# Bensville



## SouthLyonBen (Mar 14, 2012)

I always liked the city looking layouts a lot of you guys have built and being a trucker in real life I'm also A US-1 nut, so here is what I'm working on as time allows  obviously quite a ways to go but I modified the terminal tracks so the US-1 controls the outside 2 lanes and the normal Tyco terminal controls the inside 2 lanes. I know 3 lanes going the same direction is a little goofy but I can run my US-1s and also I have 2 racing lanes with built in aprons and the trucks running around gives you that street racing feel Table is 5x10


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## toomanyhobbies (Mar 27, 2005)

SLB, cool concept. I always liked the US-1 trucks and accessories. I've been thinking of one for my grandson and me. You've taken it to another level with the two lane race course. Best of both worlds! Kudos to the track designer! 

Dominic


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

let me understand, cause I think I got it. the lanes that are outside on each track and have the various ramps to the US-1 accessories are wired up to work that system. the lanes that are inside of each track and do not have ramps/turnoffs are the racing lanes.
so the two lanes that would normally be considered the passing lanes of a four lane highway with two way traffic are now the racing lanes in the same direction.
now THAT is pretty much outside the box and very cool.
congrats


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## SouthLyonBen (Mar 14, 2012)

alpink said:


> let me understand, cause I think I got it. the lanes that are outside on each track and have the various ramps to the US-1 accessories are wired up to work that system. the lanes that are inside of each track and do not have ramps/turnoffs are the racing lanes.
> so the two lanes that would normally be considered the passing lanes of a four lane highway with two way traffic are now the racing lanes in the same direction.
> now THAT is pretty much outside the box and very cool.
> congrats


Yeah the US-1 terminal is on the inside with the connections to the inside lane removed and jumpers soldered to the outside lane so the outside lanes are at the lower voltage and controlled by the US-1 controllers to back up into the turn outs etc and the outside tyco terminal has the connections cut to the outside lane with jumpers soldered to the other inside lane so basically each terminal is controlling one lane on two different track pieces, hmmm reading that back sounds convoluted but yeah basically outside 2 lanes US-1 trucks are keeping the town supplied and inside 2 lanes are where hoodlums terrorize the highway at high speed!!  At this stage I'm running the US-1 portion with a Tomy Tri-power set on beginner with the connector I hacked off A useless US-1 wall wart soldered on and the car lanes running on another Tri-power set to intermediate (found this town a little too small for 22 volts) and I'm thinking I like that for the time being. I'm going to work on making the wiring cleaner and trying to get all the track one color and add some buildings as I have time to build them


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

Very nifty Ben!


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## SouthLyonBen (Mar 14, 2012)

Thanks fellas, now it's just hard to work on it because I can't help myself but to play with it every time I'm in the room!


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## dge467 (Jul 6, 2012)

Very cool! I gotta get my US-1 set up sometime!


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

SouthLyonBen said:


> Thanks fellas, now it's just hard to work on it because I can't help myself but to play with it every time I'm in the room!


Yeah me too, it's an occupational hazard. I never get any road work done.


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## 1976Cordoba (Sep 20, 2000)

Great progress :thumbsup:

Playtime is important -- a track is never really "finished" anyway


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## SouthLyonBen (Mar 14, 2012)

1976Cordoba said:


> Great progress :thumbsup:
> 
> Playtime is important -- a track is never really "finished" anyway


True, sometimes something works in your head and then it's not so hot when you actually put it together, I think Bensville is going to go through some changes. Just have to stop running truck loads of BBs around and start making changes 

Also it's fun to take a TJ or AFX that's a good slider and see if you can tag the US-1s in the turns


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

alpink said:


> (snip)
> 
> so the two lanes that would normally be considered the passing lanes of a four lane highway with two way traffic are now the racing lanes in the same direction.
> now THAT is pretty much outside the box and very cool.
> congrats


Seconded. VERY cool. Thinking if I ever come across a US-1 set in runner condition, I'd love to try something like this. 

Also, tagging/nerfing/punting whatever is outside of you on the next turn=win. 

--rick


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## SouthLyonBen (Mar 14, 2012)

ParkRNDL said:


> Seconded. VERY cool. Thinking if I ever come across a US-1 set in runner condition, I'd love to try something like this.
> 
> Also, tagging/nerfing/punting whatever is outside of you on the next turn=win.
> 
> --rick


Most of the stuff I've gotten just required A good cleaning to work good, they are pretty stout creatures. Some of the turn outs never really worked good but it's fun to watch the little cranes and bulldozers etc


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## slotcardan (Jun 9, 2012)

biggest issue with us-1 is the tires. they are usually dry rotted or hard from age.

the hp7 tires were also used as us-1 tires. Traction problems are caused by the contact shoes having too much tension and lifting the rear tires up causing the chassis to slip.

you can use AFX .474 silicon tires which give you a little more diameter and the benefit of silicon traction. or you can use HP7 rubber tires and you have to bend the shoes so they have less tension on the ends. its a fine balance because you may setup for good traction around the track but you get dead spots because the contacts need more tension under the chassis. otherwise the chassis are stout and they just keep going unless you have a cracked top worm gear off the motor shaft then it will just keep slipping. Tyco never packaged replacement parts so you have to get a new chassis and just strip the old one for some parts.

the only replacement US-1 parts tyco released on card, was a tune up kit, that came with 4 contact shoes and 2 rear tires. they packaged the contacts in pairs separate on cards. the also packaged the rear tires in pairs on a card of 3(6 tires total in 3 blister packs).

the tyco us-1 track has issues with rail height so you get a bad piece of track where the rail dips too low and you get dead spots. you may go through 10 turnouts to get a really good one where the rail height stays even. It is difficult trying to push the rail up or bending the rail up, usually its easier to swap another piece of track in.


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## JordanZ870 (Nov 25, 2004)

Diggin' this, Ben! :thumbsup:


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

The spurs appeal to my model railroading background.

God bless rear guide pins!


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## shocker36 (Jul 5, 2008)

What scale Bill



Bill Hall said:


> The spurs appeal to my model railroading background.
> 
> God bless rear guide pins!


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