# Hey Sparkie!!!!!



## old blue (May 4, 2007)

I just set up a new layout after buying some additional used track. I cleaned the track and treated it with rail zip. Now it seems that most or all of my cars seem to throw some extra sparks out from the left shoe. They seem to run okay, maybe even faster than before but I am concerned about the sparks. What would cause this on so many of my cars? I could understand one or two. Any help would be much appreciated.

PS. The track is two lane Tomy track in good condition.

Thanks,
Old Blue


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## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

You may want to look at the rail height. 
This has been an issue with Tomy track over the years.
Too high or too low rail can be a problem.
Rub your hand over the track to feel for inconsistancies.

- Sparky


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## SwamperGene (Dec 1, 2003)

When you cleaned the rails you likely removed a lot of old carbon deposits that were filling in tiny pits and scratches in the rails, couple this with the previously mentioned height inconsistencies and sparks will fly for a while. It should calm down after a few hundred laps or so. If you can feel rail height differences, you can sometimes pull up and glue low spots or sand down the high spots. If it's real bad just replace that piece of track. Truth of the matter is without gluing the rails in then honing the entire layout, it's easier to just run it in.


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## slotnewbie69 (Dec 3, 2008)

good tip.i use a sanding sponge on my rails to clean.i can do both lanes at the same time this way.i run tyco track however.


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