# Your Track, permanent or changeable?



## Jerzferno (Aug 19, 2007)

Just wondering what everyone's thoughts are on track construction? I have lots of exposure to model railroading and building "permanent" layouts. All nicely landscaped, different scenes, some had/have water in them, etc. Im now going to build my slot car track. I was thinking about doing a layout and landscaping it, but then im locked into that. Yes its changeable, but not without a lot of work. I would get bored of the same layout over time. So I will build a table with a green covering, and build a track. Get tired of it, then change it around. What's been your determining factor(s) when deciding on a layout? Permanent layout nicely landscaped? Or plan and simple so you can change it up when you want? Just curious on your thoughts and dropping a topic for discussion. Thanks!


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## rudykizuty (Aug 16, 2007)

Jerzferno said:


> Just wondering what everyone's thoughts are on track construction? I have lots of exposure to model railroading and building "permanent" layouts. All nicely landscaped, different scenes, some had/have water in them, etc. Im now going to build my slot car track. I was thinking about doing a layout and landscaping it, but then im locked into that. Yes its changeable, but not without a lot of work. I would get bored of the same layout over time. So I will build a table with a green covering, and build a track. Get tired of it, then change it around. What's been your determining factor(s) when deciding on a layout? Permanent layout nicely landscaped? Or plan and simple so you can change it up when you want? Just curious on your thoughts and dropping a topic for discussion. Thanks!


My track is permanent, but I went through about a dozen different road courses in temporary form before I decided. After going back to the original layout plan 12 times, I was pretty sure I wasn't going to have a problem with getting bored. Still haven't (after about a year).

My suggestion.....TEST.....TEST.....TEST....TEST......TEST


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## brownie374 (Nov 21, 2007)

Semi-permanant but no landscaping.My track is made for racin!


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

> Just wondering what everyone's thoughts are on track construction?


The bottom line is that you should do whatever you want. It sounds like you already recognize the trade offs with respect to permanent layouts and permanent scenery. 

But here's the catch: scenery does not have to be permanent! You can fabricate movable scenery in any number of ways. One way would be to use cardboard to create templates of the open areas that exist after your layout is in place. Then transform the template shapes to a sturdier material, perhaps 1/8" luan plywood or hardboard. Then scenic the cutout cookie cutter, or puzzle, piece. Since it's a temporary thing you may not want to glue everything down. The grass and ground texture part is probably not a big deal to affix to the scenery cutout. Trees, buildings, crash walls, grandstands and the like can be attached via RTV silicone, velcro dots/strips, or matching pairs of neo dot magnets, one affixed to the board and its mate affixed to the scenic element. Just make sure you get the polarity right so they don't repel.

This cookie cutter scenery approach can be applied to other scenic aspects too. If you have a big open area of grass you could use canvas as the base and do the paint and flocking technique right on the canvas. Maybe prime the canvas with a base coat of paint first so the paint needed to set the flock does not soak in too much. The TM uses this technique to make custom painted floor mats, so I know the technique works. If you change the layout you can at least recycle parts of this softscape for smaller "holes" in future layouts. Likewise, scenic backdrops can be made from painted canvas and hung on a wall behind the track if you have that arrangement, or hung on the inside the table walls with tacks. 

Track borders can be prefabricated from MDF or hardboard and attached along the sides of the track using any of the aforementioned techniques. Cork could also be used, with velcro dots or strips probably being the best approach. If you use cork you could modify guard rails to have push pin type "feet" that pin into the cork. For flat crash walls, like styrene, Plexiglas, or lexan, glue some styrene tubes vertically to the back of the flat walls and pin the walls to the table with a small nail or screw placed through the tube. Design is so the nails/screws can be removed to move the wall. If you want something a bit softer and more flexible, use small rubber tubing (like automotive vacuum tubing) instead of styrene tubing. If you want the walls to be more movable, say for interior crash walls, you could use a larger nail with a head placed upside down in the tubing and sink a strong neo magnet in the table/scenery base to mate with the nail head and hold the wall. (Cut off the nail so nothing protrudes.) Or use metal L-brackets. The magnetic supported walls probably would not hold up as outside crash walls.

So that's one set of possibilities for making scenery less permanent or even completely removable for a track that sees heavy duty racing action. If all the scenery is sitting on removable cookie cutter pieces or on roll-up canvas it can easily be removed for racing. I'm sure there are a ton of other options along the same lines. Do a little planning ahead of time, design for portability and movability, and you'll be in much better shape.

The other aspect of a changeable system that bears some forethought is wiring. Personally, I would try to use weatherproof low voltage outdoor lighting cable (which is typically 10-12 awg and extremely flexible) as the power tap buss for each lane and insulation displacement connectors (IDC) specifically designed for this cable to make the drops to the track. The IDCs are available, but may require a bit of searching. The cable is a Home Depot item (and it's what I used on my track - 10 awg highly flexible copper). It would be ideal if the tap sections of track had quick disconnects on the rail connections. Very doable, just requires some fabrication ahead of time at the bench.


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## T-jetjim (Sep 12, 2005)

Jerzferno- If you have been a model railroader, I would love to see a landscaped track. The railroaders bring a great deal of detail to our sport. AFXToo has some great ideas. It depends on what you like best about the hobby. I don't have any racing friends in the area so the track is more of a display than pure racing. People love to see what is new to the track when they visit.
Good luck with it either way.
Jim


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## demether (Aug 26, 2008)

permanent track , definitly. FOr the scenery, of course...for me it's a big part of the fun playing slot racing.


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## Jim Norton (Jun 29, 2007)

*Changable*

I go for changable. I think being able to build a track is a major component of the enjoyment of slot car racing. 

I also get a kick out of taking the track up, cleaning it and stacking for the next reason to go racing. 

Jim Norton
Huntsville, Alabama


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## old blue (May 4, 2007)

I am with Jim. My table is a ping pong table so sometimes I have to share.


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## tomhocars (Oct 19, 2005)

AFXTOO,Randy,Your idea of landscape modules is a great idea.I'm going to move my track into the house and your module idea is a good one.Thanks Tom


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## slotnewbie69 (Dec 3, 2008)

if i had the room,i would go permanent.alas i do not.so temporary is all i can do...i also like the idea of changing it up once in awhile.i have four different types of track,all with different benefits,so sometimes i like to set up something different,if somewhat shorter when it comes to lap length...


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## TomH (Jan 17, 2006)

Another consideration is what type of car you intend to run. Most of the magnet cars are blindly fast. When the cars come off the track, they are flying at a high rate of speed. Most of the high speed magnet racers tracks are really sparse looking with lexan walls around most of the curves to stop the flying car. I am sure some of them have landscaped tracks and make it work. I have a few of the Tomy super "G"s that I run on my door track and they have made some serious dents in a couple of my track walls while straightening out a sharp curve. I mostly run magnatractions and T-Jets. I am in the process of changing a few sections of the track right now to try for a better race. What AFX 2 said about removable scenery or dioramas is a great way to go...wish I had thought of that BEFORE I put in my now pretty mangled pit area. :freak: When I get to the lights, not being a electric guy, I am going to go with the grain of wheat 12V bulbs. I have an old train transforner I am going to try to use for a separate power supply for lights only .


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## ericc (Jan 12, 2009)

I went with a design that allowed me to attach the track to a carpeted board using velcro and track clips. The velcro locks the track in place well but allows changing fairly easily. Next will be to consider some basic landscaping and replace wall packs with a power supply. Power is to 4 lanes with 4 packs using 2 Tomy pro power tracks. This hobby is new to me and I am looking at upgrading power but the wiring is a little intimidating to a non electrical savy person. So anyone out there with some advise on wiring feel free to offer any help. 

Great forums here!


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## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

I haven't made my track permanent yet. Hopefully, this won't be a permanent temporary stage.


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