Tomix/Tomytec Bus System problem(s),

[FastFranz]

G-day everyone,

 

Having settled-down in Ha noi (Viet Nam. I DO miss Africa I left in July 2018) I’m popping out – after a long time – with a question on Tomix/Tomitec buses.

 

I started, here, a new lay-out: half Japanese and half American (there’s a scenic divider, of course). On the Japanese side I placed a small Tomytec (Tomix_3) track that is behaving oddly. Foreword: it’s been bought (used) on the internet so, may, the root of the problem is here. Any way … In theory it should be easy to run “off-the box”. Just set track, put battery in place, turn it on and … here he goes! In theory I said … In reality I have to face some problems.

 

 

First one is the switch (turning the engine on gives me some problems) but I guess is a “electricity related problem” so let skip it for  moment and assume the bus is going.

 

A)      It goes on lap after lap then all of sudden it goes off the track (red markings are most common points giving trouble) and only/always on the outer edge of the road. It could run correctly for many laps then, with no apparent reasons, irt CRASHES!!!

B)      Sometime - see yellow markings - entering bus-stops (I added a second one, not pictured) is stops in the wrong place: way before entering actual place were bus is supposed to stop, not aligned to “stop edge”. Also in this case I could go correctly for dozens of laps, then …

C)      Sometimes (I’m running only the engine) it enter the stop-area - after laps of correct running - and engine goes off (red led is in sight and  no longer “on”)

 

 

Other issue: I got a further engine (i did a mistake since actual wheel-base of this engine is too long for bodyworks I have but, again, this is fot a problem, for now …).

 

 

The new engine is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay slower (shoud I say too much?) but seems to behave correctly so I’m going mad with both of them …

 

 

 

Could, any of You, kindly help me. These are are bodyworks I have whil "wrong" wheelbase is 35 mm, a bit too long!

 

 

 

Asian regards everyone

Francesco

 

PS: the fact my bus-track resembles in some way Monza F1 race track is absolutely NOT wantes, bu available space drove me there ... 😉

[brill27mcb]

Hi Francesco,

 

Here are a few ideas:

 

1. Your buses should always pull off to the left side into the bus stops. It looks like you have that correct, based on the top photo with the scenery, but not in the bottom photo. The Japan-based bus stops only work correctly in one direction, based on left-side-of-road driving.

2. Make sure that the steering magnet at the front of the bus is at a height just slightly above the road surface, so it can reliably follow the wire embedded under the road sections. Make sure the steering mechanism works easily back and forth, and that the bus body is not too low and interfering with a front tire when it is turned.

3. Since the bus stuff was bought used, check the underside of the road pieces carefully. Make sure the ferrous wire down the center of the lane is intact on each piece. Also look for small round plastic-encased magnets that may be stuck into slots toward one side or the other of the road pieces. Remove and keep any that you find. Also check the underside of the bus stops and make sure they are identical, with the same magnet and arm arrangement. One mode makes the bus stop a short while and then go, while another magnet mode makes it just stop. The LED visible through the back window of the bus will indicate this.

4. The bus chassis has two speeds - slow and "not-so-slow."  🙂   The chassis toggles from on speed to the other speed every time it passes over one of those magnets on one side. (I forget which side.) So one bus may be in "slow" and the other bus in "not-so-slow" mode. Maybe not, but it is possible. When the bus changes speeds, a yellow LED blinks inside the back window.

5. To start the bus, hold it on the sides so the rear wheels can turn. Push the small button for a second and see if the rear wheels start rotating. Push again to stop them. You will get used to how it feels when you do it correctly.

6. Make sure the batteries are all good and equally strong.

7. Make sure the rubber tires are on correctly, and do not wobble side-to-side or up-and-down.

8. Make sure the roadway is level and the joints are smooth in the direction the bus goes.

9. In the photos, it looks like the two curved road pieces where the buses leave the road are a tighter radius than the following curve pieces that make up the 180-degree turn.

10. No matter what, in my experience the buses will sometimes drive off the side of the road. I always have to keep an eye on them. Tinkering with the above ideas will make them more reliable, though. Your buses are not yet ready for Monza!

 

Best wishes,

Rich K.

[FastFranz]

Hi Rich,

 

Sorry for delayed answer - life is hectic here in Ha noi, VN ... 😉 - I will look after your suggestions and keep you tuned ... THX A LOT!

 

Francesco

Edited June 17, 2019 by FastFranz

[FastFranz]

Hi

 

My - faster this time - reply  bold letters:

 

1.    Your buses should always pull off to the left side into the bus stops. It looks like you have that correct, based on the top photo with the scenery, but not in the bottom photo. The Japan-based bus stops only work correctly in one direction, based on left-side-of-road driving.

If the bus “pulls off left” it will NOT stop a bus-stops, regardless the position os the switch. If it “pull-off” the other way around the switch works correctly. Puzzling!!!

 

2.    Make sure that the steering magnet at the front of the bus is at a height just slightly above the road surface, so it can reliably follow the wire embedded under the road sections. Make sure the steering mechanism works easily back and forth, and that the bus body is not too low and interfering with a front tire when it is turned.

It’s my first attempt with this bus. The steering box seems to work correctly and, to be on the safe side, I go without bodywork

 

3.    Since the bus stuff was bought used, check the underside of the road pieces carefully. Make sure the ferrous wire down the center of the lane is intact on each piece.

I did it, the wire looks good.

 

4.    Also look for small round plastic-encased magnets that may be stuck into slots toward one side or the other of the road pieces. Remove and keep any that you find.

There were none! Or, at least, I haven’t seem them …

 

5.     Also check the underside of the bus stops and make sure they are identical, with the same magnet and arm arrangement.

 It looks like

 

6.    One mode makes the bus stop a short while and then go, while another magnet mode makes it just stop. The LED visible through the back window of the bus will indicate this.

I do not got it fully. Any way when the bus enters a sto (in the, supposed to be, wrong direction a yellow led blinks once, then the bus stops and a red led goes on, when it goes off the bus restarts. This is the way I want to operate my bus-track!

 

7.    4. The bus chassis has two speeds - slow and "not-so-slow."  🙂   The chassis toggles from on speed to the other speed every time it passes over one of those magnets on one side. (I forget which side.). So one bus may be in "slow" and the other bus in "not-so-slow" mode. Maybe not, but it is possible. When the bus changes speeds, a yellow LED blinks inside the back window

 It looks like there are no magnets below the tarmac (maybe I’m wrong), what am I supposed to do to change speed, possibly in the faster mode?

 

8.    5. To start the bus, hold it on the sides so the rear wheels can turn. Push the small button for a second and see if the rear wheels start rotating. Push again to stop them. You will get used to how it feels when you do it correctly.

 I’ll keep trying … 😉

 

 6. Make sure the batteries are all good and equally strong.

They are, new “off-shelf”.

 

10.  Make sure the rubber tires are on correctly, and do not wobble side-to-side or up-and-down.

The bus wobble a little (really little) is this such an issue?

 

11.  Make sure the roadway is level and the joints are smooth in the direction the bus goes.

I did my best.

 

12.  In the photos, it looks like the two curved road pieces where the buses leave the road are a tighter radius than the following curve pieces that make up the 180-degree turn.

 You are right but bus curves (“U” shaped ones) come from a start-set so I guess they’re ok

 

13.  No matter what, in my experience the buses will sometimes drive off the side of the road. I always have to keep an eye on them. Tinkering with the above ideas will make them more reliable, though. Your buses are not yet ready for Monza!

 Monza … LMAO!!! I was used to consider Tomix stuff reliable! It looks like buses are not 100%

 

Thannks again! Francesco