't help.

I keep my track covered when not in use, using a plastic drop cloth you can get at the dollar store. Keeps dust off the track when it's idle.

As to the loss of power, the best guess would be a connection heating up and seperating. As soon as it cools, it's fine. The cause? Tough to diagnose without being able to seperate the track. Could be a bad connection on the underside of the terminal track - that is where I'd look first.

Joe


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## BRS Hobbies (Feb 16, 2006)

Marty,

I am not a big fan of using WD40 to clean a slot car track. Some swear by it but I find that it leaves a film which can attract dirt (even if going over the track a second time with Windex). I prefer to use a Bright Boy Track Cleaner for the track rails and then a soft lint free cloth to remove any dust off the track surface. It is important to only gently go over the rails with the Bright Boy which gently cleans and polishes the track rails. 

The AFX track clips do an excellent job of eliminating any gaps at the track joints which minimizes any bumps from the track connecting tabs and helps to provide good electrical connections at each track joint. You may consider pulling up your track and adding the track clips to each track joint, I know it will go a long way to solving all or some of the problems you are having with the track.

Best regards,
Brian


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## Marty (Oct 20, 1999)

So far I have found one track bad connection. I have been checking continuity and one joint, even though the metal is making physical contact, it has an electrical open. Now I just have to clean the connection and continue my search.

Marty
Marysville, OH


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## swamibob (Jan 20, 2009)

I know it sounds like a lot of work, but you might, since your track is already secures, try soldering all the joints and then file/sand them smooth. that will take care of the power problems.

Tom


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## Marty (Oct 20, 1999)

*WOO-HOO! Temporarily fixed power loss!!!*

I decided I was going to try and fix the bad connection. I double checked with my DVM and when I pushed on the curved rail, I made connection. Closer inspection found the plastic that the curved piece pushed against to make contact was broken!! I used a couple small screwdrivers and was able to reform the curve piece to make contact. I ran laps for ~ 5 minutes and never had a problem!!:thumbsup: The broken piece is one of the ultra rare 9" curves!! YIKES!! What will I do?!?!?:wave:

Marty
Marysville, OH


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