# Mixing slot cars and trains...



## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

I've posted a couple of times in this forum, and really got no response, so I'm probably talking to myself here, but who knows??? First of all, me bad!! I mix HO scale trains with HO scale cars.. Verbally spank me if you will, but I always have since I was a kid. I'm sorry but true HO scale cars look too small to me. Always have, always will. Faller makes an incredible road system, but it is so far above my means, that all I can do is dream and drool. Static model cars to me are boring. All they do is sit around doing much of nothing. I want motion!! Movement!! Enter the slot car.

There are two HO scale slot cars. The old T-jets scale in at 1/72. The AFX/Tyco/lifelike come in at 1/64 +/-. OK, so I'm not a purist. But my table is a heck of alot of fun!!! I took a bunch of old T-Jet track and made a 4 lane road all over my table. I made my own 4 lane slotcar/RR crossing. I have 2 simple twisted loops of train track covering a 10' X 10" L shaped track. Me and the kids have a blast on it. We regularly have "last man running" races on it. But here's the best part... After they go to bed, I flip 4 switches and I can operate all 4 cars myself. The crossing is automated. When the lights flash, the cars stop and wait for the trains, when the crossing clears, they all go. All by themselves. So far it only works with the overhead lights on in the room. The photo sensors from the grade crossing pro aren't sensitive enough to pick up the light from the street lights I have planted around the table.

I'm far from done in the landscaping department, but it was a bare table in September. Please excuse the scenery, or the lack of!! Here are a few pictures to give you an idea of what I'm talking about.. 





































In case you're wondering, yes some of my cars are lighted. I am making my own lighted slotcars. Head and tail lights. Here's a couple more..



















And finally, here's an early shot of the RR crossing. I butchered quite a bit of track before I got it right. So here goes... Will this thread be a solo flight, or is anyone else out there??


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## Tycoarm (Jan 7, 2006)

Once again *slotcarman *your setup rocks! Your hand built road and rails are way cool and those night shots are sick.:thumbsup:

Here are a few shots of my 2 lanes & trains from a couple of years ago. I took it down and went four lanes last year.















I recently took down my 1/32 track, extended the table another foot from the opposite side that 
was previously extended and replaced it with another attemp for 2 lanes and trains.















It lasted only a day before I took it down again. I guess it needed some elevation to make it pop.


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## Parts Pit Mike (Jan 3, 2001)

Looks great guys... just wish I had the room to do something like this!!


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## Minreg (Jan 1, 1970)

Slotcarman,
That is going to be one heck of a nice layout when you are done. 
Its great now, but just wait till you add the scenic landscaping.
Great work with those HO cars and track.
Love the double mainline too.

I used to do the HO cars and HO trains way back when. Been doing O gauge for many years. I'm not one of those hi-railers though so its more about fun factor for me. I wouldn't worry about those high priced cars you wanted. That would be boring. I would like to incorporate at least one moving road or highway in my next O scale layout.

They have O scale cars called K-Line Lionel Super Streets. Its made to be added to O scale layouts. But I want to do it like Lionel did back in the day on one of there showroom layouts.

Great work slotcarman.


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

*Thank you guys!!*

I guess I will keep posting here, as updates occur!! I have a very bad habit of trying to do too many projects at once, so nothing gets done.. Updates and a few video links will be posted shortly!!

UtherJoe


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## slotcarkid12 (Dec 6, 2008)

*nice track*

Well Tycoarm good tracks :thumbsup: . Did they work? What cars do you have??? Fords, chevy, nascars, any of those???  :wave: :roll:








ryan


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## slotcarkid12 (Dec 6, 2008)

*videos*

hey dad, what ones??? Well tell me when something new pops up. ok.

ryan


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## Jafo (Apr 22, 2005)

thats cool
id just be worried that when my car goes flying off the track i destroy some of my scenery!


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

Scenery can always be replaced or repaired, as I just had to do recently.. One of the kids took out sasquatch who was taking a little stroll too close to the road!!! Oooops!!! No biggie, a little hot melt glue and he was on his merry way!! Once I get the trees in place, they will actually help keep the cars from flying off the table. This method is a proven car and back saver, as the trees give, there is less likelyhood of damage to the cars, and it keeps them from hitting the wall and the floor. Pete Mckay uses them on his Sequoia layout just for that reason..

I was more leery of the railroad crossing than anything at first, but the trains just slide the cars around and other than an occasional skuff mark, there's no biggie there. My biggest concern were the crossing gates. They have proven to be quite forgiving and sturdy. I have yet to make them go up and down at this time. When I do, this is where their durability testing will begin..


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## RUSSELL ZACHRY (Aug 4, 1999)

That looks like a whole lot of fun, Russell


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## FIRETREE (Jan 12, 2009)

That setup is pretty cool, so far. I was really wanting to do the same thing, but don't have a clue where to start. My son and I love our 1:48 slot cars. But I want to get more scenic, add a train, and some crossings. Any advice on starting?

Thanks


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## toyroy (Jul 17, 2005)

FIRETREE said:


> ...My son and I love our 1:48 slot cars. But I want to get more scenic, add a train, and some crossings. Any advice on starting?


1:48 is Lionel(or "O" scale) size. Makes it easy. :thumbsup:


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

That is correct!! Lionel 027 gauge is 1:43. The RR crossing may not be feasible, but running the two together is a blast! At least when everything is working properly.. I'm about to get a big box of track, and I hate to say it, but I'm going to tear alot of the table up and redo some of it. There's running issues that need to be addressed, some smoothing, banking and scenery clearance issues that (had I really dug into the track threads before I started) would never had happened.. I need to find a better way to feed power to the RR crossing, get the needed light to make the sensors work right in "night time operations", and get the rest of the cables to make the gates operate. 

This table has been a series of compromises being shared by the kids (who want to race) and me (who wanted a train table with some "rolling scenery". It appears we are not moving this year, so the table redo is going to be done. There was hope we would be leaving NY for somewhere else, but as it stands now, I'm stuck here. I was hoping to find a nice house with a nice big finished basement to rent where the kids and Icould have our own tables... Maybe next year!!


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## toyroy (Jul 17, 2005)

slotcarman12078 said:


> ...Lionel 027 gauge is 1:43...


1:43 is a common scale for die-cast cars, and such cars tend to look pretty good with O gauge trains. The trains themselves range from about 1:64 for some less-expensive O27, up to 1:48 for full O scale. British O gauge trains use a scale of about 1:45.


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## FIRETREE (Jan 12, 2009)

toyroy said:


> 1:43 is a common scale for die-cast cars, and such cars tend to look pretty good with O gauge trains. The trains themselves range from about 1:64 for some less-expensive O27, up to 1:48 for full O scale. British O gauge trains use a scale of about 1:45.


I was mistaken, my sons cars are 1:43. For now I am just designing paper model builings in photoshop and we decided not to add a train to that layout. For me O scale modeling is cost prohibitive, not to mention the space issue. I would still like to mix slotcars and trains, with lots of scenery, but I am going to do that in HO. It seems that there are so many more things available for that scale.

Since I have never done anything like this before I am going to have a lot to learn. One thing is for sure though, the photos that some of you post of your layout (both complete and in the making) are amazing and very inspiring.

thanks


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## Minreg (Jan 1, 1970)

The O scale train hobby has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years. I used to say look at what is available for HO but not anymore. 

If cost and space are your main issues I highly suggest using 027 train tracks. Good old 027 tracks can be set up in the same space as HO. They are inexpensive and readily available. You can easily run a trolley line or an 027 size train.

Unfortunately, Lionel has gotten away from disclosing what trains and cars are 027 or 031 compatible. But there are many. I suspect they did this to boost the sales of their 036 Fastrack. If you have the space and money for those track sections, its a good way to go but not necessary. Also, the 036 Fastrack is included in the newer Lionel sets.

Dont give up on O scale if thats what you want. If you have any questions at all send me an email.





FIRETREE said:


> I was mistaken, my sons cars are 1:43. For now I am just designing paper model builings in photoshop and we decided not to add a train to that layout. For me O scale modeling is cost prohibitive, not to mention the space issue. I would still like to mix slotcars and trains, with lots of scenery, but I am going to do that in HO. It seems that there are so many more things available for that scale.
> 
> Since I have never done anything like this before I am going to have a lot to learn. One thing is for sure though, the photos that some of you post of your layout (both complete and in the making) are amazing and very inspiring.
> 
> thanks


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## Minreg (Jan 1, 1970)

I see a Carrera Go / Lionel track intersection in my future. LOL.
No auto stuff though if you want to cross you do so at your own risk.
Just kidding, it can be done though.


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## toyroy (Jul 17, 2005)

I see that the slot cars sold at Target are 1:43. I don't know if they make a crossing section, like I've seen in HO, but K-Line(see the Lionel website) has street sections with O gauge tracks running along them. Reminds me of old streetcar trackage in the pavement.


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## Bob88 (Dec 21, 2016)

*Mixing*

I have Carrera 1:43 slot cars and HO scale train on the same table. Don't really care about how realistic it is, I built it because I enjoy them and for my grand kids to play with when they come to visit. I wanted to have a train car intersection but because of the two different scales none were available, so I decided to build one. Here's a pic, not fancy but it works great and adds a lot of fun to the racing game.

Tried to post a pic but just joined and only have one post, so it wouldn't let me. I'll try again.


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## Y3a (Jan 18, 2001)

This is the BEST mix of autos, planes and model railroading


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## phrankenstign (Nov 29, 1999)

Back in the 60s, Marx offered a set that included an HO figure 8 over and under racing set with an HO train crossing as shown above. The Union Pacific engine pulled a short train around an oval of track.


My dad bought it and my family had all kinds of fun either racing one another or controlling the train. 




The rules were simple:


If you were controlling a car, you had to try to beat the other car in completing 10 laps around the track.
If you controlled the train, you had to try to either hit the cars with the engine, or make them stop while they waited for the train to pass.
If a car would be hit by the engine, the car would be disqualified and the other car would be declared the winner if he could complete the 10 laps.
If the car bounced off the side of the train, it was allowed to restart as fast as its controller could get it back on the track at the crossing.
If the engine hit both cars, the engineer would be declared the winner!


Despite the HO cars bouncing off the side of the train, getting hit by the engine, and sometimes even derailing it, all of the motor vehicles continued to work fine. I was always impressed by the durability of the cars.




Do you guys ever try to crash at the crossings?


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

That is an interesting way to mix trains and slot cars! I have never mixed the two together. :cheers2:


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## JazzyJerome (Feb 14, 2012)

toyroy said:


> I see that the slot cars sold at Target are 1:43. I don't know if they make a crossing section, like I've seen in HO, but K-Line(see the Lionel website) has street sections with O gauge tracks running along them. Reminds me of old streetcar trackage in the pavement.



I found a video on youtube some guy made a crossing for his Carrera Go track.


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## JazzyJerome (Feb 14, 2012)

phrankenstign said:


> Back in the 60s, Marx offered a set that included an HO figure 8 over and under racing set with an HO train crossing as shown above. The Union Pacific engine pulled a short train around an oval of track.
> 
> 
> My dad bought it and my family had all kinds of fun either racing one another or controlling the train.
> ...


Yes sir it is fun trying to beat the train and ramming it! > The box cars are easy to derail since they don't have much weight to them. I only run muscle cars and sedans with the train, the open wheel and LMP's have too much to break on them.


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## JazzyJerome (Feb 14, 2012)

Here is my slot and train layout I will start the landscaping after the summer. I based my layout after the old Boyslife Grand Prix layout. I made a few alterations to get a longer front straight and added the train of course.


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## Y3a (Jan 18, 2001)

Seen it done in HO scale with 1/87th vehicles.


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