Tyco US-1 Track

highwayman97
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Posts: 65

Tyco US-1 Track Sept 15, 2018 17:19:43 GMT -5

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Post by highwayman97 on Sept 15, 2018 17:19:43 GMT -5

Tyco US-1 Track is plentiful? Well every set contains loads, doesn't it?

True, but some items are really hard to find. Railroad grade crossings for example, only ever sold in one set.

Large radius (12") curves are seriously rare as they were never sold in any set! I bought a couple of lots on e-bay a while ago that contained four of these. Two were complete and sound, but two were damaged, missing the spring tabs that lock the lengths together, so I cut some of these from a couple of broken 9" radius curves and glued them on! It works - Try it!

The other type of track section that is really hard to find is strangly the ordinary 9" straight, as whilst these were sold in sets, the sets never contained that many.....

So - Solution 1 - Every set contains a terminal straight - Do we really need all these? I don't - I never use them!

As we know there are two types of terminal rails - the early one has two seperate controllers attached by wires and is easy to turn into a useable straight - just remove the wires!

The later one has the built on controllers, which need surgery to remove, but makes a useful straight if you do.

Solution 3 - Damaged straights turn up, sometimes missing the spring tabs, sometimes missing the pointy bits that help the sections lock together. Again these can be salvaged from broken sections and glued on. I found that damaged junctions were the best source, and also the most plentiful section by far in US-1, except perhaps 9" curves.

So what do you need to fix damaged track? A Razor Saw, A needle file, some liquid polystyrene cement and a source of damaged track to cannibalise....

Finally, if you are really stuck you can always buy some black Tyco Quick Klik racing track on e-bay and spray it gray. The only issue for me is getting the right shade of gray! So far not quite got that right, but if I ever do, I can have a whole cirle of 12" radius curves!

Good luck!

James

Deleted Deleted Member Posts: 0	Tyco US-1 Track Sept 15, 2018 22:47:36 GMT -5 Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by Deleted on Sept 15, 2018 22:47:36 GMT -5 hey the road/rail crossing is hard to find in any shape or form

highwayman97
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Posts: 65

Tyco US-1 Track Sept 16, 2018 4:34:14 GMT -5

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Post by highwayman97 on Sept 16, 2018 4:34:14 GMT -5

Sept 15, 2018 22:47:36 GMT -5 @microbuss said:

hey the road/rail crossing is hard to find in any shape or form

Well in theory yes it is, but in reality there are a usually one or two on e-bay. I am watching one right now, but boy is it Expensive! (Especially if I was posting it over here!). There are often others on there that are 'US only' postage...

The two I own were sold as Post to US only, but a chum in Cincinati helped me secure them and sent them on. I would not be able to do my ehibition layouts without them, which is why I am looking out for a spare or two....one day.....

The good news about the crossing is that it was also made in black and sold in loads of racing sets, so there should be plenty of them around.

The 12" radius curves hardly ever come up on e-bay.

James

Last Edit: Sept 16, 2018 4:49:58 GMT -5 by highwayman97

Deleted Deleted Member Posts: 0	Tyco US-1 Track Sept 16, 2018 9:51:37 GMT -5 Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2018 9:51:37 GMT -5 this be true I needs one for my A-Team set hehe

highwayman97
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Posts: 65

Tyco US-1 Track Sept 20, 2018 11:29:20 GMT -5

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Post by highwayman97 on Sept 20, 2018 11:29:20 GMT -5

'A Team' train or the slot car set with the cars that have clever chassis and can do U turns?

I have one of the vans..... it is fun!

Have you noticed the US-1 track with the yellow lines? What is that all about?

Most of my track doesn't have them and when I use them in the mix they just look ODD! As I mentioned above some track bits are always in short supply....

I have tried removing the yellow lines with meths, but although it removes some of the paint, it just won't remove it all...

I am thinking that if an exact match for the gray can be found then the lines could be spayed out. I am only interested in getting rid of the lines on the 9" straights really.

Also if an exact match for the gray is found, more black Tyco large radius curves could magically become US-1 complient AND better still useful sections like my grade crossings that have kind of yellowed could be given a make over.

Too many shades of roadway track looks awful!

I have tried looking at the available gray car paints here in the UK but gray cars have only just started to become popular again - Ford STs and Honda Civic Type Rs, that sort of thing, but the shades used are either too dark or metalic!

The choice of gray spray paints available is rather poor, so I am talking to a chum with a spray gun and compressor.......

Fingers crossed!

James

Last Edit: Sept 20, 2018 11:37:48 GMT -5 by highwayman97

highwayman97
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Posts: 65

Tyco US-1 Track Oct 9, 2018 9:29:20 GMT -5

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Post by highwayman97 on Oct 9, 2018 9:29:20 GMT -5

Just a quick update on yellow line removal....

I have a few peices of otherwise good US1 Track with Yellow Lines, so I decided to try removing the yellow lines, which are alien to 99% of my track, but decided to only do this on the sections I really needed - Mainly plain 9" straights....

Rubbing with a spirit like meths, white spirit or petrol removes loads.

Soaking repeated in something like brake fluid with lots of scrubbing also removes loads

However none of these the methods is magic or 100% effective.

Some significant amount of yellow will have got into the mottled texturing of the track and will hold old stubbornly against everything!

Scrubbing with sugar soap removed yet more, but finally combination of sugar soap, water and a scratch brush removed 99.9% of the yellow, without damaging the finish of the track.

So in conclusion, was the worth doing? Possibly, if you are really desperate for good sound plain US-1 trackand all you can get is that with yellow lines, then perhaps? BUT in terms of value for time spent? No!

James

Last Edit: Oct 10, 2018 2:15:58 GMT -5 by highwayman97

highwayman97
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Posts: 65

Tyco US-1 Track Oct 14, 2018 13:47:23 GMT -5

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Post by highwayman97 on Oct 14, 2018 13:47:23 GMT -5

The next thing for me to try to tackle is yellowing....

As you may well have seen US-1 track comes in not quite 50 shades of Gray, but you get the idea...

The track was not moulded in all those shades, just one, but it has just gone that way with age, light and other factors.

The other day a chum on the G Scale group suggested using Hydrogen Peroxide to de-yellow plastic. I bought some - 3% strength.

I then put some yellowed Playmobil Train grab rails in soak for a couple of hours in the sun. The effect was mixed, but still rewarding. Some came up as good as new. Some partly so and clearly in need of another splurge, whilst sadly some did not change at all....

Surely there can be no harm done, even if yellowed Tyco US-1 track mostly falls into the latter result category!

James

Last Edit: Oct 14, 2018 13:57:48 GMT -5 by highwayman97

rbturner
Abraham Lincoln

Acts 2:38

Posts: 20,707

Tyco US-1 Track Oct 14, 2018 14:00:16 GMT -5 highwayman97 likes this

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Post by rbturner on Oct 14, 2018 14:00:16 GMT -5

Not sure if this makes any sense but; our camping trailer has an exhaust fan over the cooktop. This terminates outside in a plastic housing with a flap.

That outside "thing" was turning yellow so I used whitewall cleaner made for automobile tires on it.

The product is "Westley's Bleech White".

It worked fine and didn't seem to harm the plastic.

Randy; operating the Vicksburg & Eastern Railroad.

JNXT 7707
Abraham Lincoln

All-Seeing, All-Knowing Sage of the Southwest

Posts: 21,815

Tyco US-1 Track Oct 14, 2018 15:07:57 GMT -5 highwayman97 likes this

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Post by JNXT 7707 on Oct 14, 2018 15:07:57 GMT -5

Oct 14, 2018 14:00:16 GMT -5 rbturner said:

Not sure if this makes any sense but; our camping trailer has an exhaust fan over the cooktop. This terminates outside in a plastic housing with a flap.

That outside "thing" was turning yellow so I used whitewall cleaner made for automobile tires on it.

The product is "Westley's Bleech White".

It worked fine and didn't seem to harm the plastic.

I have used Westley's Bleche-White for years lol. I'd be lost without it. Works great on car mats too, or really anything plastic or rubber.

Montani Semper Liberi

You Tube: www.youtube.com/channel/UC7uGFkcI1MRNCd2Pz7sszbw/featured

Jerry

rbturner Abraham Lincoln Acts 2:38 Posts: 20,707	Tyco US-1 Track Oct 14, 2018 15:10:12 GMT -5 JNXT 7707 likes this Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by rbturner on Oct 14, 2018 15:10:12 GMT -5 Thanks for fixing my spelling J.
	Randy; operating the Vicksburg & Eastern Railroad.

JNXT 7707 Abraham Lincoln All-Seeing, All-Knowing Sage of the Southwest Posts: 21,815	Tyco US-1 Track Oct 14, 2018 15:13:05 GMT -5 Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by JNXT 7707 on Oct 14, 2018 15:13:05 GMT -5 Oct 14, 2018 15:10:12 GMT -5 rbturner said: Thanks for fixing my spelling J. For some reason that crazy way they spell it always stuck in my head.
	Montani Semper Liberi You Tube: www.youtube.com/channel/UC7uGFkcI1MRNCd2Pz7sszbw/featured Jerry

rbturner Abraham Lincoln Acts 2:38 Posts: 20,707	Tyco US-1 Track Oct 14, 2018 16:37:31 GMT -5 Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by rbturner on Oct 14, 2018 16:37:31 GMT -5 I knew it wasn't the "normal" way but couldn't remember exactly.
	Randy; operating the Vicksburg & Eastern Railroad.