New Track in Georgia

After an indepth discussion with SpaModeller and Brad, I have come to a final version for the layout. If you are struggling with a layout you need to get some input from them. They know their stuff and gives you great ideas and explainations as to why they make their recommendations. Although I had to make some sacrifices - I had to say goodbye to my beloved hugenholtz turn and Esses- I think I have come to a version that will fulfill most of my original concepts and still be fun and challenging to race on.

Thanks everyone for your input. I actually tried every one of your suggestions but due to space limitations or a personal preference they may not have been used. But I do want you to know that the input is greatly appreciated.

The next step is to calculate the elevation changes. SpaModeller gave me his view of the need for elevation changes and how to calculate them. The only way to really do this is to set up the track and elevate them with magazines. At the same time I will be calculating where the lane changes are going to be placed. So my fello Atlanta area racers let me know if you would be interested in a full day of test track competion. As soon as I get all the track ordered I will let you guys know. So there is an open invitation to be a test driver for the day.

I really like this layout and think that it will be a lot of fun to race on. I also think that it will lend itself nicely to scenery. The alteration to the turn coming off of the lower straight should allow you to reverse the bridge, if you want to. The new layout also leaves that "triangular" piece of land to the left of the bridge. This area is a terrific location for some kind of scenic feature such as an old building or dramatic natural element.

It seems like you are pretty well set on the size and shape of the table. It might be a good idea to build the table now, so that when you tryout the track you can evaluate lines of sight from the drivers positions. The view of the lower back striaght might be blocked by the pit building you are planning. You can use some cardboard to simulate a pit building when you are testing the track.

This is going to be a fun one to watch unfold. Keep us posted with your progress.

Brad

Brad

QUOTE (Brad Korando @ 17 May 2007, 12:27) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I really like this layout and think that it will be a lot of fun to race on. I also think that it will lend itself nicely to scenery. The alteration to the turn coming off of the lower straight should allow you to reverse the bridge, if you want to. The new layout also leaves that "triangular" piece of land to the left of the bridge. This area is a terrific location for some kind of scenic feature such as an old building or dramatic natural element.

It seems like you are pretty well set on the size and shape of the table. It might be a good idea to build the table now, so that when you tryout the track you can evaluate lines of sight from the drivers positions. The view of the lower back striaght might be blocked by the pit building you are planning. You can use some cardboard to simulate a pit building when you are testing the track.

This is going to be a fun one to watch unfold. Keep us posted with your progress.

Brad

Brad

I'm going to try it both ways. The back straight will be raised and then start down hill all the way through the last corner. I want a little hump in there so the cars might catch a little air as they storm into the last turn. Just a little challenge for the fun of it.

QUOTE (ronMcRain @ 7 Jun 2007, 16:46) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Nice touch, Nikko .. And an easy, smooth flow in the track too!

Although the 'racingline' concept doesn't change the track layout as such, I think that it enhances the visual looks immensily and also, points out the apexes in bends more clearly. The effect might be more of a psychological kind than .. eeeh .. physical? .. technical? [aaghh .. deep waters, this .. thazz 'enuff .. analythic thinking mode OFF!]

There's been some tracks here on the Forum [or am I wrong?] that have had that feature. Makes a very good track look simply GREAT!

Keep us posted as you progress ..

-- ron --

Keep me posted. Maybe we could help each other out on the construction.

QUOTE (ronMcRain @ 7 Jun 2007, 16:46) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Nice touch, Nikko .. And an easy, smooth flow in the track too!

Although the 'racingline' concept doesn't change the track layout as such, I think that it enhances the visual looks immensily and also, points out the apexes in bends more clearly. The effect might be more of a psychological kind than .. eeeh .. physical? .. technical? [aaghh .. deep waters, this .. thazz 'enuff .. analythic thinking mode OFF!]

There's been some tracks here on the Forum [or am I wrong?] that have had that feature. Makes a very good track look simply GREAT!

Keep us posted as you progress ..

-- ron --

i got the idea from Brad. I think it really helps visually. I haven't raced with it yet so Brad would probably be the one to tell you the overall effect.

I see your a Marx Brothers fan.

Not guilty! My comments were to put a larger radius curve at the end of the front straight, implement increasing radii curves and raise the back straight (reverse the bridge). I have esses on my track and I think that they add nicely to the driving experience. I will say however, that the removal of the esses on Nikko's track has created a nice bit of space that would allow for some kind of scenic transition from the straight, fast part of the track to the curvey part of the track.

The racing line on my track was built as a scenery element. They are functional though, because they serve the same purpose as track border pieces - they just look better. I race mostly without magnets and make good use of the wider corners. I also race 1:24 cars and in that case the extra width on the outside of the corners is essential.

Brad

QUOTE (jmswms @ 8 Jun 2007, 20:36) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Brad & Spa -- did you really talk him out of the esses? I'd like to know the rationale for that! Of course, everyone will have their personal tastes, but I loved the esses in the pentultimate version. Still a great layout and eager to watch it develop further.

I wouldn't say they talked me out of anything. As the design progressed I tried as many of the suggestions as I could to see how they would work. Some suggestions made a lot of sense and they were incorporated into the design. Anytime a change is made it will affect other parts of the track. What lead to the elimination of the Esses was a suggestion to make the first turn a wider radius. Since I already had a big radius turn as my second turn I thought that the 2 turns together were too similar and would create a very sharp switch back similar to my third turn in the center of the Esses. This was not a desirable effect. So I opted to remove the Esses and make T1 a wide quick flick to the left followed by a big turn leading into the hairpin.

Elevations are still up in the air at this point as well as the overpass. That will have to be dealt with when I set the track up and race on it a few times before permanently affixing it to the table.