Polistil pitlane set

6114 Views 24 Replies 12 Participants Last post by GRUNZ, Mar 17, 2022

Merc_A

Discussion Starter · Dec 26, 2018 (Edited by Moderator)

4

What you can find in a discarded cardboard box, when building a christmas track...
I love to share this with you. Long ago i found two sets of this gem:

The Polistil analogue pitlane set! In pristine condition, mint in box.

The set was meant to add a two lane pit lane to a polistil track. The lane change is operated with a push button on a control box, one for each lane. As an extra there's a traffic light to show if the pit exit is open, also operated by the control box.

The flippers don't rotatie on a pivot - the black triangular flipper does not flip but it slides horizontally, connected to a push rod driven by a solenoid.

The booklet shows how to connect the different parts, and how it's operated.
The pit entry / exit track pieces can also be used for a classic Le Mans start configuration, i realised when i bought this set in Italy. The only other brand to have a dedicated Le Mans start track piece was Scalextric.
I treasure this set, i love these gems from Polistil - the other set i used many times in my Fleischmann track setup.
Polistil had many creative solutions for slotracing, back in the 70's and '80's i think, sometimes real treasures.

Merc

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waterlow

· #2 · Dec 26, 2018

I have the traffic light, mine go with a starting system with a motor for the count down. My plan is to use switches to state when a car is in or ready to go in to the pits. Another thing to look out for is the suspension bridge.

Waterlow

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UDoKuoio

· #3 · Dec 26, 2018

Wowowwowowow!

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injectorman

· #4 · Dec 26, 2018

That is ultra cool. Thanks for sharing. Love all the old pits, chicanes, Le Mans starts etc from the various manufacturers.

Rick

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merkit the grof

· #5 · Dec 27, 2018

My favorite Polistil accessory, is the "gearbox", I am assuming it varied the voltage to the track.

Font Material property Camera accessory Gas Motor vehicle

What a toy to have as a child!

They made all sort of other interesting stuff, it's well worth tracking down one of their catalogues.

Joel

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Merc_A

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jan 30, 2019

I almost forgot, way back in 2008 i made a video of the polistil pitlane in action

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Merc_A

Discussion Starter · #7 · May 6, 2021

Bump for Tracklayer!
I just remembered how my vintage Polistil pitlane entry works - just like the Scalextric its not a rotating but a sliding tongue piece. The Polistil version is driven by a solenoid, pushing the tongue into the pit in position as long as the solenoid is powered. The power comes from a control box with buttons, one for each lane. The solenoid is activated as long as you push the button, when power is off a spring moves the tongue back to the straight on position.

GDSLOT

· #8 · May 6, 2021

How hard is for Hornby, Scx, Carrera, etc to do analogue stuff like this? Would have added a lot of fun to the game, of course now with the digital era all of this seems a bit out of trend, but I would have liked to get one of those accesories years ago...

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Merc_A

Discussion Starter · #9 · May 8, 2021 (Edited by Moderator)

Well to my knowledge the only manufacturers making these special track parts like analogue pitlanes were Polistil and Scalextric. Carrera also made double lane changers for the Universal track system but that was for a complete different sidebranch called transpo.
These were made in relative small numbers so nowadays such items are true gems. The reason not all manufacturers did this is a matter of cost I guess, in general higher producing cost and low volumes.
Still I admire all these exotic one-offs!

Grumpy Gaz

· #10 · May 8, 2021

GDSLOT said:
How hard is for Hornby, Scx, Carrera, etc to do analogue stuff like this? Would have added a lot of fun to the game, of course now with the digital era all of this seems a bit out of trend, but I would have liked to get one of those accesories years ago...

Despite all the going digital stuff analogue is not dead. I site the vinyl revival as proof. B)

Some of us old school folks would still appreciate that sort of thing.

GRUNZ

· #11 · May 8, 2021

There was a more modern incarnation of this where you had to insert a jack in the car to simulate fueling up. I have a couple of F1 cars with the female port on the car body.

Shaynus

· #12 · May 9, 2021

GRUNZ said:
There was a more modern incarnation of this where you had to insert a jack in the car to simulate fueling up. I have a couple of F1 cars with the female port on the car body.

Intriguing- got any photos of said setup?

GRUNZ

· #13 · May 9, 2021

No, I do not. The track was given to me more than 30 years ago.

But the actually fuel stuff was not there.

However, I have the two cars (a ferrari and a benetton).

You can find some pics here: https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/1-professional-energy-control-tonka-1789540834

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Merc_A

Discussion Starter · #14 · May 11, 2021

Happiness is finding a brand new vintage Polistil A44 15 degrees R3 curve, hard to find yet mint in box

Fitting easily to Fleischmann / Ninco / Policar track this 15 degree curve gives a lot of possibilities for creating interesting curve compositions.

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MrFlippant

· #15 · May 12, 2021

Just one piece opens up new options?

Who am I kidding... you're Merc!

Merc_A

Discussion Starter · #16 · May 12, 2021 (Edited by Moderator)

Well I can explain: I have countless standard R1 60 degree curves, 6 R2 30 degree curves and until yesterday 11 R3 15 degree curves. This one extra piece gives a lot of new possibilities indeed

Not to forget my treasured 10 pieces of the A231 5 degree ultra wide curve, which I love to incorporate in any track layout I design

I only need 9 to make a 45 degree bend but when I want to make an S curve I need an even number of pieces to end up straight again.

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GRUNZ

· #17 · May 12, 2021 (Edited by Moderator)

I wish that someone (let's say carrera) would make a 5 degree ultrawide curve...even a 15 degree R5 would be nice.

Merc_A

Discussion Starter · #18 · May 12, 2021

Today I noticed on eBay Italy that there are Polistil A231 5 degree curve pieces up for sale - 50 euros per piece! Geez!

Keke Rosberg's tache

· #19 · May 13, 2021

3

I have one of those - a lucky charity shop find a long time ago, they are very, very rare here in the UK. It started to give me trouble a while back, so I have been working on it by fitting a new solenoid. The control box wasn't in great shape either so I made a new one. My track is now mostly Ninco but with Polistil pit lane and some Policar sections. Just need some Fleischmann for the full set...

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Keke Rosberg's tache

· #20 · May 13, 2021

A quick video of the repair in action.

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