# AW dragstrip wiring exposed



## GTPguy (Oct 17, 2008)

I'm snowed in, so I thought I would take apart an AW dragstrip to see how it is wired. My goal is to build a wider dragstrip (4 lanes, but using only the two outside lanes for better spacing) using parts from the AW start and end gates.

The existing AW supports are too narrow, so I want to modify things to widen them. I plan to splice in extra wires where needed (using wires from a phone cord), and I would like to make the tree work from the ground level, instead of suspended in the air.

Here are some pics of how things look.









I split the win lights in half, so I can move them (and the attached barrier) further away from the side of the track. Each lane would have their own light support. I still need to fill in the void where I made the dremel cut.
I needed to remove the wires that spanned the original end gate before cutting.










Here's the main end-gate wiring. The yellow/black wires are for the photo eyes. The red/black wires are for the batteries. The white/black wires are the win lights.









The start tree has only a ribbon wire going to it. Unfortunately, those wires are soldered to the top of two circuit boards at the top of the tree, and I want them to come out the bottom. Still need to figure that one out.









The start gate has the ribbon wires for the tree, yellow/black wires for the photo eyes, and red/black wires for the batteries. There is also a pair of brown wires that go to the tree start button, which I plan to move away from the track so the tree can be triggered remotely.

Someday when this all goes back together, hopefully it will work!


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## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

Looks fairly straight forward. I hope to get an extra to try this out.


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## sidejobjon (Jun 3, 2010)

GTPGUY,
I would like to know how you made out? Were the pictures go?
Thanks SJJ


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## gonegonzo (Jan 18, 2006)

Are the deleted pictures available for re-posting ?

Thx 
Gonzo


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## GTPguy (Oct 17, 2008)

I can't find the original pics, so I took a few more.

Here is the 5' starting module. It's on 3/4" MDF, with 3 pr of 2" feet underneath. The battery pack that runs the tree is attached to the side with velco. The button that starts the tree is screwed into the side.



This is the wiring under the starting module. The PCB came out of the AW start gate base. The white connectors that attach the wires to the PCB were disconnected and treaded through the drilled holes from above. I had to gently pry some of them apart.
I had to locate the PCB close to the center hole (which is where the tree post is coming down) because the ribbon wire for the tree is fairly short.



All the modules (three 5', one 33" with finish line, one 30" for rest of shutdown area) slide together using biscuits.



The 'win' light gantry was opened up, and the wires were routed down the side stantions. It was then cut in half and the cut ends were covered with cardboard and painted to match. The wires were taped at the bottom of the stantion so the rerouting was a little tricky. 



Here is the wiring under the finish line module. The PCB come from the AW 'win' light base. Wire pairs are for the battery pack, split 'win' lights, and photo cells.


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## A/FX Nut (May 28, 2004)

*Great work!*

I have two AW Dragstrips and have been wanting to do something like this. But I want it on my wall mounted Corian Dragstrip. I love your work. This is the dragstrip Autoworld should've made. I know, I know, it would've costed more. But the pictures here speak volumes on the way it should've been done. Great work!

Randy.


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