# Rethinking lock and joiner track



## Jim Norton (Jun 29, 2007)

Looking back, Aurora's lock and joiner track might not have been such a bad idea.

One thing I regret about today's AFX track is the connection system's gaps and seams. The old Aurora track looked much more realistic.

Considering durability the original Aurora track might have been the best idea yet....short of the assembly time.

Jim Norton
Huntsville, Alabama


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## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

I have never been a fan of Aurora MM track. I recently got rid of all my old MM track and converted over to Tyco/Mattel. Except for the flare issue (as discussed in another post), I have been far happier with the Tyco/Mattel than I ever was with L&J or Aurora AFX track. More chassis types run better.

I never liked the design of the MM electrical connection. Had Aurora designed it so the rails of adjacent pieces slipped in next to each other, that would have been a big improvement.

The L&J track needed as much tuning as anything else. You would get pieces that would not line up correctly or have gaps, just like everythig else.

Joe


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## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

Jim Norton said:


> ...AFX track ... connection system's gaps and seams. The old Aurora track looked much more realistic.
> 
> Considering durability the original Aurora track might have been the best idea yet....short of the assembly time.


Wonder if you could harness the power of the new super magnets to make a "lock & joiner" system without the locks and joiners. I see a track-end with a protruding dot magnet on the right and a recessed dot magnet on the left, set so the polarities attract. The hole for the recessed magnet is a tight fit for the dot magnet, so the track can't slide up and down or sideways after they connect. Perhaps the power connection could be kept below the surface - a flat horizontal tab on the right that slides between recessed pinch contacts on the left. There'd be no overlap at the joint; the visible rail-ends would just butt against each other.

Come to think of it, you might even be able to use two protruding and two recessed magnets on each end, and route the power through the magnets; the current connection is always pulled in tight contact by the magnetic forces. I guess one of the magnets for each slot would have to have a little play in order to insure a connection when the track was fit tight. Nothing would be visible at the surface except a single straight-line joint that runs through track and power rails. No holes, bumps, tabs, or doodads to catch the eye, and instant assembly, as long as you kept the holes clear of debris. It would require very precise manufacture, and if you left the track up in a Texas attic for twenty years and it warped even a little bit, you'd be out of luck. 

And then there's the effect on cars with downforce magnets. Even though the polarity of the track magnets is oriented at 90 degrees to the car magnets, you'd probably still get attraction/repulsion that would cause pulsing and maybe skewing at each track joint. Dang. --D


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## Slott V (Feb 3, 2005)

That's actually a pretty cool idea. You better go apply for a patent on that one before someone steals it!


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## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

Slott V said:


> That's actually a pretty cool idea. You better go apply for a patent on that one before someone steals it!


Thanks, Slott V, but getting a patent is just too much effort and expense. Anybody who can make it work is welcome to the idea. Send me something nice when you start making money on it. -- D


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## slotrod65 (Dec 4, 2005)

As a kid I had a combo of AFX and Lock-n -Joiner track. Both have their disadvanteges. When I started slot racing again a few years ago, I bought TOMY track. This turned our to be a bad decision as I race T-jets only. The cars click and clack all over the TOMY track at the joints. No matter how much I tune, the T-jets just do not like this track.

I recently bought a pile of vintage ATLAS track. It is smooth as silk, and the model train like track connectors are superior to MM track. 

Phred


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## noddaz (Aug 6, 1999)

*here we go...*



slotrod65 said:


> *snip*
> I recently bought a pile of vintage ATLAS track. It is smooth as silk, and the model train like track connectors are superior to MM track.
> 
> Phred


Phred, you hit the nail on the head with this...
Guys, here is a end shot of Atlas track and it's removable connectors...
One brass connector per rail.










And here is a shot a little bit closer:


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## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

Dslot said:


> Wonder if you could harness the power of the new super magnets to make a "lock & joiner" system without the locks and joiners. --D


DSlot,
That is not a bad idea you had, although I really doubt we will ever see the creation of a new HO track system no matter how much of an improvement is made. Unless you can really have a large market and make really large runs, track is just too expensive to produce.

I really like the design of the Atlas track, although I have never seen any in person.

The best I think we can hope for, boys and girls, is to have improvements made in the Tomy and Tyco/Mattel systems while still maintaining compatibility with the existing track. I know I am always looking for tweaks which can be made to the Tyco/Mattel track. Lifelike's only chance to be a major player depends on their desire to increase the track variety.

Joe


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