issues with track... please help!

[Herc Driver]

Like you, I used cans (of paint) to hold the track in place as it dried. I placed small cans on a piece of wood, approximately 1/2 inch thick so the weight of the can would be as evenly distributed as possible. A quick and easy way to see if the track is level is to grab a foot long ruler and slide it along the rails. Any gaps between the ruler and the rail might be part of the problem. And yep...get a NMRA gauge. It's proven itself to me over and over - showing problems with wheels, tracks, and turnouts.