[Rakete]

Please look and critique! Will this design for a digital track? I have no experience with digital. The pitlane entry looks goofy to me, but I think it works... Need your opinion before I go in deep on this stuff.

Thanks all!

Regards,

-- Rakete --

 

[MrFlippant]

Don't go in deep unless you feel ready.
That layout is beginning to get the idea for digital racing.
Do you already have a lot of Scaley Sport track? If so, when your table is ready, just set up a layout. Drive it a bit and decide where you'd like to change lanes.
If you get the new digital 6 car base, you can use it for analog cars as well. Stick with straight lane changers for the most part. They're more versatile and useful, but more expensive too.
If you've never tried digital, you might find that it's quite different in many ways, as many ways as it's similar to analog, really.

Your pit lane is clever, but if you want to put any buildings next to it, you won't be able to see your cars.

Are you planning to elevate the back straight at all?
Also, it looks like you're taking the track right to the edges of your table. Even magnet cars need some room to tail out once in a while, and magless is just as fun for digital as analog when the lane changers are places appropriately.

Is there any reason most of your turns are constant radius? Since you have a lot of stock of varying size, it's nice to smooth out the turns with larger radii entry and exit. R4321 then back with 1234 is a fun, smooth turn. There's also a great thread in the Tracks and Scenery section called "Show me your curves" with a lot of examples of great turns created with sectional track.

 

[injectorman]

Is this track up against walls, if so please show us as thats a crucial part of design. Also "U" shaped layouts lead to a lot of marshalling problems, ie blocking vision of other drivers. Corners near wall wall corners are a no no as you have to reach right over to re slot totally ruining the experience. A free standing table with acess on 3 to 4 sides is preferable. Forget the curved LCs, they slow you down more than anything.

Rick

 

[Rakete]

Thanks guys!

Mr Flippant - the table is exactly the same shape only I have taken all dimensions in to allow for borders around the outside of curves. I do have a ton of sport track - I'm converting from what was a +140ft, 4 lane analog layout. I'll have buckets of track left over. I like to go deep on most everything

. My analog layout "Woodview" was the first track I did.

Injectorman - the table is not directly up against the walls. I have have left walking room around three sides for marshalling. I do have the table constructed already. Thanks for the suggestion on the straight lane changers only...

The track will definitely have elevations, scenery, etc... as I really enjoy that part about the hobby, though I'm not nearly as good as some of you on this board.

Is there a better way to do that pit entry???

Thanks Gentlemen!

Regards,

-- Rakete --

 

[MrFlippant]

Pit entry and pit lane are as personal as overall layout designs. I like how you did yours, though putting buildings in might block the view of the cars from some angles. Where are your drivers going to stand? If they're on the outside of the longest side, then it might not be a bad thing. A single marshal on the inside of the U would not block sight lines but still be able to reach most accidents.

The actual pit lane entry should be a pit entry piece, though, not an XLC (straight lane changer).
Curved lane changers aren't all bad, but choosing the "racing line" type, the out-to-in, is the worst of all choices from an actual slot car performance standpoint, not to mention analog usage. If you go with the in-to-out versions, the lane change will be smoother than staying in either slot. Also, they don't cause nearly as many problems for running analog cars because of their geometry, whereas the out-to-in CLC (curved lane changer) will cause analog cars (when the track is used in analog mode) to change lanes because the flipper is easily moved by passing cars. Also, as long as the sensor is after at least one full straight, so that the car is night and straight, ensuring that the lane change sensor is triggered, it will always work fine in digital mode, whichever kind you choose.

So, in short, for CLCs, make sure there's at least one full straight in front of the sensor. In-to-out versions work best overall, but if you don't think you'll ever use analog mode, the out-to-in kind are ok. But honestly, even I, a hardcore SSD fanatic, use analog mode quite a bit. I have one out-to-in CLC that bugs the heck out of me because I didn't know those rules when I put it in. I'll probably replace it with normal track soon.

 

[UshCha]

Personally I think there is nothing wrong with CLC's but I am an all digital man. All changers have limitations. Even XLC. On verly long straits you may need to place even and XLC in a breaking zone or they could de-slot when activated. Out to In XLC'sare stll usefull with mixed ability (or fixed throttle pace cars as you have a chance to avoid them, even if they are not the fastest way of changeing lanes. You track wll only take relatively slow pace cars because of the 180 deg hairpins. Nothing wrong with that just something to be aware of. To aviad yoy would have to replace them with R2,R2,R1, R1, which a pace car would take faster

I agree too much standard straight. Get some sweeping S curves. (opinion only).

 

[Rakete]

QUOTE (MrFlippant @ 27 Aug 2011, 21:47) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Pit entry and pit lane are as personal as overall layout designs. I like how you did yours, though putting buildings in might block the view of the cars from some angles. Where are your drivers going to stand? If they're on the outside of the longest side, then it might not be a bad thing. A single marshal on the inside of the U would not block sight lines but still be able to reach most accidents.

The actual pit lane entry should be a pit entry piece, though, not an XLC (straight lane changer).

Thanks Mr. Flippant,

I plan to have drivers stand along the wall facing the pit lane (up to 4) then the other 2 at the end of the bottom of the L. I'm not too worried about sight lines and stuff yet as I'm pretty sure I'll be racing alone or just with the family for some time. I know a few people here in my new town, but none really into slots and it seems the hobby store scene in general here is pretty dead. So really the ability race 6 cars will be a novelty for a while.

Regards,

-- Rakete --

 

[Rakete]

Good feedback UshCha - I'll try smoothing out some of those right angle turns to see if I can make them more sweeper like. Doing that on the long straight will carry tons of speed into the long hooking corner before heading into the more point and shoot section.

Regards,

-- Rakete --