# Tomy AFX rail question



## Shadowracer (Sep 11, 2004)

A simple question really: Are the rails plated with something that can be scratched off if you're not careful, or are they a solid piece of something?

Only reason I ask is that I've come into posession of my old track, which was painted and the rails are pretty yukked up. I just don't want to sand/scrape too hard. How finicky is it?

(and is it even possible to bugger it up with 800 grit sandpaper? I have the sandpaper held onto a small block with double sided foam tape...so it has a little give while I'm sanding) 

I'm not so much worried about losing a thousandth of a mm in rail height....but I don't want to wreck what I have either. It'd cost about 400 bucks to replace what I have....so I'm using the gentle and patient approach.

Also, the aftermarket 18 inchers they came out with back about 7 years ago....the ones NOT made by Tomy...are the rails made of the same stuff? I've been buffing them...they look good 'n' shiny...but they appear to be a slightly darker color. 

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Also, an unrelated side note....if anyone has a little stockpile of 15 inch straights and/or 12 inch curves they might be willing to let go in the near future, we may be able to do some business. I need about 20 of the straights and 8 of the curves. I have a small handful of unopened JL F&F 2 Xtractions MIB for trading, or straight up cash...or a little of both. Just throwing that out there for now....I'll put it up on the swap n sell when I'm actually ready to buy/trade.

Trev out


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## Jim Norton (Jun 29, 2007)

I have sanded, rubbed and cleaned rails for years with no noticable changes.

I have noticed that the residue left on pickups is different when running on original AFX than on TOMY. Tomy seems to leave the pickups darker than I recall in my Aurora AFX days. That would make me think something did change. But what?

Jim Norton
Huntsville, AL


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## Bill G (Jan 2, 2012)

I would use 1000-1500 grit sand paper though 800 is still pretty rough


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## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

Jim Norton said:


> I have sanded, rubbed and cleaned rails for years with no noticable changes.
> 
> I have noticed that the residue left on pickups is different when running on original AFX than on TOMY. Tomy seems to leave the pickups darker than I recall in my Aurora AFX days. That would make me think something did change. But what?
> 
> ...


They are both alloys. Maybe the formula changed.


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

Nah Rich... It didn't say "New and Improved" anywhere on the packaging..


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## Shadowracer (Sep 11, 2004)

Bill G said:


> I would use 1000-1500 grit sand paper though 800 is still pretty rough


Ok but what I'm not clear on is the effect that excessive sanding actually has on a rail. 

For the sake of argument, assume I was using a very coarse grit, and pressing really hard. (which I'm not) Would I end up taking some sort of finish or plating off the rail by overdoing it, or would I just be removing too much of the rail in the process?


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## Jim Norton (Jun 29, 2007)

Almost sure no coating on rails.

Jim Norton
Huntsville, AL


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## Slott V (Feb 3, 2005)

Pretty sure there is no coating on any make of rails.

This eraser has always been a tried and true method of cleaning HO slot car track rails. I can vouch for over 20 years of using it on my Tyco/Tomy layout. (I have looked at the rail surface with a magnifying lens recently and it still retains a small crown on the edge 21+ years later.)


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## Ovalhead (Nov 20, 2010)

Works every time, guaranteed !


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## Shadowracer (Sep 11, 2004)

Forgive my ignarance....what kind of stuff are those Bright Boy erasers made of? I assume they are different than a pencil eraser?

And will they take paint off?


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## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

Shadowracer said:


> Also, the aftermarket 18 inchers they came out with back about 7 years ago....the ones NOT made by Tomy...are the rails made of the same stuff? I've been buffing them...they look good 'n' shiny...but they appear to be a slightly darker color.
> Trev out


 I can't give you a definitive answer, and I no longer have any contact with the fabricator. But we can probably assume it is not sourced from the same place, just has the same characteristics.

Thanks...Joe


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## 1976Cordoba (Sep 20, 2000)

Back in the day I used to use the old grey ink erasers . . . Don't even think you can find them anymore.


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## Slott V (Feb 3, 2005)

Shadowracer said:


> Forgive my ignarance....what kind of stuff are those Bright Boy erasers made of? I assume they are different than a pencil eraser?
> 
> And will they take paint off?


They are like an ink eraser but almost stone-like.

I have painted lane markers and the bright boy doesn't touch 'em if you clean both rails at once. You clean the eraser on a junk piece of carpet.


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## Shadowracer (Sep 11, 2004)

Thanks for the responses, and I'll go see about that eraser tomorrow. (There's an unbelievably well stocked "train focused" hobby shop right next to my kid's school - I'll take any excuse to wander in there  ) 

I guess what I meant is, my rails have old paint on them...which I'm trying to get off without damaging anything. Will the Bright Boy take that off?

See its not a matter of just cleaning the rails. I _know_ how to do that. I'm trying to get old paint off, and do a good job of it, with a minimum of damage.


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## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

Shadowracer said:


> See its not a matter of just cleaning the rails. I _know_ how to do that. I'm trying to get old paint off, and do a good job of it, with a minimum of damage.


 You probably have to scrape them with a razor blade. Check out Greg Braun's site and the section on painting track (which I assume is still there). He gives his method for cleaning the paint off rails.

http://www.hoslotcarracing.com/

Joe


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