My kids 7 & 8 loved Thomas the Train and like watching the show "I love Toy Trains".  So we decided that we were going to a train layout (4x8 sheet).  Then I remembered my brother and I had trains sets from when we were kids, so I did it out of my parents shop.  I remember my engine not working well and my brothers had lost the body.  I currently have them in a box with some bug spray (Black Widows were in the shop). 

So I went by hobby lobby get some train sets for the Engines and tracks since they were on clearance.  I bought the Digital Commander for 80$ (was 230$)

Now that I look at the tracks are different then my old set and the connectors between the cars are different as well. 
Once they de-bugged I will take pictures.  But the old tracks are just tracks with a little piece of metal that hooks them together on each track.  The new is the E-Z Track.  Is there away to hook them together?  I really want to use the bridge from the old set as that one feature the kids really want.

Also the connectors on my old train are like and angled T  (looks like this -\ ) is there way to swap these out?  I have about 15 cars or so and I want to use them instead of buying new ones.  I have no idea what the old brand is, we got them in 81 or 82. 

Once I unpack them I will take pictures if it will help.  I assume the tracks and connectors were an "standard" type at the time.

Any whelp would be great.

Thanks
Jon