# Aurora T-Jet L&J Questions



## Boots Baker (Dec 10, 2012)

Folks,

Newbie here with some questions for an Aurora T-Jet track expert.

- I have some track pieces that are not stamped with the part number nor do the have the holes in the center of the track piece. Among them are 9"R 1/4 Sect. Curves, 9" Straights, 6"R 1/4 Sect Curves, 5" Straights, ect, ect. Some do have holes at eavh end as oposed to the center?

- Also have some 9" Straights whihc of course S/B 1517 but are instead stamped with 1520, some even state "Terminal Section" but do not have the normal terminal stub on them, track appears it could be from a chnge in the manufacturing process to cover shortage of actual 1517 pieces?

Anybody know where these originated and why?

-Also some track is slightly or in some cases badly rusted on the rails. What is the best and safest way to clean these without damaging the track or it's value?

Any help appreciated.:tongue:


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

some of the track you describe with no holes for mounting and possibly holes in each end are likely from the days of vibrator cars before t-jets were developed. I don't know about the 9" with different numbers than normal.


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## partspig (Mar 12, 2003)

I don't know the answers to your questions, but I was always able to tell the difference between vibe track and t-jet track by the difference in the slot depth. T-jet track had a deeper slot. Have a good day! pig


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## smalltime (Jun 3, 2006)

soak em down good with WD-40, then go at them with a blue scotch bright pad. If the rust is below the track surface, it will start to bow the track. If they are that bad, it's a lost cause.

Hope this helps.


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## Boots Baker (Dec 10, 2012)

*Vibrator VS T-Jet*

Pig 
I looked them over and compared to standard track pieces they do not appear to have any difference in slot depth, unless you are talking about micrometer type depth variance? To the naked eye they appear tp be same depth.


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## Boots Baker (Dec 10, 2012)

*Wd40*

Smalltime,

No they do not seem to be warped they are mostly flat except for a few that might be as you say about the rust. The WD wont harm the track surface? 
Are there various grits / types on Scotchbrite pads? I found some #80CC 
online but 3M's website says these are not for use on plastics??


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## ajd350 (Sep 18, 2005)

I have used the WD-40 and hit the tops of the rails only with a model railroad track cleaning 'eraser'. That way you won't affect the plastic track surface. After that I blow them off with compressed air to get all the crud out of the slots and drive the WD-40 down along the rails. Then a wipe down with an old towel and they are good to go!


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## hojoe (Dec 1, 2004)

Do not spray WD40 directly on the track. Spray it on a rag or towel and wipe the track down. And as previously mentioned, a rail eraser is the safest way I know to shine the rails. I've used Lock n Joiner for almost 50 years, so I have a little experience.
hojoe


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## Boots Baker (Dec 10, 2012)

*Wd40*

Thanks to all for your prompt and obviously educated ideas!!!

Happy New Year to All!!!!!!!!1


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## ajd350 (Sep 18, 2005)

I should have qualified that. That specific method is used only when I am doing individual pieces before assembling them into a layout. In that case I have never had a problem with spraying directly on the track, even after several years. I do agree with Joe when dealing with an assembled layout, though. Wipe it down with the WD-40 on the cloth. 49 years of TJets here.:thumbsup:


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## Boots Baker (Dec 10, 2012)

*ajd wd40*

AJD

Thanks again for all your thoughts. I haven't set the track up yet so were in good shape!

I thought when I saw your 49 years, "My goodness" a long time.
Then I thought about my first set at 10 years of age, about 48 years ago myself. Although you and others on this site seem to have stuck with it over the years I have not, darned work anywaY!! Getting ready for retirement now and getting back in. I love it! 

Thanks to all for the info and HNY to all!!


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## Ratwagon64 (Dec 23, 2011)

I have sprayed my track with WD40 and have let it set for weeks at a time and have cleaned it with spraying on the cloth. Both ways work,just wipe it down to get all of the WD40 off. My lock and jointer has been toghter for 33 years and still runs good. I just have to quit putting stuff on top of the table. LOL Pat


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## Boots Baker (Dec 10, 2012)

*Ratwagon*

Aint that the truth


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## partspig (Mar 12, 2003)

Boots Baker said:


> Pig
> I looked them over and compared to standard track pieces they do not appear to have any difference in slot depth, unless you are talking about micrometer type depth variance? To the naked eye they appear tp be same depth.


OK, the vibe track I had didn't have screw holes in it. The thunderjet track I had did, one hole right smack dab in the center of the piece of track. Slot depth on the vibe track was about .130 if my memory is right, t-jet track was about 20 thousandths deeper! If you set your guide pin on a piece of tjet track, well, ... when ya run into the vibe track your gonna de-slot. Quite violently too, I might add. You will go nuts trying to figure out what is wrong with your car, when it is the track that is doing it! Been there done that! And I NEVER used WD-40 anywhere near my PLASTIC track, it is a solvent! The black on your rag isn't dirt, it's plastic track! Have a good day! pig


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## Boots Baker (Dec 10, 2012)

*L&j*

Pig

If you don't use WD what is the best way to clean old dirty rusty track that seems to always appear? Your opinion please?


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## smalltime (Jun 3, 2006)

Boots Baker said:


> Smalltime,
> 
> No they do not seem to be warped they are mostly flat except for a few that might be as you say about the rust. The WD wont harm the track surface?
> Are there various grits / types on Scotchbrite pads? I found some #80CC
> online but 3M's website says these are not for use on plastics??


As stated before, WD won't harm the track.....But I thought we were talking about a restore project here right? If so, The track sections you're speaking of are junk, unless you restore them. So we throw everything we have at saving them.
The blue scotchbright pads are for Non-stick cookware. They are designed to not scratch the teflon coatings. If anything will do the job without harming the track surface, this will.


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## ajd350 (Sep 18, 2005)

Sorry, PP. WD-40 does have solvent in it, but if it broke down the track, Pat's track and mine would have dissolved into blobs decades ago. Mine still even has the stripes on it. I must repectfully disagree and call that an urban legend of the HO community. WD-40 does a great job of breaking down most of the mung that tracks accumulate and seems also to restore some of the volatiles to the surface. Nearly everything else leaves the surface dry and dull, such as denatured alcohol and naphtha. Any water-based product is a big no-no since they, along with their usually alkaline ingredients, corrode the rails. When Pat was over last night, he said that he has sprayed the track down wet and just walked away for days or weeks at a time with no issues. I'd say 33 years of that is pretty good proof.


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## slotking (May 27, 2008)

yes, WD is the best way to restore a track that I have seen.

I have seen 1 tommy track track that cleaned all the time with wd40 over 15 years start to act weird, ie, no matter how many times it was wiped down, black still came off the track.

that said, and afx track that used wd40 for 20 years has no issues!

after using wd40( i let it sit overnight), I then wiped my track down with windex for years with no issues


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## Ratwagon64 (Dec 23, 2011)

I should aslo point out that WD40 will not remove the rust on the rails. If the rust is that bad i would look for some new pieces of track. On my track the only real problem I ever had was when we started running the Unlimited cars. I had to glue some of the rails down and they still are holding today even with all the cleaning over the years. I even had HOPRA races for Indiana and Illinois on my track in the 80's and 90's. I quit racing for about 15 years and when I cleaned it off the first thing I cleaned it with was WD40. I also go over the rails with a flexiable abrasive strip. The WD40 does leave a film on the rails and if I don't go over it with the strips it will take you a few laps of pushing the cars around untill the rails are clean. I like to use some old Tyco 440's to clean the rails then you can run the T-Jets with no problem. When I put my track down I also cleaned the tabs at both ends and bent them out a little so when you put them together they make a better connection and then screw them down. Pat


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## LDThomas (Nov 30, 1999)

Final cleaning: I use "Method" brand of wipes for stainless steel, wrapped around a piece of marble (base of an old trophy - rough, non polished side down on the rails). The wipe provides the chemicals needed and the marble supplies the abrasive necessary to keep the rails in top shape.


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## Boots Baker (Dec 10, 2012)

*Cleaning*

Gosh thanks for all the ideas from all.

And to all a Happy New Year!!!:hat:


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