The Tracks (Not the Band!)

So we are moving on to round two in our no-holds-barred ultimate cage match– Revell/Arnold vs. Aurora/Trix for the championship of antique toy trains of the world.

I wish I had better news. For Revell lovers. Like me. Because the simple fact is that here in game three of the finals we see a blowout. I’ll provide a nifty quote from David Smith’s website:

Arnold track was made of steel, which rusted over time, and it was incompatible with everyone else’s nickel-silver track, leading to confusion and frustration principally among North American customers.

And so, right after the opening face-off, the puck skitters into the net off the skate of a Revell player. But it doesn’t end there. Revell’s track was in longer sections, which seems like it might be easier for children, but it’s harder to store and otherwise manage, so I’d say it was not an advantage.

When I purchased the old Revell trainset, the track was rusty/corroded as “F” and I’d say it was living proof that Mr. Smith’s contention regarding the “rust issue” was well founded. I’m not surprised that the Revell set came with a strange little thing called an Aurora track cleaner.

Indeed. “Here, let me help you with that,” says Aurora.

But what really caused goals two and three was the crappy way that Arnold/Revell (notice I’m letting the “R word” duck for cover here) made the track incompatible with the Trix track.

Trix track Trix track Trix track.

Here’s a photo.

That photo may not be super clear, so here’s an image of what became “the industry standard”– the good old Trix track.

This is Atlas track but the principle is the same. Two tracks, side by side, of the same length, joined with metal sleeves.

Here’s the f’d up Arnold track (where’d the word “Revell” go?)

Two tracks, side by side, of different lengths. It joins with other track of the same type but needs a flakey “adaptor” track piece to join to the “industry standard” track. Unusable.

Goals four and five came as everybody stared at the track that does not join. It is a little clique of one. So sad.

But it does not end there. The Aurora/Trix track has two standard posts where wires may be properly attached to make it go. The Revell/Arnold crap has some kind of far-out clip-on things.

I thought this was some kind of sad, lame attempt to fix a problem–executed by the original owner after stepping on the track or something. But no…

Read the box. “Clips.”

Goal six was scored after a penalty due to a fight and goal seven was an empty-netter after Revell pulled the goalie.

And then there was another huge fight.

As far as track goes, the Aurora Postage Stamp trains had it all goin’ on. Revell’s shiznit deserved to be used for gunnery practice.