Updated Readers Roads, new and old tracks.

[mattb]

I mentioned a new thread on walls and tracks yesterday. We got a thread started on walls, I am going to start up a new track thread. Old tracks from previous threads, new tracks, deceased tracks, plastic tracks, big tracks, small tracks. All of them. Every track build can offer a tip or help somebody else with a new idea. Don't anybody think their track is not worthy. Good to re-post stuff from the old threads and get it all in one place. I posted my wall stuff in the other thread. This routed track I did a few years ago. I've done 4 routed tracks the last 40 years. This was the first with braid in the commercial style. It's 4 lanes with 4 inch centers and 5 inch centers on the flat curve at the top of the picture. The guys that race here are all 1/24 guys. We run 1/24 with 3 inch max width and mostly vac form bodies. It has a DS lap counter/timer. There are 4 control stations on the right side, but there are stations at each end and on the left side. This change was to keep distance with the covid threat, but really works great for sight and to marshal cars!

The infields are covered with fish pond netting. The net has saved a lot of cars from the floor. Each lane has a voltage regulator (thanks to Paul/Chappy for that). Voltage is 12 on the green lane and adjusted down on the other lanes until lap times are the same on every lane. I run all cars on the clean orange lane. If they are faster than 4.15, we adjust gearing to slow them down. If they are too slow, I do what needs to be done to get them up to speed.. We have really close racing. On a short track like this we run crash and burn in all races, you come off, you are out. I have 3 power off buttons around the track, but that doesn't help much on a short track with cars bunched up. Supplies from SCC made this a pretty easy build. I did everything with no help from start to finish. It took me about 6 weeks. If this group ever folds, all the guys are 70+, I will probably set up a 1/32 track at home using Monogram plastic track and get more into 1/32.

The bottom pic shows the track after routing and assembly,. I built it directly on the old table I had plastic track on. Got the banking and overpass where I wanted them by shimming it, then added 21 inch legs to the whole track. I cut it in 2 pieces and put some cross bracing under it. I used my engine hoist/shop crane to lift each half and then cut the table out from under it and lowered it to the floor. Once on the floor I did the paint and wiring. It is built in sections, but I braided it assembled. It can be taken apart, and the braid patched, if anybody would ever want to move it in the future. That is pretty detailed and I hope you guys will do the same with your builds. They are all neat slot car tracks!!!!.
Took me about 40 years to get to this point.

[Sadco Racing]

Looks great!!

[mattb]

Keep waiting for you to come over! Tuesday nite, racing junk and crashing a lot!

[Bal r 14]

I like it, but I wouldn't call it small. It looks pretty big to me. I am starting on my 4th track in 10 months.

[mattb]

Guys start adding your pictures and track info.

[Bal r 14]

This was my second track, built in March this year. It is 3 lane routed MDF over 1/2" plywood. Lanes are 40' long and all lanes are the same length within 2". The intent was to make something with a very rustic feel. But, I was still learning and made a lot of mistakes. My routing was poor because what I used for a guide had too much give and the router I used was big and heavy with lots of power and was difficult to control. There were a number of areas that had inadequate space on the outside of turns that caused cars to de-slot. Lane design could have been a lot smoother. I only used one coat of paint and didn't paint the inside of the slots, so dust and traction were always issues.

After using this track for a couple months, I was going to clean up some of the mistakes. But, I ended up tearing it down and starting over with a new build.

[mattb]

We learn with every project. Body putty saved the day for me to fix a few mistakes. A solid guide is so important, as is a non-flexible compass arm on the router. A flat bar isn't so good as it can flex upward. Better to have an angle or something rectangular as a compass arm on the router. A trim router is much easier. Still a good track and you can fix or just do new and better.

[Bal r 14]

For my next track, I switched to a Milwaukee cordless trim router and bought a lexan guide from Gary Gard. It worked great, not only for routing but for laying out the lanes. All curves and turns were perfect and the Milwaukee cordless followed so nicely I could write my name in MDF.

[Bal r 14]

I knocked out a wall and expanded my new track to just over 60' per lane. This was also 3 lanes MDF. Lane spacing was 3 1/2" with 5" borders on the outside of corners. The finished track doesn't show it, but there almost no flat surfaces. They show up more in the construction images.

[Bal r 14]

Here is the finished track. It didn't last long. It was a nice track that was challenging to drive because of the variety of negative camber turns. Lap times are in the 6.5 second range on silicon tires. It is painted with 3 coats of semi-gloss latex. Lap timer is TrackMate. Table is on casters so I can move it out from the wall. Back straight is 16', inside straight is 14' and is the only entirely flat surface. Lots of design tricks allowed me to fit four track sections in a 5' wide area.

I tried to make the track user and turn marshal friendly. Unfortunately, I was never able to generate any level of interest in slot racing, so I have started to work on a longer 2 lane track just for me.... no concern for turn marshals or view. The layout drawing is of this track. The new track has multiple levels and will be around 100'. I am rendering it in 3D, using the Metal of Honor level design tools.

[mattb]

My track is pretty easy to drive. The guys racing are new to slot cars at 70+ years old. There is no way we could race on a twisty track. I don't think track length is such a big factor, a driveable and fun track seems more important to me.

[chappyman66]

I am on my third routed track. First one was three lane 4 x 16, simple flat track on two pieces of particle board. Second track was a figure 8 routed into a plastic laminated countertop as an interim until I could build the current track. Don't sell laminate short; when cleaned it's super smooth and has fantastic grip especially with silicone tires. I think both of those are on the old Reader Roads thread.

This is my current track, an homage to Road America. 45 ft lap length with adjustable power. 3 coats of latex paint, painted slots. This picture was shortly after completion. Scenery has been a work in progress with my grandson so I let it progress as time allows.

[mattb]

4 X 8, or 4 X16. That how a lot of us started. Particle board is hard on bits. Thankful we have MDF.

[4380r]

I've posted these here before. 3 lane 1/24th Scalextric Super 1/24. This layout is down now.

[mattb]

That is fantastic home track. I guess it was just too late in the market to be a big seller, probably expensive, too. I know from reading about model railroads and early slot tracks in England, space was limited, so 2 lane 1/32 had to fit into more attics/cellars.

[dinglebery]

I believe I've posted these also. A single 10'x4' sheet of 1/2" MDF and good amount of time was spent making this a reality.

[Ragtopman]

My home painted Carrera track. Some day I will either have a very big table or a real wood track…

[mattb]

Routed is nice, custom sized and smooth. Plastic can be changed, is measier to build and races slot cars, just the same. You do have lots of room.

[Brad_T]

Here's a few pictures of my first and only wood track so far. I started with Scalextric track but moved on fairly quickly once I started running without magnets.
3 lanes, 60 feet per lane routed MDF. Variable power supply to give voltage to all three lanes, voltage varies depending on the car from 10.5 to 12 volts. The timer is Track Mate. Flat latex over epoxy primer.

The bottom frame is 2X4 construction and with 2X4 uprights to a grid of plywood and dried pine similar to joists on a floor to prevent the possibility of warping. This made it easier when attaching the track surface to allow for elevation changes.

Each slot was routed with a flexible fence the same dimensions as the one that Luf sold but was 12 feet long, so there are no straight lanes, everything has at least a minor arc or curve. There were a lot of nail holes to fill, I don't think I would do it this way again. The squeeze sections over the bridge and through the esses give some challenge and really takes some strategy when the racing is close.

Residing in my shop the track is on wheels so it can be easily moved or put against the wall when in storage. The two ends fold down as well as the front once the bridge is removed.

A few modifications were made after the first few months due to some difficult areas. The initial drop under the bridge was lessened as the track started to rubber in due to the cars launching out of the slot as grip improved. The raise in the center of the long back straight was lessened as well due to the cars becoming airborne, again after the grip improved. The exit from the pit lanes, though a cool feature did not work out so well when I installed the lane reverse switches and the cars would speed into the dead end in the pits at speed so they were filled in.

Plans had always been to complete the scenery but due to the dusty conditions it is much easier to keep clean. Some pit buildings wouldn't be too bad it's so much easier to race the cars.

[mattb]

Excellent track and a nice way to store it in much less space. This should open eyes to how you can build a track for a small space and roll it out and open it up to full size. 2-3 lanes of 1/32 doesn't take a big foot print. 4 pieces of MDF cut into 2X6 pieces could be set up to get a 12X4 track and not require a lot of storage area if they are stood on end.

[Brad_T]

Thanks Matt.
I should have added the set up and folded dimensions in my description.
Set up the track is 17’6” X 8’
Folded is 13’ X 5’6”.