# Slot car and train layout



## Joe Wallace (May 9, 2010)

Getting ready to put down a slot car layout on a 4 x 8 or a 4 x 16 table. I'm all in to slots but my great nephew which is 7 loves trains. Can anyone tell me where to see layouts with both slots and trains together for the size tables I've mentioned. This will be my first layout and I don't know where to start. Hoping this will get him interested in slots also. Both wil be in HO scale. Any help would be appreciated. Joe


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

I had a rather large table for a few years. Pix are here in this forum. Search Stump City.

The hard part of mixing the two is working with the standard RR Xing. If you're going L&J, having it at a 90 degree makes it hard to fit without it being somewhere about mid table. An L shaped table does help some. Things to think about...

1. Scenery adds to the fun. Remember little ones are lower, and will have a harder time seeing over buildings. Put tall buildings on the back edge. 

2. Take your time planning, and test drive every time. I found out after the table was up for years that the floor dipped really bad in the center of the L... The worst track to get at had the highest wipe out rate because of it. 

3. Make the scenery part of the fun for both of you! Kids love projects like these! Scenery like grass and trees add realism, and can cause some frustration. See my track thread! The last few pages show one of the easiest ways to add scenery without too much fuss. 

4. Consider street lights, flame throwers, building lights, etc.!! My favorite running time was in the dark (it helped that I light cars up). There are tons of light up accessories available to make your table come alive. Light up billboards, EL wire for neon, animated light up signs are out there in HO. 

5. Pick a season. Spring budding, summer greens, fall colors are all available for trees... There's even ways to make bare trees for winter! 

6. Always shop around! It's easy to start thinking about all the stuff you can add to your table, and the next thing you know you're 3 grand into your mental list! 

As far as table size, I would go big. When you start mixing both worlds, bigger is better. Trains need space to make elevation changes. Think out what you're modeling. It's very easy to overcrowd! 

Keep a 7 year old's perspective as far as being able to see everything. I had to lower my table 6" and the kids were still standing on kitchen chairs to run slots!


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## honda27 (Apr 17, 2008)

*slots/trains*

hey jw walthers makes a slotcar and train set combo where slotcars cross the train tracks.
look at walthers web site high iron burnin rubber is the set name part number 433 9142


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## slotcardan (Jun 9, 2012)

........


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

I think the technology is available, as I seem to recall running across wireless controllers. Space permitting, and wireless slot technology required, I've always wanted a room perimeter type slot/train set up. This would allow a lot more space for both, make big sweeper curves easier to handle, allow for more trains running, realistic sidings, easier to spread out buildings, etc. The wireless controllers would be a requirement though, as you would have to follow your car around the room, as would any others running with you. 

The potential for long laps, detours onto alternate roads, easier to navigate RR Xings, and the ability to divide the whole course into different environments / seasons is easier. Space and budget permitting, this is where I would be going.


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## beast1624 (Mar 28, 2009)

I intended to do a combination HO train and slot track originally in our 30'x30' cave but, like Dan said, when I was planning it became painfully obvious that one or the other would suffer so I decided on the slots with an emphasis on racing magnet cars.

We are reserving the option in the future to build a shelf layout to run the trans around the wall of the room just above the door but that will be an awful lot of work on a ladder.


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## Boosted-Z71 (Nov 26, 2007)

I had a friend that ran a train along his sons bedroom walls about 6-1/2 feet from the floor on a shelf, It served as his night light, and made a little noise to block out everything else to help him get to sleep, one of the coolest things I had ever seen done with a train setup. It was really neat to see the train going around the room at night, a real show piece. By the way, his son left it up in his room until he moved out for college, you know he appreciated it a ton. 

Boosted


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## beast1624 (Mar 28, 2009)

Thanks for that, Boosted! We may do it still. We have a ton of nice Lehigh Valley HO stock that I would love to see running around.


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## slotcardan (Jun 9, 2012)

.........


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

There's ways to greatly reduce RR Xing damage from crossings. Most of our cars were T Jets so speed related mishaps were kept to a minimum. As I said, I rigged up a system that automatically killed the power to the tracks adjacent to the Xing track, so the cars stopped themselves. In the few instances that the reed switches didn't stop the cars, the carnage was kept to a minimum due to the T Jets lower speed. Most mishaps either pushed the car away from the track, or caused a derailment of the train. 

That video was cool, but he really crammed a lot into a small area. One thing to keep in mind. While the trains might be limited because of grade concerns, there is also the flexibility of RR flex track, where slot car sectional track doesn't have the same freedom (aside from AFX Flex track, which has it's issues; or routing your own, which is a lot of work. I used both regular RR track and flex on my table. The advantages of flex track (for trains) is threefold. Not only does it allow greater freedom as far as where the track goes. It also makes for fewer rail joiners so there's less power loss, and it bridges the gap that using solely standard sectional track can leave you with. 

Here's a link for train track planning... http://www.anyrail.com/index_en.html

I haven't tried it, so I can't say how good it is, but I used a similar thing when Atlas RR had it on their web site. You can use this for the train part, and trackmate software to plan the slot part, and print one on paper and the other on transparency to see how the two fit together. I had it a bit harder as I hand drew the slots on the RR layout print out. You might have to play with image reduction when you print them out to get the scales even.


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## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

slotcardan said:


> i grew bored of it and took it down, but i learned from it.
> here you can see a small snippet of my layout
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08VPIZERj8g


Well, no wonder you got bored, Dan -- There's no *caboose* on that train. Caboose is 40% of train coolness. 

Nice looking layout.

-- D


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## slotcardan (Jun 9, 2012)

.........


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## Joe Wallace (May 9, 2010)

I bought a train layout book hoping that I could use one and just add the slot car track throughout the layout. Seems like on all of the plans it was only enough room for the train. I want to see a drawing of both so I can add or take away what I like or not. Any drawings would be helpfull. Thanks, Joe


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

Sadly, my table plans disappeared when my hard drive crashed a few years ago. All I have is this to remember it by...

http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=257889&highlight=Stump+City

Trial and error is the only other way of figuring things out. If you're handy with tools, making your own RR Xings is possible, though time consuming. This will allow you to get past the cookie cutter 90 degree crossings available.


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## WooffWooff (Dec 23, 2009)

*HO Trains & Aurora Slot cars*

Hello Joe, here's a link to some photos of my layout I call "Huntspatch". There are 4 RXR crossings and 4 auto intersections as well. Total length of track is 65' and it's on one and one-half sheets of 4x8 3/4" plywood. Hope you enjoy the pics.
http://myrrlayout.com/R/Aspfiles/DetailPage.asp?Xfer_Code=20001191&Scale=HO


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## Joe Wallace (May 9, 2010)

Looks like a neat place to race cars. Thanks for the photos. Joe


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## Crimnick (May 28, 2006)

really cool....a kids dream layout...trains and racing...


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