Grey Track

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I always wondered that, maybe even spraying the tracks with a primer then spray painting them a similar colour grey
it would be really difficult to match the grey colour with spray paint.  it is not like the wall paint where you can ask the hardware store to match it for you.
My Trackmaster/Tomy/Plarail Photo Gallery Page (over 600+ photos and still under construction)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/183311600@N03/
[-] The following 1 user Likes leylandvictory2's post:
  • Super
Yeah I guess, just a matter of trial and error
(This post was last modified: 08-14-2020, 12:37 AM by Super.)
[-] The following 1 user Likes Tharazero1's post:
  • Super
I suppose its possible to dye the tracks but I would worry about them disfiguring due to the heat let alone the size of the pot needed. Plus I don't think, but I don't know for sure, that you would be able to dye from a darker color (blue) to a lighter color (light gray). Probably the only track that could prove to dye to gray would be the white rails but they are just as hard to come by as the real light gray tracks. Plus it would be hard to match the light gray color with dye.

Painting is an option and with using an airbrush one can mix  colors for an almost exact match. I actually spent quite a while experimenting with colors because  I had a need for a couple of the Plarail Advance Slopes in light gray. They came out pretty good but I didn't finish them up with clear coats for durability because I lost interest. So painting (with an airbrush) is possible but I would only do it for small quantity's. Also note that painting the rails is ok if you prep the plastic properly but...even with the best of prep, primer, color and clear coats the paint could crack because of the softness of the rail plastic. With the Plarail Advance slopes they are made of a harder plastic so I was estimating a longer lasting coat.

I have to locate an old Youtubers videos where he had painted his whole huge layout a different color. It looked fantastic.

He has a handful of other videos on his Channel that shows his progression from normal Tomy tracks to the painted ones. https://www.youtube.com/user/thomasfriends12/videos
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[-] The following 2 users Like Super's post:
  • drew5195, Tharazero1
Here is a lot that has 8 outer viaduct curves if anyone wants to purchase. Unfortunately the lot doesn't tell what set they come from
https://www.jauce.com/auction/x721616540
[-] The following 1 user Likes Tharazero1's post:
  • Super
I have found that through all my searching for gray rails the straight rails are the ones I had difficulty amassing. For those wishing to start gathering gray tracks for a Layout there is an item that is a very nice neat and different addition to a Layout. Not made by Plarail at all in fact its un-branded but made to exactly fit Tomy tracks an risers if one wished to elevate it. Plus, it is a perfect match for the light gray that you are looking for. Its a Thomas sound and light bridge and can be found very cheaply on the AliExpress site.

Its very well made but I did a bit of a modification cancelling the Thomas music, replacing the flashing lights with LED's to the 4 lanterns and a 9 volt battery to run them in the same place as the original 3 AAA's fit. The before and after videos are below.

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[-] The following 1 user Likes Super's post:
  • Tharazero1
I've found some information on where the outer viaduct curves can be obtained.
One set is the Plarail Advance L0 Maglev Set
[Image: 61gnTsIHfdL._AC_SL1100_.jpg]Maglev Set

It also came in the Plarail Thank you For Dream Express Shinkansen Hikari Set
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Hikari Set

Unfortunately for us. These sets typically tend to be very expensive, especially the Hikari one, and according to this source, it is the only two sets that contain the outer viaduct curves.

Hopefully this helps anyone looking for these pieces
[-] The following 2 users Like Tharazero1's post:
  • chrisjo, Super
Nice work Thara.

Even the Plarail Advance set is quite pricey since they discontinued the line. What is so blatant is the use of those 2 blue half rails in that set. Geesh...They couldn't have included gray ones to make the loop perfect?
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[-] The following 1 user Likes Super's post:
  • Tharazero1
You're absolutely correct
(This post was last modified: 09-01-2020, 07:42 AM by Super.)
[-] The following 1 user Likes Tharazero1's post:
  • Super
instead of having 2 half platforms, perhaps they should have one full length platform and one full length grey track.
My Trackmaster/Tomy/Plarail Photo Gallery Page (over 600+ photos and still under construction)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/183311600@N03/
[-] The following 2 users Like leylandvictory2's post:
  • Super, Tharazero1



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