# New Photos of Peacefield Raceway



## Peacefield (Jan 22, 2008)

It's been a very long time since I've posted photos of my beloved Peacefield Raceway. I've done a bit of work since those were taken so I shot a new set last week. Instead of uploading small images to HobbyTalk, I created a slideshow of them through my image-hosting site. You can see them here:

http://photos.robertwaynephotography.com/p178872896/slideshow

Towards the end, I included a few wide shots that attempt to take in the full scope of the track.

Momentarily, I'll post a reply that talks more about the layout, what I've done, and how I did it. Enjoy!


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## pickeringtondad (Apr 14, 2005)

*Wow*

That's a great looking track and looks like it would be a blast to race on. I'm envious.





Pickeringtondad 
aka
Bob


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## Peacefield (Jan 22, 2008)

The table is L shaped, 14' long, 6' wide on the narrow end and 8' on the wide. 95 running feet of track and 2 lanes (not even my fastest G+, etc., type of cars have been able to crack the 9 second lap time barrier). 

This was my first ever attempt at doing scenery and I took the very traditional approach of chicken wire, plaster cloth, and woodland scenics.

I forget the name of it, but I used one of the black foam borders that are so frequently recommended here. In some areas, I "sanded" them using Woodland Scenics to create a soft shoulder. In others, I topped the border with alternating red and white strips of electrical tape (this really worked well).

Some of the plastic kits are Aurora/AFX/etc. like the three grandstands that I ganged on the one banked curve. All of the overpasses and bridges are HO railroad kits that I had to adapt to allow the track to sit down inside them instead of on top. I forget where I got them, but the three grandstands along the main straight are a balsa kit that was pretty inexpensive, but they've taken it on the chin a few times and are looking a little rough. Some of the buildings in the pits and infield are HO railroading kits, but some are scratch built including the bathrooms and ticket window.

The white walls are just balsa painted white with labels I made using downloaded logos. The chain link fences on both banked curves are window screen hot-glued to 6p nails. The grey guard rails are D shaped weather stripping also glued to 6p nails.

All of the stone is plaster that I cast myself. Some by using rubber molds, but I needed to do so much, I ended up doing most of it with crumpled aluminum wrap as my mold.

I put in just a little lighting. I removed the heads from two HO traffic lights, mounted a green bulb in the center position and yellows in the top and bottom; I control them with a toggle. I always wanted to get the yellows to flash back and forth but was never successful at this. The Mobil billboard is lit and comes with a variety of animation schemes that really make it very cool.

Attendance at Peacefield Raceway is more than 700. Most of the people in the curved grandstands plus the infield are the cheap-o eBay prepainted guys and they're perfect for areas like this. They were, however, a little too large for the balsa stands along the straight so I bought a bunch of HO "people sitting at the bus depot" guys and painted each one. The guys in the pits are Airfix USAF mechanics that I adapted and painted to match their cars. I also picked up some much more expensive (but very handsomely done) photographers, camera men, etc., to sprinkle around. There's even the occasional stormtrooper working security and, yes, that's Yoda working the lights for the TV cameras.

The only things I still wanted to do was create one of the leader board poles (not sure what they're officially called), maybe even one with a rotating sign up top. That and a winners circle. These would've gone in the empty area just inside the bank curve opposite the grandstands.

Some of these pictures show a backdrop. It's made from an image that I printed on 8x10labels and stuck on some rigid insulation. I move it around as necessary for the photos but don't actually have it up for racing.

The cars in these photos represent ~80% of my collection. They are all original in the sense that I've never purchased any cars used. So when you see a vintage TJ or AFX, it was always mine. Indeed, the yellow Jag and the white Buick that appear in a few images are the two cars that came in my first set Christmas, 1965.


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## tossedman (Mar 19, 2006)

Wow! A bit of time and effort went into that. I like the Stormtrooper guarding the fuel truck.

Cheers,

Todd


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## Peacefield (Jan 22, 2008)

And, lastly, as mentioned in a previous thread, I'm thinking of tearing it down. As much as it is a fun layout to race and the scenery certainly adds an element, it's just too hard to maintain. I don't race often enough and it's a real pain to clean this much track reaching around the trees and under the over passes. So I'm thinking about something simpler that requires a LOT less maintenance.


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## Peacefield (Jan 22, 2008)

tossedman said:


> I like the Stormtrooper guarding the fuel truck.



Actually, that's another little bit of unfinished business. That fence separates the infield/concession area from the garages. Those people are autograph seekers and I always wanted to find a couple of figures that looked like drivers signing hats or something to put on the opposite side of the fence. I never really found the right figures. But yes, the stormtrooper is working security.


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## slotnewbie69 (Dec 3, 2008)

really great effort!thanks so much for the great pics,me and my boy really enjoyed watching:wave:


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## yankee_3b (Dec 14, 2008)

Peacefield said:


> And, lastly, as mentioned in a previous thread, I'm thinking of tearing it down. As much as it is a fun layout to race and the scenery certainly adds an element, it's just too hard to maintain. I don't race often enough and it's a real pain to clean this much track reaching around the trees and under the over passes. So I'm thinking about something simpler that requires a LOT less maintenance.


I hear you loud and clear. Kastleburg is much smaller, but it also requires a lot of maintenance. My next track will have landscaping, but I will keep it farther away from track to make cleaning easier and position it so it doesn't interfere with marshalling the track. Good luck with the new project.


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

You are truly a professional photographer!! :lol: I do have to say you could pass easily for a professional modeler too. Your scenery is absolutely stunning!! I do understand the frustration with keeping things clean and running. I also know that doing the scenery is part of the fun. I had a heck of a time keeping my 4 lane working, and to add to the issues I used all L&J track. The good thing with starting over is most of your work can either be reused or sold. It'll be sad to see such a work of art go, but having something easier to work with will be more enjoyable in the long run.

I'm trying to get my next table started, but it's just not in my budget yet. I'm hoping things can turn around soon so I can join in the fun. Salvage as much as you can, and don't forget our swap and sell forum. I'm really interested in the bridges if you're not going to use them. My present table is only 5X7 so I'm building up to get track length.


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## Hilltop Raceway (Feb 12, 2006)

Very cool pics!!! I'm liking #17, the touch up made it come alive!!! RM


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## cameraboy5 (Mar 25, 2009)

Simply fantastic. I have a 3 year old son who loves race cars and I have been doing research so that I can build him a track for all his hot wheels. He really doesn't care much for Hot Wheels track and is a little too young for slot cars as he wrecks most of the time, but wants a more realistic raceway. I have some ideas for a Laguna Seca to include the "corkscrew" which his cars will free run. I'm just getting ideas for all the extra details. Thank you again for sharing your build. If you or any others have more ideas, they will be more than welcome. I still have a few months before christmas.
Scott


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## tabcomary (Jun 2, 2010)

cameraboy5: try one of the new AutoWorld 4-gear cars for your son. If you keep the track voltage down to 12V, they stay on the track & go fast! 

Good Luck!


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## Peacefield (Jan 22, 2008)

Thanks, everyone.


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

Remarkable!


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## plymouth71 (Dec 14, 2009)

Very very well done.


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## tjd241 (Jan 25, 2004)

*Just thinking...*

Could you save a portion? Maybe a selective reduction and then re-design the cut area? Yankee3B re-did a portion of his and blended the new track into his existing scenery. Maintaining a large layout with scenery is a very tedious task, but maybe less so if smaller. My table is 36x80 and fully 'scaped, but only a couple minutes to wipe down the track. Would be a shame to bulldoze ALL of it and the work you put into it.


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## Peacefield (Jan 22, 2008)

It's a good suggestion, TJD, and one that I've thought about. At the end of the day, I hope to go with something that offers a rail that isn't as subject to corrosion. I have a large 1/32 set also and love the idea that I can come down to it after months of non-use and it performs beautifully. I'm hoping that a routed track or something like MaxTrax will give me more of that. Then I'll look to take what I can in the way of the infield or grandstands and recycle them.


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## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

Great looking scenery here, Robert!
All the little folks make it come alive.

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:


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## kiwidave (Jul 20, 2009)

Awesome. Thanks for posting!


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## drumz (Jan 10, 2008)

Nice track...wow !!!


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