What's YOUR Digital Track going to be???, Home Digital Layout Ideas. Options

[Big Al]

There's clearly a certain, "collective" bunch of Tech-heads here who are all, clearly keen to go digital, as am I, all the way down here in Cape Town, So, without getting into further debats relating to the subject, as this is being whipped to death in the other threads...

I WANT TO HEAR, (AND SEE) WHAT ALL YOUR IDEAS ARE FOR A HOME (OR CLUB) DIGITAL TRACK...

Let's move forward say 12 months.. All the manufacturers have their systems available in the shops. We're all jumping with joy, as each system actually WORKS, in their own, peculiar way... Now, the time has come to go the whole 9 yards and build a home raceway... What's it gonna be boiz????

I know David and Beppe are already ahead of us here, however, I think there wills till be new tracks being made once the systems are available..

Me, personally, it's something like this....

A Woodie (Off-course) 3 Laner only. Flat circuit with no bridge... for once.. A working Pitlane naturally, with Pit boxes also fitted for added realism. Here and there, a little bit of routed "racing lines" for all three lanes, with a small "squeeze" section as well. The Middle lane being close to a "racing Line" all around the track, Ala David's setup - See Barcelona..).. Reasonable spin-off sections, but really, a smallish, but entertaining track. Must support at least 3 cars per lane. (For a track of around 20 meters in length, I reackon 10 to 12 cars would be mindblowing...)

But, the problem is getting 10 to 12 drivers to fit around such a small area...
(Single Garage.. I don't think so...)
But, the capability would be there...

Bring it on guys.. Whadda u all gonna do????

Oh, yes, I forgot. We can then get Russell to Sponsor us all to get together somewhere at the choice of tracks for a "Slotforum/Digital/Worlds..."

Regards

Big Al
(www.slotcars.co.za)

[wayneslot]

Hi Big Al

You have just discribed my perfect setup. Routed three lanes, WORKING PITS
Though maybe a bit bigger lomger circuit.

I am currently looking for a new house i think i may need a triple rather than double garage though

Wayne

[Maltese]

That sounds good to me.

Now here is an idea some may find dumb or even offensive for slot racing, but would it be cool to have a track set up in such a way that you have to choose to stay on the course whereas the outer lane on certain curves will actually send you to the gravel for taking too wide of a line? (As an option, of course).

Might such logic also apply to an obstacle of a tree, rail or rock on a rally course where one must actually be awake to drive as opposed to standing there holding the trigger?

Of course, the ability to change lane/line must precede these little events just as in real racing.

-Maltese

[Eno Dog]

I've been thinking about this a lot. I've been messing about with Tracker thinking of track setups that'll give me a decent about of running room in a double garage. (We're going to be buying a new place in the next year and I've been explaining to the missus that I've got more cars needing a home than those silly one to one scale things we taxi the boys around in ) I think I should be able to run about 90 feet of track if I'm lucky. (I'd put in a pic but evrey time I've tried it all ends up in tears )

I'm planning to use the scaley stuff as long as there's a straight change made (and it's feasible to overlay tehm to run 4 lanes). Otherwise I daresay some of the more techno-savvy guys will be able to tell me how to route my own & bang in the switches by the time I have my room.

I want to run four lanes - the outside one to be for reslotting my mistakes maybe? The longest straight is only about 8 foot but I've got some fine wiggly bits in there. I want to use both "active" and "passive" lane changers as I'm planning to make the car "automatically" use all four lanes if you don't change at all (my 2YO will be confuzzled enough keeping the things on the track), but have the switches tend to push the cars onto the centre "racing" line if possible.

I wasn't planning pits straight away but I'm thinking of widening the main straight to allow for it. Waiting to see what the big boys do in terms of other track pieces & gimmicks as this progresses. Would like to run a squillion cars but don't have a squillion mate to play with - might change if I have teh setup I want though.

[Big Al]

Hi Guys,

Yeah the thought process and planning needs to be really good here, as this should, ideally, be the FINAL track we'd ever have to build.. (And I know from experience, and labour, and router bits, ) I get bored with a layout after a while..

The Digital personal track should overcome this as it would allow constant differing laps as you take different racing lines round the track..

Also would love to support kazillions of cars, but realistically, I think I'd like to limit the home setup, and to be honest, I know I couldn't fit many people in my garage really..

But it's all in the testing and R&D. If it works at home, I know where I'll be taking our club to next...

And Eno, don't be so afraid of routing buddy, it's not that difficult.. Once you chop up a small piece practicing how to work a router, it'll come pretty naturally, and your mind will explode with ideas... Get a Router and a bit, and try, see what it can do..


Chow guys

Regards

Al
www.slotcars.co.za

[Doug]

I too have been thinking of this. I even played with the idea by loading up my track design software. If I pull down my 4-lane, I'd have plenty of track and space for a super 2-lane digital.

I was also thinking of running a competition on SlotForum for the best design for a medium sized digital track. We could use this as a standard track for doing reviews on. Other members could then build this track and run comparative tests. The winner of the competition takes home the track. What do you think?

[BEEJAY7]

Great Idea Nuro....Just give me the layout Dimensions.

Regards

Alan

[Fergy]

I think we need to wait for the actual digital systems and track to hit the general market?

[Big Al]

Howzit Nuro,

That IS a cool idea, but there would have to be some limitations or rules set well in advance to going further.. When we talk about a medium size track, what is medium? to you it could be 15 meters, to another 30 meters.. And so on..

I remember seeing in some MCR magazines a regular feature on a home layouts which fit on a Ping Pong table.. This could be the answer.. The regulations would be simple, so long as it's 9the tracks) dimensions weren't larger than a Ping Pong table.. This would also allow both Wooden track builders and a plastic track to more or less "compete" against each other...

The thing is, for ample running length, you HAVE to double over on a ping pong table, otherwise you're pretty limited..

Personally, I've got a stretched garage, which is also my workarea, (Certainly not to park my Uno in) But, more for the Hobby and storage. I have to redesign based on my allowable space, which is currently an L shape, and about 2 meters wide by 4 meters long.. Up against the wall if you know what I mean..

Still, hope to see some interesting comments here..

Regards

Al
www.slotcars.co.za

[Eno Dog]

Oh dear.. you know how sometimes the best ideas come after a few ales well I had a moment of epiphany.

Doomsayers are suggesting there will be heaps of crashes with digital which is quite possible.

Scaley is going to support 6 cars at a time.

While looking at some websites of guys who make 60's / 70's brit car shells it struck me. Sprint racing with half a dozen cars where the odd disaster isn't uncommon.. there's a whole sport that's built around that premise. Yes you guessed it..

RALLY CROSS!!

I now want a rally cross circuit. As a kid in England (early - mid 70's) I used to watch the rally cross from Brands Hatch religiously. Struck me you could have some nice wide bits - maybe six lanes in the main straight four in the other "road" parts & merrily cut it back to 2 for the "muddy" bits.

I'm going to have to route it I think (I really want to base it on what I remember of Brands) so you could have a bit of fun messing with the surfaces. Maybe use a rubber paint on the "Road" bits - or perhaps use magnetic braid on the road and copper braid on the dirt bits. That'd simulate the change of surface if you left the magnets in.

The cars they used to race were pretty much old bangers so your cars can be pretty industrial in construction. (I haven't seen any racing since then so I'm going off boyhood dreams)

I'm totally stoked with this so I'll have to sit down with a pen and paper & a few more beering sodas & start drawing..

[Eno Dog]

Oh dear - it's me again.

I was just looking at some websites & realised that if I'm going to do this I can run the full "Indy" Brands as a four(?) laner as well as having the six on the main straight & the rally cross circuit to boot at a reasonable size (planning on using a double garage). I can then run a four lane "digital", four lane "Analog" and a thoroughly brilliant rally cross circuit in the same space.

I'll then be able to run most anything in my race room and I think I'm going to faint with pleasure at the thought

I need some help from people that know the circuit to figure out which way round they go so in the rally cross bit so I'm going to open another thread under "The Pit Lane" rather than hijack this one..