AC2Car

[Zippideedooda]

Ran into an interesting youtube video today about a Michigan slot car track known as Northline Raceway. Maybe some of you know about it, but I didn't so I'm guessing there are others here that haven't heard of it either.
The interesting thing about it is that the track, and others like it, run on AC power and can run two cars per lane. The lane spacing is only 7/8" apart so more lanes can be put into a smaller track width, meaning more track can be added with larger race tracks in the same amount of space as a conventional DC track.

So why would you want to share a slot with another car, right? Well you have to check it out for yourself to see how they get around each other. Check it out at crossflow426 or their website at ac2car.org.

[MrFlippant]

I think it's a pretty clever system. It's been around in one form or another since almost the foundation of slot car racing, usually in some kind of set from a toy maker.

I've never tried it, but I hear the cars are pretty smooth to drive because they are getting power from half the AC wave, as opposed to full power DC.

[arroldn]

Yep sounds a lot like my Eldon Selectronic race set.

[WB2]

It was a predecessor to digital systems. You could run two cars in the same lane and each lane had passing areas. Essentially you could run twice the number of cars in just a little more space (say, eight cars could run in the space of a four lane track). Cheaper than digital; just one diode per car and controller.
Cars ran a bit slower and gave a bit of a growl running on half wave AC.
I used it for a single lane track to replicate the Race of Champions track (follow the slot; this is a one lane track).

[BIG E]

I very much enjoyed watching those ROC events on TV!
A nice little track you've got there.
Enjoy! -- Ernie :>)

[RichD]

Check this out: ac2car.org

[Bal r 14]

I borrowed an old Lionel transformer from a neighbor who is a model train nut and tried it on a test track. Controller response is mushy and you lose braking. It's definitely a different feel that takes awhile to get used to. How many of us have home tracks that have more racers than the track can support? I know I don't.

[GTI]

My track is AC2Car and I also have a Lionel transformer. I don't feel the mushiness you're speaking of. It doesn't take a bit of a different discipline to race since you are going with no brakes. However for the home racer, as I am, it's great. I get to run ghost cars multiple and race through the pack with the other. I do also have flipper to change lanes and not set up the way the web site is. Mine is set up as a digital track powered and run as AC2Car.

[Bal r 14]

The controllers make a big difference.