Hi,

Some friends here in france want to build h0 tracks. But new track (afx for example) is quite expensive, as we have to buy it in USA (because of the shipping cost).

Sometimes, on ebay we can see huge lots of cheap vintage aurora, tycopro, etc... tracks.

The question is : is that old vintage tracks are a good idea to build a track ? after restoring it, of course.

thank you a lot

Old Afx (the quikee-lok variety) and Tyco-Pro are ok to use, but the connection system they use is very fragile and breaks easily. A good, cheap track choice is Tyco/Mattel. You can find used Tyco track on e-bay and the secondary market, and there are aftermarket 6" and 15" curves made for it.

Of course it depends upon the condition of the track. Also, finding some of the older track when you need it will probably not be easy, especially if you want desireable pieces.
I was never a fan of Aurora AFX track because of it's fragile nature. Aurora MM track is going to be at least 30 years old, probably older. And I don't see much Tyco Pro track available anywhere.
Building a plastic track with Tyco/Mattel may not be as expensive as you think (unless you have to pay a lot in shipping). I sell new Tyco/Mattel and the common pieces are quite inexpensive. This is because it was acquired when Tyco sets (and bulk lots) were common and it was easy to build inventory of the common pieces. Lifelike inventory was built the same way (although Lifelike has a very limited track selection).
Tomy (AFX) track was never as easily obtainable; there were never as many sets and it wasn't available in large bulk lots. The best way to acquire Tomy track is to buy large sets, but that will set you back at least $120US per set. You can recoup some of that expense by selling the cars.
I would consider new Tyco/Mattel track. At under $1 a piece for common pieces in bulk (like 6" and 9 straights and 9" 1/8 curves), they offset the higher prices of the other pieces. And despite common perception, Tyco/Mattel track has as much variety as Tomy when you factor in all the pieces you would commonly use.

Joe

thank you for your answers ! so the better choice should be afx or tyco...tyco for the price.

Where my friend can find new matel tyco track ? here in france, it's almost impossible (except used ones...)

thank you

You may want to go on the for sale forum here on Hobby Talk. We all have extra sets and pieces to swap or sell.

'Doba was selling a huge lot of Tyco Tracks here. Unless they're sold now. I actually wanted to buy them myself but $ is a little too tight right now. The kids like the setup we got for now. What I did (by accident) is mixed old Tycopro tracks with newer Tyco track. They sell adapters on ebay. The tracks I got were mint, and I'm not too picky because it's a four laner and needed all the cheap track I could find. But overall I'm happy with the Tyco tracks. Dave:wave:

thank you for the advise. i'll inform my friend to suscribe here, and follow the sale forum ;)

If you decide on the Tyco track, you might put a "Tyco Track Wanted" post in the HobbyTalk "Slot Car Swap and Sell" forum.

Not too long ago, 'Doba had a pile of Tyco track (http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=246615&highlight=tyco+track) he was trying, with no conspicuous success, to find a buyer for. He posts here occasionally, so he's p-r-r-r-obably sorta trustworthy.

And Rodstrguy offered a cheap lot of Tyco track (http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=244990&highlight=tyco+track) before that, with no visible takers. Part of that, he calls "old Tyco track," so you might check to see whether it's the early Tyco S track, which won't mate directly with the later Tyco/Mattel track - you need adapter pieces between them.

RMMseven offered cheap or free Tyco track (http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=242187&highlight=tyco+track), but may have disposed of his since he got a PM, and the link to the original ad is no longer active. He may have some left over. Send him a Private Message.

T-Jet Racer was the one who PM'd him, so he may have acquired the lot, and may have some surplus to dispose of.

If these guys are like me, they won't have had the heart (or lack of it) to make a trip to the dumpster with perfectly good track, even if they couldn't find a taker.

Joe (Grandcheapskate is the guy to contact about the harder-to-find pieces of Tyco, such as 6" and 15" curves.

I have a fair amount of Tyco's common black street track, but my nephew has first claim on any surplus. If you are interested in off-road running, I really like the Tyco yellowish and the Tyco/Mattel tan-colored offroad track. Tyco's Turbo-Hoppers and Aero-Hoppers and (I seem to remember) offroad pickup trucks run very well on it, T-jet Dune Buggies like it also, but AFX and X-traction magnet cars (such as the Baja Bug) high-center on the bumps unless you put larger tires on them and extend the pickup shoes downward a bit. Later magnet cars with minimum-clearance chassis are hopeless on the bumps and dips in this track.

Bonne chance.

-- D

thank you a lot, I'm always impressed by all the help and kind people we find here. ;)

I gave HT adress to my friend, so he can see all that things himself.

I would pick the original AFX track by Aurora.

You can get large lots of track on Ebay cheaply.

By cleaning the rails, then cleaning the track pieces in the sink with soap and water and finally applying a light coat of a plastic protectant like Armour All will give you an almost brand new looking piece of track.

I also take a Q-tip with Armour All dabbed on it to rub on the connectors. Then, dab the rail connectors with a light oil. Both of these methods will make the track click together like new.

The track is fragile. But I believe so many pieces were broken by neglect and mishandling. If you take care of the track, I think a less than 5% breakage is what you might expect.

Buy a few lots of track on Ebay, discard the broken pieces and following the steps above and I think you will be pleased.

Also, the original AFX has a great selection of track pieces.

Jim Norton
Huntsville, AL

Hi all,

I'm the french guy Demether introduced in this topic.
I'd like to build an ho track, which is almost impossible, as no items are available in France (I still don't understand why).
So, my only chance to get my project ready, is to buy the tracks in the US.
As far as I understood from your answers, I'd better to choose Tyco/Mattel products.
Demether provide me with Joe's listing, and the prices are more than reasonable.

I'm currently designing the layout (I'd like to use STrak), which takes a lot of time.
In the meantime, is it possible to get an estimation regarding the shipment cost to France (price per lbs)?

Thanks in advance for your help,

BR,

Andre

It will be difficult to make a shipping estimation without knowing the track parts you need.

On USPS you can see prices depanding of the weight of your parcel.

ANother thing, it's difficult to make a layout draw and buy the track parts for it, because when you 're in a permanent track project, you have to test it with cars, again and again, to make it as "perfect" as possible.

If I should suggest one thing, is to search first used tyco (or aurora afx, or tomy afx if you're lucky) track sets in france and europe, to find the basic track parts you'll need.

If you can't, or try to find used track sets for cheaper price (including shipping) here on hobby talk.

After that, play with it, test layouts, first with 2lanes, and when you're happy with the layout, search for the other parts you 'll need, as you'll know exactly what parts will be necessary to complete the track layout. :thumbsup:

Welcome to Hobby Talk, Andre! :)

Hi Andre & Demether, I sent you a PM regarding track. :)

Wasnt there a french HO racing club?

HO france?

FOUND IT!

http://hoslotfrance.free.fr/

I cant read french...so I have no clue if they are still active...but the track is a beauty...

it's not a racing club, but the website of françois callat, a famous europeen h0 slot racer (always on top ranking of german-european races on stock classes).

the track (brand hatchs) looks fantastic, I agree. And françois is a very kind man, he helped me a lot to begin h0 slot racing.

I don't know if he stills organising "basement racing"-type races.

Unfortunatly, here in france there is no h0 race club. We are less than 5-10 persons practicing it in a "hobby way", for the whole country, I think.

Ah....see...told you I couldnt read french...heh heh:thumbsup: