[thomas]

..a quick pre-information before the article is released:
The limitation to 4 cars is due to necessary power-supply for more cars - there is no necessity from teh technique used! For 4 cars and the switches you need app 5Amps as a power supply - you'll see if you try the SCX digital - even on teh toy fair with a stronger after-market power sipply used they suffered power with using 5 cars - remarkable suffer!
To construct multi-lane digital tracks is possible with carrera - even as they offer singel lane straigth rails for teh pro-X system! And they offer a pit-stop!!! You might use the pit-stop for refuelling (planned feauture) or to park teh later available pace-car there which will enter the track after a programmed time or number of laps to increase necessity to overtake and change lanes as the pace-car is slower than the othre cars.
The possibility to rebuild cars just with the guide - without moveable mag - ist there - but! you've also to drill a hole in the chassis as teh switches are released by a small led in the underpan of the car. Please wait for the details - I'm a little too busy to finalize the report soon - need some support from Swiss - even as English is not my native language

 

[thomas]

CArrera is very serious about digital! And teh limit of 4 cars is because of the necessary power supply! The system itself is able to handle more cars! After market power supplies might work, have to get in contact with the developpers of the system to get the datas about limitation of input. I'm running a G-gauge garden railway - and the biggest available power supply there is 5A - from manufacturer! Had to add an aftermarket 20A power supply tu run all of my trains - and it works even when the original manufacturer has not specified that it will do

If the Carrera digital system becomes the expected success, they plan further track pieces - like lane changes in curves....

 

[thomas]

@ jonny - just removing the mag and trueing the tires - sometimes a little weight - that's all!
In general about digital systems - all 3 big shots feard to lose market shares if they don't show that they are capable to produce digital slotcars. Hornby and Carrera have a little more funds than SCX and they looked for a proper working solution - which is very similar from both of them! the huge guide is necessary for the lapcounting of Carrera - but there are also alternatives possible!
restrection to 4 cars from Carrera - mainly power supply and relating costs of a set - and they also thought, that 4 cars on a 2-lane-track are enough! these sets are thought as toys for younger and older kids - and not for club-tracks! A club-track is the right playground for Davic and neither for Carrera nor for Scalextric!
A ghost-car might be realized with RMS from Carrera and the pacer from scalextric - both know how to do - but Carrera planned a pace-car which is driving slower as a hazard on the road, changing lanes! - and not to race agains so that 2 racers have more fun!
Wait till they tell us that their product is finalized and we'll judge then - it's to early now I fear - except for SCX - that stuff is scr**!!!

 

[thomas]

...better you do now! Blaming Carrera about that comparison...

It's been the first toy-fair Nikko did in London without support from Carrera - and maybe the last one! About competing with Carrera - it's excellent for kids because they are solid - but needs rework to compete with other cars if raced in clubs. I know some guys racing their Carrera-Bentleys against Fly and Ninco - not winnig, but in the midfield. In the future, Carrera plans to produce thinner, lighter bodies - and cars in general. Wait and see....

 

[thomas]

jonny, we'll meet for shure! Talking to long about it! Maybe when I'm over there in UK for a business trip this spring - or when you've the chance to jump over the channel.

 

[thomas]

...carrera-cars need a smoother way of driving - that's all! Remember the old times you had no brakes at your Scalex-set? Drive similia to that - but keep you speed and you're fast on the track! That's all. And I prefer this for cars - if you're driving a tank - that has to stop when you drop the anchor

An Jonny - about the tv-towers - in that case I've to try to stop at phoenix when I'm in UK...

 

[thomas]

...no, you didn't - I'm still working on it, got some moer information this morning - but not all! Lot's of comments about these systems are spread all over the digital threads....

 

[thomas]

Latest information from a phone call 5 Minutes ago:
The Carrera Pro-X-systems will be in your shops End of May / beginning of June.
Sales price in Germany for the Starter Set 30100 will be around 180€, separate F1 and Muscle-Cars app. 40€, controller for Pro-X 32€, lapcounter 30€, separate switch left or right 42€ (double the length of standard straight), the digital blackbaox 32€ (to upgrade your existing track), 4 separate spare guides 6€, pit lane 50€, pit lane extension (1-lane-straight) 6€, power supply 38€ (suitable for max 4 1/32 standard cars!)
I hope, these informations will help you with your decisions Beppe...

 

[thomas]

...use the pitlane for marshalling when you're racing on a 2-lane track with 4 cars - makes more sense than shortcuts

You can add several of them...

 

[thomas]

RMS - Race management System has been a huge success over here - they have sold out the planned annual production within 5 weeks! There will be a RMS rev.2 with some slight changes. Hope to recover from my influenza soon so I might stay at the PC a little longer to write the articles...

 

[thomas]

Peter, you've been more than polite - I would suggest, that Jonny is trying to contact Stadlbauer / Carrera directly - especially as they have the technical experience to explain the system. @ Jonny - -will send you details by pm...

 

[thomas]

...if there is any possibility from my side to support - just let me know...

 

[thomas]

..just called STS / Jochen - he's on holiday till 24th... will try to contact him next week again.