# AFX Speedway. A new HO Layout.



## downtowndeco

I've finally got enough of the shop finished so I can get my new HO layout started. This thread will cover the entire layout construction from beginning to end, although it's not going to happen all at once, so you're going to have to be patient at times. : ) 

When I moved I took my "Little Le Mans" 4 lane layout apart & moved it to my new shop. Well, it sat in a corner of the shop in pieces for a while & when I finally had the new shop ready for a layout I decided that I just didn't want to rehash what I'd already done. Plus there were some things about the old layout that I didn't like & I wanted to change on the new one.

Little Le Mans was a 4 lane layout, and while it seemed like a perfectly reasonable idea at the time, when it came right down to it I found that I rarely had the opportunity to have 4 racers over at once. Most times it was just me & 1 other racer & so while it was nice to be able to switch lanes, the reality is I gave up some things because I had 4 lanes instead of two.

The main thing that bugged me w/the old layout was I had way too many 6" corners on it. While some guys have been able to tinker w/them & the cars to get flawless performance every time for me it just sort of got to be a drag after a while. The problem is, if you want to have a 4 lane layout, you need a lot of real estate if you want to use only 9" corners and up. Also, the smaller radius corners just don't feel right to me w/the fast HO cars.

So I switched to a 2 lane design that had no 6" radius corners. In fact, I used only a couple of 9" radius corners & tried to use as many 12", 15" & 18" corners as possible. I did not use an existing track plan. I messed around w/different track plans on the shop floor & through trial & error I came up w/a design that I liked. In the end I came up w/a free flowing fast track that I think should lead to some good racing.

I started with the benchwork/table for the track. It is comprised of 3 sections that are approximately 6' x 4" that are bolted together. That way if I ever want to move the finished layout it will simple be a matter of unbolting the 3 sections & then reassembling them at the new location. I also added wheels to all of the legs, so I can wheel the layout around in my limited shop space, as I already have a 4" x 16" 1/32 Scale raid layout in it. 

At this point the track is only loosely resting on the plywood. In the end it will be fully sceniced, painted etc. I think the layout will end up w/the look of a high tech contemporary F1 street type circuit. I envision many tall buildings w/a lot of mirrored glass. : ) Stay tuned. 

Any questions?








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## sidecar53

Looks real good!!! Keep us updated, please. :thumbsup:


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## tasman

Very nice.

When I moved I added wheels to my table. Best thing I ever did. My plan is to eventually landscape the layout and having the wheels makes it a breeze to get to all parts of the table. When the table is in use the back and 1 side (it is an L) rest against a wall.

Good Luck with your build. Your old track was awesome.


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## downtowndeco

I've started playing w/a little elevation. I don't want to go all hill climb or anything, just a gentle meander up through the infield section. The back and forth 9" curves will both be slightly banked as I will gently twist the 15" straight between them.

Most of the curves will have at least a little banking. For now, I'm just going to play w/the layout for a few more days to make sure I like the elevation, then I'll cut the plywood to make it permanent. Then I will work my way around the track section by section, making sure I have good electrical contact & I'll perfect each joint to smooth things out. I will clip the little connecter nubs off & I plan on using the AFX track clips.

See where the pink controller is lying? I'm thinking about cutting a section of the tabletop to the right of it out there, dropping it down & adding a wharf & some sailboats/yachts. 








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## GT40

deco
I like the Dual power taps.
Your Layout looks fun to race on, I to like the changes you are
talking about.
Keep the pic's coming it's good to see what other guys are doing.:thumbsup:

gt40


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## slotcarman12078

Looks great so far!! Keep those pix coming!! :thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## downtowndeco

Much of the track that I'm using was recycled from my old Little Le Mans layout. That means it's been painted & much of it has bits of spackle between the joints. Yuck! The first thing I did was to scrape off the spackle so that the pieces would all fit together properly. I also trimmed off the little "nub" that sticks up on the tab using a utility knife so that the joints on this new layout will be smoother.








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Next I buffed the metal connectors clean w/a wire wheel to really get a good connection. Make sure to wear eye protection, as little bits of junk go flying everywhere.








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I then applied a tiny drop of Rail Zip to each metal rail tab to help w/the electrical connectivity.








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I'm using the AFX track clips on the bottom of each section to really make sure the connections are as tight and smooth as possible. These things are worth every penny! 








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## downtowndeco

Latest progress. First, I drove a car around slowly & listened, joint by joint, for any noticable clicks or ticks where the track joints didn't line up 100% perfectly. Most were pretty good, the place where imperfections would most show up though is on the outside edge of slots on the corners, where the cars would really pick them up because of centrifugal force forcing the cars to the outside edge of the slots. Whenever I found an issue I took the track apart and filed the slot until the two pieces of track lined up perfectly. 








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I added 2 track clips to every single joint. Man, do these things grip hard! They hold the track so firmly together that when it was all said & done I had lost any "wiggle room" I had when I first designed the layout. That means when I got to the last joint the last 2 sections didn't match up anymore. : ) I had to play with the track a bit, I adjusted one radius & added a 3" section to make it all work again. You just don't realize how forgiving the track can be when you're designing a layout when able to "fudge" a bunch of the sections of the track by a 1/32nd or so each. The clips eliminated the crutch of being able to tweak it but now that it's all said & done the layout should be bulletproof.

I added some elevation. I made sure to make the grading wide enough to accommodate the future skid border I'll be adding next. It's only 5/8th" of elevation but it does break up the billiard table look a bit.








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Questions?


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## slotcarman12078

Looking good so far!! Elevations do add or subtract from the track length, but I never would have expected 3" to come up missing!! Wow!!


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## downtowndeco

I don't think it was the elevation. I think that when I originally put the layout together ( a complete freelance designs made up as I went) that I should have had that extra 3" & the different radius in there to begin with. I just didn't notice because i was able to "tweak" it all to fit together at the end of 50+ sections of track. There was not one big gap, but 35 or 40 very tiny ones that I didn't even notice until I tightened everything up w/the clips. It just goes to show how forgiving the track can be. 



slotcarman12078 said:


> Looking good so far!! Elevations do add or subtract from the track length, but I never would have expected 3" to come up missing!! Wow!!


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## downtowndeco

I unboxed the grandstand, scoring tower complex & ferris wheel & positioned them approximately where I want them to end up. They all need a little clean up & TLC, although all 3 are still in pretty good shape. 

The grandstand/scoring tower are going to get a bit of a re-livery to reflect the name of the race track, "AFX Speedway". At a couple times over the years I had offers on the table to buy the grandstand complex, now I'm glad all of the deals fell through, as this was a massive structure to build & I would have hated to have to start from scratch again.

The area where the ferris wheel is standing will be sort of a racetrack "midway", with rides, vendors, sponsors booths etc. I hope to have it, and the rest of the layout lighted to really bring it all to life for night racing.








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## alpink

really nice layout and I have always admired the grandstands.
looking forward to the landscaping.

by the way, that is a very small washer at the top left of the last picture! LOL


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## downtowndeco

I have decided to redo the glass on the front of the main grandstand. I just didn't like the spacing of the original. Since a couple people have asked what I used for the glass, here you go;








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I found this in a local hobby shop. If you score it fairly deeply you can snap a clean break. I used a utility knife & a straight edge to also score the impression of individual window panes as well. It comes with a thin, protective plastic film over it, much like you'd get w/a new computer monitor. In this shot I have some of it peeled off, revealing the pristine glass. It's easy to work with & looks great, but it does scratch easily, so handle w/care.


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## downtowndeco

I'm starting on the borders. I'm using 1/4 masonite because that's what my local lumber place had. It's a hair shorter than the track but that's better than too high & probably even better than completely flush. This way I won't ever have any issues with the sides of tires catching too high borders.

I'm starting with the two longest straights + the pit area. I marked it w/a chalk line & cut it as straight as I could (outside) with a skill saw. At this point the borders are just tacked in place w/tacks, just to make sure I have them where I want them. I also had to cut all of the sections where the 3 tables join as well. I'm going to try & not have any border joints land directly on track joints.








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The track will have 2" of skid area on both sides of the track. I know it's pretty ugly at this point with the mismatched painted/unpainted track & the raw borders but you'll see, it'll look OK by the time I'm done. Next I'll start on all of the twisty bits. They will take longer because I'll need to cut a cardboard or paper template for each section. Stay tuned! Questions?


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## Boosted-Z71

Looks Great, Keep the pictures coming

I really like the track building

Boosted


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## slotcarman12078

Looks good! Keep at it!! :thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## downtowndeco

I started cutting out and adding the rest of the borders. It's going to take a while, because everything is custom fit & there is no real way to do it fast without it looking crappy. I'm making cardboard templates. I first cut out the inside edge of the border using a utility knife & the edge of the track as a guide. 

Next I drew on the outside edge using a simple tool I made out of a piece of foamcore w/a hole drilled in it & a Sharpie. The borders are (about) 2". I held everything in place w/push pins as I worked. 








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I traced the borders onto the masonite...








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...and then cut them out using a jig saw with a fine blade. As hard as I try to work slow & cut these carefully there was still a fair amount of sanding to get them to fit tightly. After a few sections I decided it was better to make smaller sections rather than larger, because if I made a really long & twist border there was a good possibility that somewhere along the way it would be off a bit. With smaller pieces they were easier to adjust & correct. 








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Here is the first batch of outside borders test fit into place. The track will also get 2" of inside borders all the way around too.








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## Black Oxxpurple

Those look very nice.


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## tasman

Where you able to get Masonite that was actually 1/4" thick? Most I've found in stores is labeled 1/4" but is a little shy of actually being 1/4". If not, how much of a height difference is there between the track and the border?

Thanks.


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## downtowndeco

You are right, it is a hair under 1/4". That's OK I think because if it had been absolutely flush there would have been no wiggle room for glue or anything, although I suppose white glue would have been thin enough to not raise it. I'm going to use liquid nails w/"spacers" to make sure it is the right height. Stay tuned, I'll shoot & post it as I do it. : )


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## alpink

very instructional.
nice for you to share your "tools" for making custom curves.
coming together nicely


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## downtowndeco

Gluing the borders to the table. I am cutting & test fitting as I go so that I never get too far ahead of myself before I find a problem. Tonight I started to glue some of the borders on. The first thing to do (which I found out after I had already applied the glue on a couple sections) is to paint a thin strip of flat black paint all the way around the edges of the track. That way if your border isn't 100% perfect the thin gap will "disappear" much better than if plain, bright plywood stares back at you through the crack.








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The 1/4 masonite was actually a hair lower than the AFX track. What I did was to make some .060 shims out of some scrap Evergreen Styrene that I had. I added a dollop of construction adhesive & pressed the borders in place. I used push pins & weights to keep them flat & where I wanted them. Most of the actual track is not glued down, although I did add a drop or two a couple of places where it was needed. I want the track to be pretty free floating except that it will be reined in by the borders. That way there should be a little expansion/contraction room + I'll be able to easily pull a section of for repair if needed. 








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As you can see, the border fits just flush w/the edge of the track now. 








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Every night after I do a little work I vacuum the track off & run a couple of cars for a bit, just to make sure that there are no issues I need to address. Better to find bad joints or other problems now than later after the whole thing is sceniced. So far though, so good. Questions or comments are welcome. Cheers.








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## slotcarman12078

Oh, to have a house with a clean usable basement... Yes, I'm just a tad envious!! If I stand up straight in mine, my head is between the floor joists of the first floor. All the heat ducts run under them. Between that and the fact it gets below freezing down there kills any chance of a table. Enjoying the progress!!! I really like the floating track idea!! :thumbsup:


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## downtowndeco

It's actually a 16' x 32' area of a huge pole barn (32' x 75'+) that I enclosed/insulated. The shop ceiling in the main part of the structure is something like 30'+ tall. But yeah, it's a nice area to build a layout.


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## downtowndeco

More progress. I got the last of the borders cut. What a job! Now I'll have to spend 2 days w/the shop vac cleaning up the mess. : ) They are not all glued down yet but at least you get the idea of what it looks like at this stage. 

I used one 4' 8' sheet & used it allll up. Total cost? About $20.00. Next I have to finish gluing the borders on, then I'll patch any bad joints & paint it & the track. Stay tuned!








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## Hittman101

Your track is looking nice!!


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## downtowndeco

I got the borders all cut & glued on so now I am starting to spackle the seams. They don't have to be perfect, no real asphalt or concrete ever is, but I did want to lose most of the gaps.

I used standard lightweight household spackle. When it's dry I'll sand it lightly with a foam sanding block.








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## Hittman101

Looking good!!


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## Rick Voegelin

I was a huge fan of your original Little Le Mans track, and I was dismayed when it was dismantled. Now I'm elated to see that elements like the grandstand and race control have been resurrected, and the new layout looks much more racy. I'm enjoying following your progress, and your track/borders solution is informative and inspirational. You always work to a very high standard, and I'm really looking forward to see this track's progress to completion.

Thanks!
Rick V.


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## downtowndeco

Progress! The seams got all spackled & sanded so it was time for the paint. I went to the local Ace Hardware & bought one quart of the following;








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The color is not completely black, nor is it too light of gray IMO. It is on the warmer side, which should help make the "asphalt" look a little more organic & realistic. 

I applied it w/a 3" foam brush. Buy extras because they crap out pretty fast. I did about a 2' section at a time. What I did was to first paint the borders, and then, when most of the paint was off of the brush, I "scrubbed" the paint into the track using long strokes that followed the curves of the layout. I never directly applying a wet brush full of paint directly onto the track because I didn't want to have to spend a lot of time cleaning out the slot. I'd get a 2' section done, and then move right to the next while the paint was still wet, to get a seamless look to the track.

I worked my way around the entire layout, then let it dry overnight. The next day, even though I wanted to give the track/borders a second coat, I first I cleaned all of the rail using a Bright Boy. This was because I wanted to make sure that the track all still worked after getting a coat of paint on it & I'd rather find out now than after a second coat had hardened on the rails. 








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A note about cleaning the paint off the rails. It's not that hard but it's going to take you a little while so don't get discouraged. First off, the paint comes off pretty easy using a Bright Boy abrasive eraser. Clean all the way around the track, then try & run a car. It will probably go a little ways & then stutter & stall out. Clean the rails again, and also (this is important) clean the shoes on your "test car". Run the car again, clean the rails some more, keep cleaning the shoes, and repeat until you're running smooth. It took me about an hour to get all of paint off the rails. Often the rails will look clean but they will still need a little more polishing. 

Once I got things running halfway OK I used a rubber band around the controller to make it a "ghost car" for 10 minutes or so. With every lap the contact got better until it was as good as new.

Here is the track w/one coat of paint. I will apply another coat tomorrow, and then clean the rails again. Once I am happy with that I will add a "racing grove" using a darker paint & a rag. Stay tuned!








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## downtowndeco

After cleaning the rails & making sure everything still rocked I gave the track & borders a second coat of paint.








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After that dried I cleaned the rails again, tested it again (it still rocked) and then added a "racing groove". A little on my philosophy about this. I know that after the cars run for a while they will start to lay down some rubber & it will produce a "racing groove" type of effect. The problem with it IMO, is that it is never where it would actually be on a real race track, rather, it just follows the slots.

What I want to do is to create the impression that this is a real track, and with that in mind, I painted on a groove where it would appear on an actual track. When the cars are zipping around at a scale 400 mph the groove I've painted on just seems to look right & IMO it doesn't look out of place at all, because the cars are moving so fast no one notices that they are not actually following the groove.








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Here's how I did it. I put a little flat black acrylic paint in a piece of cardboard, dabbed a bit of water on the rag to sort of thin it down and then, in big "swooping" motions, I rubbed the watered down black paint onto the track & borders. It was almost like a stain in fact. 








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Before each motion I would sort of think about it a moment & try to imagine what path an actual race car would take at speed. I'm not sure if I got every corner right but I think it came out pretty good. If I got a badly placed "swoop" that didn't look right I dampened the rag w/water & it least lightened it a bit so it would fade into the track. Questions or comments?


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## Black Oxxpurple

Ahhhh, Nice come's to mind.


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## Rick Voegelin

Really excellent work! Your step-by-step instructions are very informative. I'm printing this thread and putting in my library for future reference when I do my next plastic track project. Race on!

Rick V.


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## gonegonzo

This should be made an example of HOW PRESENT STEP BY STEP TOTORIALS . Excellent track and craftsmanship is super .

Gonzo


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## downtowndeco

Thanks! I hope to have an update in a week or so. Stay tuned!

Randy


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## downtowndeco

I started to add the edging white stripes along the edges of the pavement. I use the vinyl lane marking tape from Tracktape. 

This is a great product but care must be used when applying it so that you get good results. It's super sticky, which means it even sticks to the roll of tape itself pretty well. Since its vinyl, if you pull too hard on it when you are unrolling a strip to apply, you may streeeeeetch the tape & distort it. This can cause 2 problems. One, you'll have a section where the line is thinner than the rest which will look funny, and secondly, if you don't let the tape "rest a moment or two before you apply it, when the tape naturally contracts (like a rubber band that has been stretched, and then had the tension relaxed) it will pull up & make shortcuts across your borders or track.

Here's the way I apply it. First, I unroll about a 1' section of the tape. I don't cut it off the roll, but just leave it attached so I can do as long of a continual section as I can. I pull off a length, and then let it contract & relax for a few moments before I start to press it into place. If I get a radius wrong or it looks goofy I simply peel it back up & try & relay it. Obviously you can't just keep doing this over & over or eventually it won't be sticky enough but you can usually get 2 or 3 shots at it. If I get a section that is 95% good except for a small section I sometimes just cut that out & splice in a new piece of tape & lay that to correct my bad alignment.








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I just did one small corner tonight. I didn't want to go hog wild & do the whole thing in one night & then come out to the cold shop tomorrow & find the temperature had caused the tape to do something weird. If this holds good for a day or two I'll just keep plunking away at it until it's done.








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The line of palms are something I'm playing with. There will be a concrete lane divider/median separating the main straight from the back straight but I'm thinking of having it landscaped w/palms like you might see at track in California. I dunno, like I said, I'm still playing with it.








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Questions or comments are always welcome on this tutorial.


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## Rick Voegelin

I've used Tracktape for marking lanes (red, white, blue, yellow) on plastic tracks, with mixed results. As you point out, the tape has a memory, even when applied carefully to minimize stretching. Because my plastic track lived in an uninsulated garage, the track sections expanded and contracted with temperature changes (even in mild coastal California), and the tape would often lose its adhesion, especially on tight 6" radius turns, pop up, and then "shortcut" as you described it. It became very frustrating and time-consuming to have to repair tapes on multiple corners before hosting a race. I hope your experience is better!

As for the trees in the median between straights, they should definitely be poplars -- the 100-year-old trees that line Tertre Rouge at the start of the Mulsanne Straight at 1:1 Le Mans <g>. Lots of reference photos if you search images on "Trees at Tertre Rouge Corner". For a time, the French painted the trunks white, presumably so that drivers would see them in darkness . . . could be a nice detail for your track.

Thanks,
Rick V.


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## downtowndeco

Thanks for the input. This layout is not going to replicate Le Mans so I can go any direction I wish with the scenery. It is a work in progress. : )


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## downtowndeco

OK, I finished taping the basic border. There are one or two places that I am going to fix it a bit but you get the idea. The yellow & blue tire barriers are plaster castings I made.








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Something is going to go in the big open area between the two tracks in this corner, I just don't know what yet. A sand trap, tire barriers or...?








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Next up is some yellow tape as well as some sponsors logos that have been painted onto the pit lane & of course, I need to add the "rumble strips" in the corners. Not looking too bad for some good old AFX track if I don't mind saying so. Runs pretty good too. : )


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## downtowndeco

I started to add guardrails. These are 1/32 Scalextric painted w/the tabs trimmed off & then hot glued in place. They will get sponsors logos once I decide the exact type of circuit I want to model.

I think the best use of that relatively small space between the track & the guardrail is tire stacks. Anyone have a few hundred old HO tires you want to get rid of cheap? : )








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## slotcarman12078

This is looking unbelievably good!! Excellent work!!!


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## Rick Voegelin

This is really exceptional work, you have really raised the bar for plastic track realism. The whole layout just looks right. Well done!

Here is my solution for making HO tire stacks: I found some black vacuum hose at an auto parts store that measures approximately .400" in diameter. I cut a piece about 5/8" long, slide it in on a piece of drill rod, and cut grooves in the hose using a Vee-shaped bit mounted in a small lathe (with a steady hand and a sharp file or fine-tooth hacksaw blade, the same result could be achieved using a Dremel tool or a small drill press). Then I glue an old T-jet rubber tire on the top of the stack to provide some sidewall detail, and mount the tire stack on piece of dowel that I've glued into a hole on the track border. From a distance, and with enough of them, they look pretty convincing as stacks of old tires. They'll also withstand an impact from an out-of-control car, and provide some cushioning to protect trackside scenery. 

These can be a bit tedious to make in the quantity that you'd want for AFX Speedway. I've often thought the real solution would be to make molds and then cast them with black silicone, just like the tire makers do. Since you are an accomplished caster, I think you could make them -- and sell them. Heck, I'd be an eager buyer! 

Thanks,
Rick V.


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## Dslot

The problem with tire walls, is the sheer number of stacks you need. Something like 120 for a half-circle of 12" R track with a 1" border. And that's just the outside of the curve. 80 or so more to do the inside also. So speed and ease of creating a stack is very important, and that is a problem for the idea of casting. 

*Wire loom split tubing*
is as easy a material as you can find. 










For tjet sized tires, use 1/4" ID. Determine the number of tires you want per stack, and just cut off the proper lengths with sharp scissors.










They're clearly hollow in this pic, but at normal track viewing distances, you don't notice. You can get all the tire-walls set in place and functioning quickly, then go back as time permits later to fill the tops of the nearby ones with flexible glop, dowels, tubing, etc. Should look something like this:










Wire-loom tire walls are easy, cheap, strong and have some give when the cars hit them. You want colors? They come molded in colors.

For details, you can check out the following threads:

*Tire Wall - Cheap and Easy Solution*
(1/4" wire loom, cut in sections and glued down)

and its predecessor thread
*Anyone Make a Tire Wall?*
(Tubing, beads, Cheerios, and other methods).

Cheers,
-- D


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## Rick Voegelin

I didn't mean to high-jack Downtowndeco's wonderful track building thread, but I do like the looks and ease of making tire stacks with the convoluted tubing. Great tip!

Rick V.


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## downtowndeco

I double sided the armco in that one section as suggested by Stephen (thanks!). It kind of bugged me when I first laid the single rail yesterday but I was hoping no one would notice. : ) When in doubt always go to your reference photos. 

I also test fit a few of the pre-painted tire stacks I had to see what they would look like. So far, so good.








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## Rick Voegelin

Big thumbs up for the double-sided Armco, looks authentic and a nicely finished appearance. Your plaster-cast tire stacks look great as well, the blue and yellow are a good detail from Le Mans and add some color accents that brighten up the grey track. How do the plaster tires fare in an impact (not that I ever crash . . . <g>)?

Dslot, some great information and ingenious ideas in the links to the previous threads on tire walls . . . much appreciated!

Rick V.


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## downtowndeco

Thanks much. The tire stacks do fine under impact. In fact, in general the scenery does fine if an errant car leaves the track. Way too much is made of "Well, if a car crashes it is going to destroy the scenery." I've never had any sort of damage that couldn't be fixed with a small spot of glue & a touch up of paint in a minute or two.


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## purple66bu

Rick Voegelin said:


> I didn't mean to high-jack Downtowndeco's wonderful track building thread, but I do like the looks and ease of making tire stacks with the convoluted tubing. Great tip!
> 
> Rick V.


Thanks for the tip!


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## downtowndeco

Here's how I make the tire stacks. I made a master pattern, made a rubber mold & I cast them in plaster. I clean up the flash, let them dry & paint them. I am replacing all of the yellow & blue tires w/white & red. Only about 100 more to go. : )








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I have never had a problem w/car damage (because of the plaster). I don't glue these down so if an errant car plows into them they just tip over.


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## Rick Voegelin

Your plaster tire barriers look terrific, and this is an efficient way to mass produce them for your new layout. Question: what kind of plaster do you use to cast these?

Thanks,
Rick V.


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## downtowndeco

Thanks, it's hydrocal.



Rick Voegelin said:


> Your plaster tire barriers look terrific, and this is an efficient way to mass produce them for your new layout. Question: what kind of plaster do you use to cast these?
> 
> Thanks,
> Rick V.


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## Rick Voegelin

downtowndeco said:


> Thanks, it's hydrocal.


Thank you for the info, I think I will give this a try! 

Cheers,
Rick V.


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## downtowndeco

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I laid the rest of the armco. It is hot glued in place. I also laid some red & white wood blocks I had left over from Little Monaco between the main straight & the pits to see how they would look. I think they are a little too large but at least I kind of got an idea of what a wall there will look like.

The armco will all get sponsor's advertising but since I am still undecided about what era & location this track will be situated I'm holding off on that for a few more days. While I'm on the subject I should mention how important I think advertising can be to placing & dating your layout. You wouldn't see the same ads at Le Mans 1968 as you would Long Beach in 2015. Keep this in mind when choosing the sponsor banners for your layout. Questions?


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## sidecar53

Any more work on this project?? Enquiring minds need to know...lol.


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## Grandcheapskate

Excellent work.

On making track borders, I was thinking an alternate method for making curve borders would be to build a duplicate of a section of track, then place that duplicate section on top of your border material. Trace out the track, remove the track and cut the border material. Seems like it would be easier than trying to make a template and then cutting the border from the template.

Joe


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## leonus

Beautiful work.

I love the realistic staining on the curves.


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## downtowndeco

Back to work. I'm going to add mowed grass to much of the layout, especially around the outside edges. I start by making a "pattern" of the area I want to add grass to using newsprint. I use chalk to feel/trace the edge of the guard rail/track.








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I use my newsprint pattern as a template to to make a cardboard pattern. Here the cardboard pieces are test fitted into place.








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I take the cardboard patterns outside & spray paint them either flat black or very dark brown. DO NOT GLUE THEM IN PLACE YET.








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OK, how do I get from black cardboard to mowed grass? Stay tuned & I'll be back in a day or two to show you....: )


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## downtowndeco

OK. Next what I did was to coat the cardboard that I had spray painted flat black with full strength Elmer's Glue. Then I sprinkled on copious amounts of fine ground foam to simulate grass. I do this off the layout & over a sheet of cardboard or newsprint for two reasons. First off, I don't have all of this mess all over the layout & secondly, so the next day after the glue dries I can shake off the loose excess & pour it back in the tub to reuse it.








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OK. I'm going to let the glue set overnight & then I have something new I want to try tomorrow. Stay tuned. Questions?


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## Rick Voegelin

I'm really enjoying this tutorial! Keep it coming, please.

Rick V.


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## downtowndeco

You know those patterns you see on freshly cut lawns of golf courses, football & baseball fields & racetracks? It's simply because the grass lays one way one mowed from one direction & another way when mowed from another. Basically what you're seeing is the sunlight hitting the blades of grass from a different angle so it sort of creates a shadow. I wanted to recreate that for my layout so here's how I did it.

First I made a "mower" stencil out of cardboard. the strips are about 1" apart. 








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First I shook off all of the excess grass that didn't stick to the Elmer's Glue. Next I laid my stencil across my cardboard grass strip & misted it with spray adhesive. Do this outside, it stinks. 








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Next I sifted on a very light sprinkling of a darker color called "soil", which is really more like a very, very dark drab green. Again, remember we're creating shadow here. Remember to cover up the areas you've already done w/a scrap of cardboard as you work your way across your lawn.








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I let it set for a minute or two, and again, tipped it over & tapped off the excess. It is now ready to glue to the layout. I used hot glue for this first bit but will probably use Elmers glue for the rest, as it gives me more working time.








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I will have to go in and fill in the bits along the armco & do touch ups as I work my way around the layout but you get the basic idea. Questions or comments?


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## Boosted-Z71

Great work, Really appreciate seeing what you do on your layouts and the tips you provide

Boosted


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## Rick Voegelin

Great tip on your technique for freshly mowed lawns! Looks very authentic. Thanks for sharing!

Rick V.


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## downtowndeco

I'm working my way around the layout. Slow & steady but I'm pretty happy with the way it's coming out.








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## JazzyJerome

Looking good sir.


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## Here's Chucky!

Looks awesome, great work!


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## jimkelsey

You have a very awesome layout and came up with some very creative ideas in creating the contrast in the colors of the lawn. Thank you for sharing your talent.


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## midnight5

That is an awesome looking track. Thanks for sharing your tips and pics.


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## downtowndeco

More progress on AFX Speedway. I've been so busy with work recently it's been hard to get to it but I've got a couple more areas filled in. This "in between" stage is the messiest & least favorite part of a build for me.








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I filled in the areas around the edges of the track w/black chalk & then sprinkled/pressed the grass material into it. 

Just to remind you, this is what I started with.








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If you have any questions ask away. Cheers!


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## beast1624

Looking really great!


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## JamesRoberts

Looks awesome!


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## Rick Voegelin

What a transformation! Keep up the great work. Very inspiring, too.

RV


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## downtowndeco

Slowly working my way around the layout. Man, will I be glad when the grass is all laid & mowed. The unpainted cardboard will get the grass treatment, the small area that is cut out will be spectator parking (I think) 

I filled in any gaps between the grass & track using black chalk which I then sprinkled on the grass material. Any questions from the class?








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## JazzyJerome

Looking good sir.


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## Rick Voegelin

More great progress! I don't quite understand what you mean by filling gaps between trakc and grass with black chalk. Can you explain, Professor?

Thanks!
Rick V.


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## bdsharp

You've done a great job of making sectional track not look like sectional track. Those large-radius curves really pull your eye around the circuit.


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## downtowndeco

My layout is designed so that it can be broken down into 3 separate, stand alone tables for transport, shipping & reset up (if needed). That means that there's 2 joints going directly through the grass. Here's how I touched them up.

Here's what they look like before.








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I sprinkle the ground foam into the crack, and brush it in to place using a fan brush. I don't glue it, remember, this is where the layout splits. 








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Finished. Now, if & when I have to take it apart it will have to be retouched up when reassembled but that will take all of 15 minutes. 








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## Rick Voegelin

It's great that you have anticipated the possibility of a future move or relocation. I've seen too many great tracks destroyed or dismantled because circumstances changed.

I noticed that you have painted the Scalextric guardrails; they look more realistic than shiny silver. What kind of paint did you use on that slick, flexible plastic?

Keep up the good work!
Rick V.


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## JazzyJerome

Great ideal I am making mine modular also since I live in a studio apartment I need to be able to break it down and put it back up.


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## downtowndeco

I laid the last section of grass & added the retaining wall to the elevated section. It's being held in place with tacks as the glue dries. I have yet to mow the grass. 








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## downtowndeco

I added the first few rubble strips. I first cut them out of .020 styrene.








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I added red stripes using electrician's tape.








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Test fit, then glue in place. I used Elmer's White glue & weighed them down over night.








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Questions?


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## downtowndeco

More progress. I added tire barriers. I also added a racing line to the rumble strips by smearing on a little black paint w/a rag.








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I need to build a retaining wall between the two long straights. Here I've just used some left over white & red blocks. They would work but I ran short so I'll need to come up w/something more permanent.








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Reverse view.








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One last one for tonight. Comments or questions are encouraged.








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## GT40

deco
Great track, great details, a real nice layout all the way around.
Have you been thinking about putting a logo in the grass, it would add some more
realism to your track, just wondering they always have them in the NASCAR world.
You have done a great write up on your project, one of the best I've seen, it's good for the Hobby and I thank You for it.

gt40


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## Tuxedo

I enjoyed this write up so far. I'm getting a large Lock and Joiner track put together and it will be awhile before I have the final configuration worked out but this thread has been keeping me at it. Thank you for posting. Nice buildings on your track , as well as............ eh, too much to list ! LOL


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## Boosted-Z71

Just Awesome

Boosted


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## downtowndeco

I added one of two parking areas. This is the Andretti lot. The cars are 1/64th Scale diecasts. I misted them w/dulling spray so they'd didn't have that unreal gloss. IMO gloss has a scale just like everything else so I think the cars look better when they're not blindingly shinny. I made the fence out of finishing nails & screen.








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## Shadowracer

How do you secure the screen to the finishing nails? I've been thinking of doing something Luke that.


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## downtowndeco

Well it was pretty low tech but after trying several different things I ended up just using elmers glue.The trick is to put a weight up against it until it dries. Gap filling super glue would probably worked better.


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## Tuxedo

Looks great so far. You are right about the super glue, however now that it is dry, you can go back and apply that to the fence in several places and it will be fine.


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## downtowndeco

I added a second parking lot (the "Granatelli" lot) & painted the pit stalls concrete color. I used gray craft paint. I added in a little raw umber & green to make it look more like concrete. This is just the first coat. When dry I'll give it a second coat, add the stripes & then 'age" it a bit with grease stains & burn out marks. Questions?








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## downtowndeco

OK. So I taped off the pit lane & added the pit stall dividers with yellow Track Tape.








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Next I added some basic tire scuffs & pit grease using black paint. I thinned it down, & put it on wet w/swiping motions.








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Next i needed to add some burn out marks. I cut two small pieces of black chalk that were about the width of a tire & stuck them to a piece of adhesive foam. I spaced them about as far apart as a set of tires.








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After I added the tire marks I wiped them w/a rag in the direction that the cars would have been going. See the blue tape? that's where a pit wall is going to be to protect the teams while working on the cars. Questions?








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## Tuxedo

Yep, I have a question. When can I expect delivery ! Seriously, this just looks terrific and you have given me a LOT of ideas. Thank you :thumbsup:


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## JazzyJerome

You have a lot of great ideas keep up the good work!


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## hattrick2199

Simply stunning! I love your attention to detail and your sense for color. Often time scenery/grass/asphalt/concrete will look like a cartoon where as yours just looks "right". I do have a question about your parking lots. Who let the guy with the Prius in? And then let him park by an Enzo?


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## slotcarman12078

She's really shaping up nicely!! All those little details add up fast!!:thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## vaBcHRog

Very inspiring. Your work is great. Makes me want to build a small track for the 60's Grand Prix TJETs I have been making so they have a nice new home.


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## 60chevyjim

wow that looks great !!!


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## downtowndeco

I added retaining walls along the front straight & between the pits & the front straight. I used Evergreen styrene strips. I still have to paint them (flat white) to add signs. They are not glued down yet but you get the idea how they will look.








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## downtowndeco

I started to add some signage. I found a few I liked, printed them out & glued them on with a glue stick. 








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Completely unrelated but since I have your attention here's a 1/24th Scale D3 slot I just painted up. It's not a copy of any of the movie cars but I think it captures the spirit. : )








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## leonus

Very cool indeed


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## Tuxedo

This just keeps getting better and better :thumbsup:


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## alpink

the best part of making Mad Max customs is that there are no "wrong" cars.
any conglomeration of parts adds to a runner that could be in any of the movies.
I expect to see at least another one with this cast.


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## downtowndeco

What are these?








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Wire bent & then painted to replicate the air hoses in the pitlane. A couple of them need to be tweaked in the morning so they hang right but you get the idea. Next I need tires, fire extinguishers, tool boxes & some various hi tech looking clutter. 








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## Tuxedo

*N I C E ! :thumbsup:*


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## downtowndeco

I added pit stall numbers & a bit of pit clutter. I'll be making tool boxes later this week & will scatter a few of those as well. As I researched it as much as I'd like to add a bunch of interesting clutter most teams keep the pits fairly spartan. I will drill holes for the guides though so cars "parked" there will at least sit right.


People ask about the grandstands so here's the scoop on them. They are all scratch built. I used styrene & white foam core. The gantries hanging over the pits were made out of styrene & some Central Valley steel girders (HO Scale). The fuel & air hoses are bent wire. The crowd is actually 1/87th scale but I was able to buy a huge lot of them prepainted from China cheap so that's what I went with.

Questions? 








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## alpink

do you allow tours?


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## JazzyJerome

You are the man!


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## Tuxedo

When will you begin mass production of the buildings? I'll take one of everything right now! All kidding aside, nice work. This racetrack looks terrific:thumbsup:


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## downtowndeco

Rolling tool boxes for the pit lane. I made these out of styrene strips. I even modeled them with some of the drawers open. Will paint them up & add some tools next. 








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## slotcarman12078

Unreal!! Love it!


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## Tuxedo

DTD, you need to show us how you made those! Maybe in a separate thread?


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## downtowndeco

A little paint, a few tools & stickers & these are ready to add to the layout. Not perfect, but considering that they're about the size of a thumbnail I think they came out OK. 








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## Ogre

:thumbsup:


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## alpink

man, those are GREAT!
like the partially open drawers.


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## JazzyJerome

Super creative.


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## RjAFX

Man when are ya gonna step and get this done so you can get it shipped out to me?


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## downtowndeco

I may put this up for sale when it is completed. Why? So that I can start my next creation. : )


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## Tuxedo

RjAFX said:


> Man when are ya gonna step and get this done so you can get it shipped out to me?


Wait...........what? I thought he was shipping it to me? :thumbsup:


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## downtowndeco

Get in line. : ) Seriously though, when it is 100% complete I may sell it. It breaks down into 3 separate, stand alone tables for shipping & would fit in a U Haul truck. I just didn't want to build another layout that couldn't be moved when done.


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## Crimnick

downtowndeco said:


> Get in line. : ) Seriously though, when it is 100% complete I may sell it. It breaks down into 3 separate, stand alone tables for shipping & would fit in a U Haul truck. I just didn't want to build another layout that couldn't be moved when done.


You sure have the eye and creativity for ho scale!:thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## downtowndeco

Next up is the Midway. I already have the Ferris wheel, now I'm going to build a couple of rides. Man these kits have lots of parts! I'm also going to add a small "Manufacturer/Fans Midway" where merchandise (including tiny tiny tee shirts) are sold. I'm also going to add some colored lights. Stay tuned!








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## downtowndeco

I had lighting added to the cars. These are going to look great speeding around the circuit!

https://vimeo.com/139238397


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## downtowndeco

Ferris Wheel, Sky Wheel & the base for the Tilt a Whirl. I'm also going to add food booths, including at least one that sells Deep Fried Twinkies. : )








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## Black Oxxpurple

Nice. Need some cheese burgers and polish dogs too.


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## JazzyJerome

Nice!!!!


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## sethndaddy

search oxford diecast on ebay or get this at the local train store.


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## sethndaddy

Eventually I want to make a custom carousel with these


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## oneredz

How about a Zoo rampage through the pits?


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## downtowndeco

I'm adding some LED's to the pit stalls. One per. I drilled a hole in the pit stall and inserted the light from the rear. I added a spot of epoxy to hold them in place. I'll wire them all up & just use a simple 9 volt w/an on/off switch. To finish the lights off I'll add a small shade to angle the lights down. The LED's are cheap. You can buy a lot of 20 for under $5.

Questions?








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## downtowndeco

I have about half of the pits wired. Now I need to get a few pit crews. Questions?








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## JazzyJerome

Nice work!!!


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## downtowndeco

I finished with all of the rest of the pit lights except I want to add a red "stop" light at the end of pit row. I love the way the lights bounce off the mirrored glass. I also got my lighted Mega G cars. I'm very, very happy with them. PM me if you want the guys contact info. The cars look great flying through the night. I had him do a couple each of the Peugeots & Audi's. 








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## bdsharp

I rode some of those double Ferris wheels back around 1970. Yes, the kind that got bolted together in parking lots for a week at a time. Sometimes I feel lucky to still be here.


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## Super Coupe

That is a great looking pit road,and the whole track too.
>Tom<


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## Tuxedo

I'll be right over to pick that track up...........

:thumbsup:


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## 1976Cordoba

Man that's killer!


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## Boosted-Z71

Those lights in the pits look great, We have lights on one of our tracks, but they are all light bulbs (fragile) and I need to replace them with LED's like you used. We love racing in the dark with only the lights on the track and cars

Yours look great!

Boosted


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## downtowndeco

I started on some of the food booths for the carnival section.. I'll do 7 or 8 of them total. Here are the first couple. 








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## Super Coupe

Looking good
>Tom<


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## jdragon318

Great work on the framing and love the layout!


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## downtowndeco

A few new details. I added a few pit crews (yes, I know I need to get rid of the gas can & rework the figure to be hefting the hose), some braking point markers and a few people strolling through the Granatelli parking lot. : )








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Next up is to add a working flashing red light to the ambulance. Questions?

PS. When this is done I may put it up for sale to make room for my next project. If interested PM me.


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## alpink

flashing red light in scale. check the railroad sites and suppliers.


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## Thara01

Amazing, love the lights in the pit stops


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## downtowndeco

Happy New Year from AFX Speedway! I'm digging the Mega G+cars! I took the overhead shot with the help of a small helicopter. 








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## JazzyJerome

Does the paint on the track effect the cars traction?


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## downtowndeco

No, not that I can tell.


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## JazzyJerome

downtowndeco said:


> No, not that I can tell.


I would think it would be better since it is not a slick never tried though.


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## jdragon318

Great work! Love the flow of the track.


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## Frank Broughton

Wow, just spent the last 90 minutes reading every word of this thread. Absolutely amazing! Thank you for sharing your work here downtowndeco. Impressed would be too weak of work to express my thoughts on your attention to detail! AWESOMETACULAR!


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## kognac

that grandstand with mirrored windows is awesome! I love the layout!!!


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## v8vega

I am aware this track building is a couple of years old but a general question I have is it added a lot of time to make the borders, or skid aprons. How necessary are them if you run mostly magnet cars?

Also its a pretty good size layout, were any power taps necessary?


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## downtowndeco

It was mainly for the visual effect.


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## GMDad

Did you ever sell this layout and start another ? Another thing I am curious about is the photos all the way thru from photobucket are just blurry enough I can't see the details. Is there any way I can get to look at them normal ? Your attention to detail is second to none. Thanks it was an excellent read.


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## Milton Fox Racing

GMDad said:


> Did you ever sell this layout and start another ? Another thing I am curious about is the photos all the way thru from photobucket are just blurry enough I can't see the details. Is there any way I can get to look at them normal ? Your attention to detail is second to none. Thanks it was an excellent read.


The blurry photobucket images are a situation they created to make everyone pay to release clear images of their upload images at already established links. The first time it happened browser add on were established to work around the blocked images but I dont think anyone has bothered the 2nd time it happened.

Right now if you have an android tablet or phone though you can see the clear images without the watermarks, but not on an iphone product.


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