# Smaller track photos or ideas?



## txronharris (Jun 1, 2005)

Was well on my way to completing a nice 4 lane door track then had to put tings on hold. Now have the opportunity to build a 2 lane, but my space restriction is about 3"x5". 

I've been playing around with some things but wanted to see if any of you here might know of a website that features smaller tracks I can draw some inspiration from. I'll be using AFX track and want to make it raceable and fun. Any help will be appreciated.


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

tight and twisty, multi levels


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## tjd241 (Jan 25, 2004)

Build *in*. Try to occupy the inside areas as much as you can. It's a great exercise to try and fit as much as you can.


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## eastside johnny (May 13, 2008)

*Alpine mountain*

TJD....amazing layout!
Ran across these years ago. Don't remember where or anything, but might give you more ideas to think about.


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## eastside johnny (May 13, 2008)

*More Alpine pics*

Here are a few more pictures. 
Keep us posted on your build


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## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

Check post #277 in this thread:

http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=261791&page=19

This is my track on a 5.5' x 7.5' board. It's four lanes using 6" through 15" curves. You could easily reduce the length to 5' by cutting down the straights and the width could be cut down either by removing one of the back-and-forth legs or by going multi-level. If you use only one crossover per pair of lanes, you could turn this into a two laner where it takes two trips around the circuit (one on each lane) to complete one lap. You would just have to wire it up as a two laner, not a four laner.

Joe


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## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

*Road Course in 5'x3'*

TxRon,

What do you think of this one? 










Since I don't have a permanent layout, I enjoy designing tracks. I thought I'd just see what I could get into your 3x5 feet. The track is current Tomy AFX track.

A reasonable length run in 3x5 demands tight curves. This layout is 19', but has (sigh) _two_ 6" hairpins (but see below for a fix). Turn 6 also has a single 6" segment. (In my experience, one 45° segment of 6"R track is not the problem you may think. The car is through it before it swings out enough to deslot, and will usually stabilize on the larger radius following the segment.)

I tried to design the rest of the course for as high a speed and as good a flow as can reasonably be expected. You can't have long straights, but Turn 10 is 12" Radius so you'll enter the back straight at a decent speed, then accelerate down the straight and keep your speed in the banked 12", which should function as an extension of the straight. Then you slow for flat curves but in descending order, radius-wise - a 15, a 12 and two single-segment 9s before the first hairpin, so no herky-jerky panic braking should be needed, and the feel of the segment should be pretty good (I think). Similarly, after the hairpin and slow straight, you accelerate as Turn 6 unwinds from a 6"R to a 9, 12, 15 and 18, becoming a proper sweeper. Then drop speed a bit for a short 15 and a full 15-to-12" curve before a segment of 9 leads into the second hairpin. The radii wind up and wind down for smooth driving flow.

Curves have turn borders, but to keep the track in 5 ft., I had to bring the railing to the track's edge at one point on Turn 11. Even 1" added to the 5' length could restore the border at that point and there would be nowhere a car could lean on the rail.

That's the best I could do in 3'x5'. But if you're willing to fudge on the 3-ft dimension, we can open up the curves a bit more.










A short length of 2.5" extension on the front edge allows useful widening of Turn 8 and not so useful widening of Turn 11, but most important, it lets us replace that miserable second hairpin with a 9" curve with a single segment of 6" (as I said before, not as bad a problem as it looks). Likewise, the little 6" chicane (Turn 10) should handle higher speeds than the hairpin could. 

A lot depends on your cars. I think this course could be fun with Thunderjets or original Aurora AFX and Magnatractions. I don't have much experience with the current ultra-fast wundercars, (Tomy Auroras, etc.), but I suspect they would be frustrating in such cramped quarters. Also, some of the early skinny-tire Aurora Thunderjets and Vibrators might not have enough speed and traction for the banked curve, even though it's only 90°. If not, you'd have to replace the banking with a flat curve at a considerable cost to flow and speed for the faster cars.

Perhaps other forum members , with wider experience and a LOT more track hours than I have, can help out with comments on this design.

I hope this has given you at least a starting point. Good luck with your layout. Send pictures.

-- D


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## gonegonzo (Jan 18, 2006)

D-Slot ,

I love your stuff . The first I seen was the track you built for your school mates reunion .

I'm a fan of smaller tracks . Keep them comming .

What can you squeeze into a 3'-3'' X 6'-2'' ? 

Are 4 lanes possible ? Not nessessary but would be nice . A fun track is what I'm looking for .

Thx ,
Gonzo


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## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

Thanks, Gonzo, for the nice comments. 

Sure, four lanes are possible in 3'3"x6'2" - but, of course, you have to be willing to pay the price of a shorter length of run and/or room for scenery. And it's probably worth it, even with that small a space - as someone on this forum said a long time ago, "Four lanes isn't twice as much fun as two, it's four times as much fun" (assuming of course that you have three friends who want to play). Once you get down to Txronharris' 3'x5' table, though, it's probably time to go to two-lane. 

Here the 18 ft of run is so densely packed that you have little more than one square foot of useful space for buildings or scenic details, and you have to use adjacent track for swingout space at a couple of points.










There are a fair number of 6"R turns, and you'll have to section two pieces of 9" straight track to 8" length. You may be able to ID this plan as a variant on the reunion track plan you mentioned. 

-- D


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## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

*Four Lanes in 3' x 5'*

.
I said:


> ... Once you get down to Txronharris' 3'x5' table, though, it's probably time to go to two-lane.


... or _*is*_ it? Could you do a reasonable four-lane in 3'x5'?

Here's a quick mod of Gonzo's 4-lane:










Well, I almost made it. Did squeeze the track plan into 3x5,' but the border ooches over the edge.  Have to screw a 1x2 to one of the short sides.

Well, I think I've had all the track-designing fun I can stand for this week. I hope there's something useful here for Txron or Gonzo (or somebody).

-- D


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## txronharris (Jun 1, 2005)

Thanks for all the ideas guys! Dslot, you're a track designing wizard for sure!! The two lane would probably be more what I'd go with simply because it looks less cluttered. I like the four lane, but there's just too much track. Thanks for all you guys pitching in. I'll continue to work out some things and post something when I get it figured out.


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## txronharris (Jun 1, 2005)

Dslot said:


> TxRon,
> 
> What do you think of this one?
> 
> ...


I REALLY like this one. I think I'd flip the elevated track so there is more of a gradual slope, but thats about it. Thanks for the ideas!


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## gonegonzo (Jan 18, 2006)

Thx D-Slot ,

Your plans are being considered because of my limited space . I do have a TOMY based Tuckaway but wanted somthing different . Your plans will work .

Now I'll loook into building a Light Weight table for mounting . I'm also trying to avoid another dorr slab .

Thx again,
Gonzo


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