# Aurora 8 lane track



## CA-Catman (Jul 5, 2009)

I'am building a aurora 8 lane HO track and want to use a service road turn out on each lane ,as a pit stop. Does anyone have pictures of a 6 or 8 lane with the turn outs ??


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

I checked back on your first thread about your 8 lane track and took a good look at the track plan. You can use a criss cross to get the #2 and #7 lane to the outsides for their pits, but how do you plan on lanes 3,4,5 and 6?? Just curious how it can be done without some major re-engineering of the track plan... Are service road turnoffs bi-directional? I know the junction turnoffs only work in one direction.. I'm cornfused... It's been a while since I had a pair of SR turnoffs I can't remember..


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## CA-Catman (Jul 5, 2009)

I'am planning on a complete change of the layout, pretty much going to 
design my own layout so I can have the service road turn outs and some
banked corners ,etc.


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## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

First you have to decide whether you want the turnoffs to all be on the outside (and inside) edge of the track, or you will allow them to be on the inside.

Obviously, if you want them on the outside and inside edge, only lanes #1 and #8 would be available. As pointed out by slotcarman, a crossover could take care of lanes #2 and #7 also.

Using complex single lane track and crossover designs, you could exchange lanes 1 through 4 and 5 through 8, eventually getting each lane to the edge of the track. But that would take a lot space.

The other method is to create seperation between the individual 2 lane pieces. For example, usually a four lane turn would use (for example) a 6" curve on the inside and a 9" curve on the outside. You could create a 6" seperation by putting a 15" curve on the outside instead. Again, it would require a lot of space as you'd have to undo the seperation in another turn.

Joe


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## Ogre (Jan 31, 2007)

CA-Catman, You have a private message.


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## CA-Catman (Jul 5, 2009)

Thank you all for the replies , just to clear up one thing I'am using (service road turn outs) not turn off's.

I'am going to start playing with it to see what I can come up with, as I want each lane to have its own turn out.

This should be interesting.


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

I just did some checking on the bay. Didn't mean to cause any confusion. I only brought up the junction turnoffs because they only work in one direction. I couldn't remember if the service road's did or didn't. (they do) 

An option is to stagger the straights leading up to the curves just prior to the straightaway. If you stagger the tracks approaching the curves prior to the straight where you would likely have the pits you could have all the pits together on the straightaway. Stagger the length of the side tracks by 3" (each track outside progressively 3" longer than the neighbor inside). This should put a 3" gap between each track on the front straight which should accommodate the single lanes for the pit roads. This will add up to a total width of 24" for the front straight (3" X 4 for the track, 1 1/2 X 8 for the pit road single lanes). 

Aurora didn't make odd length sized track like a 7 1/2". If they did, you could have offset the spacing and staggered the pits so you could save about 6" total width. This babbling I'm doing is very confusing... even to me and I'm writing it. If you don't understand what I'm trying to say here, say so and I'll draw a picture, which is probably what I should have done....


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## CA-Catman (Jul 5, 2009)

Ok I just through some track on a board to see what I could do.

Here are two pic. Again just through it together real fast, just need to
sit down and play. But it can be done.


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## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

Oh yeah, it can be done. The trick will be making sure that the outermost lanes are not significantly longer than the inside lanes. And making sure you have the room to do it, although if you're thinking 8 lanes, you probably already have the room.

As you look at your picture(s), let's assume you are entering the straights from the top (making a left hand turn). If the exit side leaves by making a left hand turn, the leftmost lanes (in the picture) have a much longer path than the rightmost lanes. If you leave by making a right hand turn, then the lane lengths are about the same.

Joe


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## Ogre (Jan 31, 2007)

If you don't have anything against crossovers you could tidy up the pit area. Will the turnouts fit inside the Y track if the outside lane is removed?


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## CA-Catman (Jul 5, 2009)

Like I said I just through those together fast just to see if I could make something work. Now I will sit down and spend the time to make it all come together.


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

If you wanted to use some Atlas track...

Aurora lane spacing is not even. When you put two pieces of track side by side, and put four cars across them, the two cars on the same piece of track are closer together than the two that are on separate pieces. (I think I explained that right...)

However, Atlas track has even lane spacing (so does Tyco). That, combined with the model-railroad-type track connection system that Atlas uses, makes this possible--check the attached pictures. On the layout guide page, look at the one called The Brickyard. You'll notice that every car gets a chance at the outside and the inside lane at some point. You'd have to do it a few more times than illustrate here to get 8 lanes to do that, but if you have the room, I guess it can be done. I had this layout set up for a little while. I never found Atlas single-lane track pieces, so I sliced a couple 9-inch straights in half to do it...

I know that adapters exist to mate Aurora lock-and-joiner track to Atlas track.

--rick


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## CA-Catman (Jul 5, 2009)

Thanks for all the info, very helpful. 

Is there anyone out there besides me who has made pit stops using the
service road turn outs?? 

Really would like to see some pictures.


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## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

Are those HOV lanes in the middle?


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## CA-Catman (Jul 5, 2009)

they are called Y-tracks


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

This is to the best of my recollection the only track I've run across here to use service road turnoffs. It is only a 2 lane though.. 

http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=238347


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## Ogre (Jan 31, 2007)

I built a door track with turn outs,pictures posted in my photos. I have since dismantled this track and am building a larger one with the turnout tracks on the same side, plus I'm using electric switch's to change lanes. will not be posting pictures for awhile.


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## WooffWooff (Dec 23, 2009)

*Service Road Single-lane Turn-outs*



CA-Catman said:


> Thanks for all the info, very helpful.
> 
> Is there anyone out there besides me who has made pit stops using the
> service road turn outs??
> ...


I have two, one for pit road and one for gas station. Also a pair of Junction Turn-outs. Don't have great pics, but they can be seen.


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## CA-Catman (Jul 5, 2009)

Well after playing for awhile the only way so far that seems to work is multi
levels in the track. In order for me to have 8 lanes with (8 pit stops in a single
line) using the service road turn outs is to have one set of track mounted to the board and the second set of track to be elevated higher.

How ever I'am still playing


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