# Combining Slots and Railroads in 1963



## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

In 1963, HO slotcars had just been on the market a couple of years, and one of the model railroad magazines ran a contest for the best article on combining road and rail in a layout.

The winning article took an unusual approach that might be of interest today. The recent thread on combining slots and trains reminded me of it, so I'm adding scans of the article. Hard to believe it's been half a century. :freak:

Whether for nostalgia or practical advice, enjoy it, guys.
-- D


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

Awesome article!! It's really sad that after a very short time the train guys snubbed their noses at the slot cars instead of embracing the concept and working with it. There were plenty more of "them" than there were of "us" and together they had some serious pulling power. They could have got cars made to scale, and all those cool trick tracks that Faller made could have been made by all the manufacturers too. Most train guys now don't know about MEVs, about custom made powering jobs, etc. Heck, most probably don't even want to remember slot cars at all... They have no clue at what is available to us now. 

When my big table was in the planning stages, I tossed around the same concept, but with 4 lanes. The idea was to have the return loop hidden under the table, using a 6" curve, to a 9" curve into a straight and then a 9+6" to get back in the other direction. The concept also called for 2 custom made 4 X 2 lane intersections for the city area. The country area would have the same hidden scenario under a hillside. I decided that climbing a steep grade with 6" curves just wasn't going to work. I also toyed with the idea of just running the 4 lane, and having the tracks go the length of the table on top, and underneath too. The small curves (I like to run an occasional truck) and climbing issues at the ends nixed the whole concept.


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## Crimnick (May 28, 2006)

They have gone waaaay beyond slots with the faller car system....

This video is in german...but you get the idea.....their website does have English language videos too...






operating signals and brake lights?.....cool...

http://www.miniatur-wunderland.com/

Here's a pretty cool slot/train set using faller slot...






I plan on doing a landscaped smokey and bandit/dukes etc... themed play track with some RR crossings sometime in the future .....but for more of an obstacle than something interactive...


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

It's all Faller's fault that I'm where I am today. :lol: Well, the Faller Road System, JL Flamethrowers,and Miniature Wunderland are what inspired me to start lighting cars the way I do. Okay, so I can't do brake lights and turn signals... yet...  I've come a long way though. 

Your idea sounds cool crim!! :thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## DOHC (May 2, 2014)

*Slot cars and trains*

Thank you for the great article. Incorporating the two is creative and realistic and hopefully we will see more attempts in the near future which could also include dioramas.


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

I do miss my control panel, where I could have 4 lanes of cars and two trains cruising around in the dark, and everything was automated. I would kick back with a beer or three and watch my little private world doing it's nightlife thing.


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## slotcardan (Jun 9, 2012)

.......


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## Jisp (Oct 19, 2008)

Dslot, that is an amazing article, thank you. From the clever ideas used for the crossing gates to the zoned layout it's beautifully thought out and executed. Please feel free to post more like it.....

Cheers,
Michael. :thumbsup:


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## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

Jisp said:


> Dslot, that is an amazing article, thank you. From the clever ideas used for the crossing gates to the zoned layout it's beautifully thought out and executed. Please feel free to post more like it.....
> 
> Cheers,
> Michael. :thumbsup:



Glad you enjoyed it, Michael. I read that article when it came out, and have remembered it ever since. After looking for it several times over the years, I finally found it recently, and thought I'd pass it on. Thanks for the response.
-- D


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