# knowlegable opinions-home track



## back.to.ho (Jan 3, 2012)

O.K.guys, to start off , I am new to h.o... Iknow there is a lot of experience on this FORUM.. what is the best brand of track for a home track, good fun track, not into warp speed cars. Also, children will be using it, so what cars are good for kids and what are good for adults.. Are banked curves better than flat ? Have a tomy/afx thunderloop chaser set..it is a little to tight turn wise, want to air cars out a bit.. Controllers - will I need diffrent controllers for different brand/chassis cars..Power supply, can track be run off of a battery charger ? After reading some threads , I see you guys have vast knowledge about all this, and I don't want to be a pain in the caboose asking all these questions , but I can't find any tracks are hobby shops in my area . I guess slot cars are no longer popular in S.E. LOUISIANA , like they were in the 60's....thanks a bunch...


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

For the best curve variety, Tomy has the best selection. It also has a deeper slot so you can run longer guide pins and blade pins ( depending on the brand of cars you run. The cheapest way of accumulating track is to either buy used through the swap and sell forum here or on Ebay, or buy a set. Individual track purchases add up really fast, so try to find something that has the best variety. Keep in mind, the big sweeper curves like Tomy's 18"ers take up a lot of real estate when planning your track. One of our members "rolls" has taken the time to write up what sets contain what pieces. Hopefully, he'll pop up the link here for you.

One other thing that you'll find handy, is some of the newer Tomy sets come with a tri power pack, so you can adjust track power down for the kids, and move up as they get more skill. If the cars that come with the set don't appeal to you, you can always sell them to offset part of the track purchase. 

The set controllers are the weakest part of the set, and an upgrade would be recommended. Parma controllers are a good economical way to upgrade, and you can purchase the correct ohm controllers for what you plan on running. If T jets (new or old versions) are what you want, then 90-100 ohm controllers would be advised. Other brands of cars run better with lower ohms, so before you start making car purchases, try to decide on what flavor cars you plan on running.


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## smokinHOs (May 30, 2006)

*Welcome..*

First of all, welcome back to thw world of slots...

Track: Tomy is probably your best choice. Tyco is plentiful and cheaper but offers less opportunity for curve selection. 

As for cars- Autoworld and JL (Johnny Lightning) make a variety of repoped older style chassis's and cars, meant for those who like to actually see their car while racing.. LOL But Tomy and LL seem to be the best cars for those with speed in mind. LL (Lifelike) are a good bang for the buck. Tomy/Scaleauto are great out of the box as well, but are a bit more costly than the others. Tyco is fine, but their recent quality has diminished in my opinion, but are a viable option once you swap the rear tires. 

Controllers- this is a topic that SO many people have their own opinion. As mentioned before the standard controllers in any set are ok at best, but won't last long. Parma is a good option, but lack the ability to really run every type of car. I used to have 25 and 35 Ohm controllers (Parma) and they seemed to run just about anything until I raced Tjets then the 95 ohm was necessary to really control them well. Since then I have changed over to Professor Motor Electronic Controllers and sold all my others. One controller, albeit not cheap, runs every single car in my stable. From Tjets to my Unlimited. I always argue that no matter what "high-end" controller you opt for (PM for me about $120) it is a worth while investment. Why anyone would keep 3 or 4 different controllers around for $20-$40 each to run their cars versus buying one for all is beyond me. No matter which car you run in your collection, you ALWAYS need a controller in your hand. 

And finally, power supply. Lots of guys run wall warts, one per lane. That seems to work out well. Just get 4 regular set transformers and away you go. However, as time progresses and if you want to improve on that, a power supply with variable settings is the best I think. Mine is 0-10 amps, and 0-18 or 20 volts not sure which. Lots of clean power to handle any car(s), and I can simply dial it back to 12 volts for the little ones and run any car, even the faster stuff.

Good luck!

-Marc .. and Marcus


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## back.to.ho (Jan 3, 2012)

Very informative. thanks guys for the Info...


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## Hornet (Dec 1, 2005)

When you start looking for adult cars
There's Slottech and Wizzard products that are more then competitive with BSRT/ScaleAuto's offerings.

http://slottech.net/default.aspx

http://www.wizzardho.com/Main.htm


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## rbrunne1 (Sep 22, 2007)

Welcome aboard! You're on the right track coming here for inspiration and information. Be sure to check out the older track builds. If you sort the forum on the number of replies, you'll find great ideas and learn what other people have tried.

Here are my thoughts:


Build as big of a table you can
Make the table light weight
Put the table on wheels
Experiment with as many layouts as you can - run them in each direction
Visit http://www.hoslotcarracing.com/
Download track design software. I use Ultimate Racer: http://www.uracerweb.org/

Don't miss Roll's thread: http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=285340

If it fits in the budget, look for a computerized timing and scoring system. If you have a spare computer, you can assemble the parts for a nominal amount. That's made my set-up even more fun to race on - especially by myself :freak:

I have also attached a Word document with many links I have found useful.

The best way to get advice is to start building and post some pictures of your progress

Most important - have fun 

Bob B.
Clifton Park, NY


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## Hilltop Raceway (Feb 12, 2006)

yes go to http://www.hoslotcarracing.com/ 
clcik on the wooden track on the left...had lotsd of hours on that track, building it and racing on it....it's a fantstic track....RM


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