# WWR's New Banked Turns Project



## pshoe64 (Jun 10, 2008)

Well, never truly ever finishing a track must not be in my nature. I decided after running on my current set up, that the 40 degree banking was too much. But there's no real alternative in HO short of buying into commercial grade tracks or routing your own. With that being said, I'm working up a process to bank the Tomy AFX 18 inch and 15 inch radius curves. I also plan on decreasing the banking angle to about 18 degrees so my older slower stuff can run those 18 foot straight-a-ways without sliding down the banking. It will also make me "drive" the track a little bit more. I'll continue to document the process on my site, but thought I'd throw some of it up here in case anyone else can use the idea or make it better!

Here's the old "north" end of the track. I'm going to replace one side at a time, trying out the new pavement on one side first, before digging up the "south" side of the track.









First the retainer walls came down. I guess will upgrade to a Safer-Barrier while we're at it. You can see the 40+ degree banking supports here.









The transition from the front and back straight really shows the bind the track is in through the twist. Even with 45 inches of straight in the transition, the cars can still lose electrical contact if the shoes are the least bit worn. The reduced banking angle will eliminate that issue.









Here's the difference in the bank supports. I'm also fabricating these in hardwood (Red Oak) so everything is good and sturdy and should resist and expansion/contraction issues as the weather changes.









That's been this week's work. The track and the wall has been removed. Next come the supports and putting the new units in.

-Paul


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## pshoe64 (Jun 10, 2008)

Here's a link to my website covering the installation process of the new banking at Woodrum Ridge Raceway. I am posting more details on the process and can include more images and instruction there.

WRR New Banked Curves

-Paul


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## beast1624 (Mar 28, 2009)

Paul
Thanks so much for taking the time to document your steps in making the changes to your track (I know how tough that can be...you want to get your project DONE! not take pictures and write down the steps). Your descriptions are always easy to understand and the pictures clear and detailed. This is a wonderful resource to the rest of us here on HT.


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## demether (Aug 26, 2008)

Interesting, since I've got pretty the same work to do on my 1/32 (but wich will be running 1/43 cars, mostly) artin D shape 4lanes oval :thumbsup:


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## GTPguy (Oct 17, 2008)

Nice tutorial, with great pictures. Thanks.


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## LeeRoy98 (Jul 8, 2005)

Excellent, I look forward to watching the progress. 

Gary


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## pshoe64 (Jun 10, 2008)

Thanks guys. I'm hoping to work some more on the track this weekend. I'll be sure to keep the posts updated.

-Paul


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

Awesome write up, with the photographic excellence we've come to expect from you Paul. :thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## tjd241 (Jan 25, 2004)

*Inspirational...*

Great job posting this up for us 'Shoe. Kind of demystifies the build process when you see it all done step-by-step. Gives hope to those who want to start and and encouragement to those who need to make a change. I (being an all tjet guy) am tickled that you are making design changes to enable ALL of your cars to rip off laps. WTG :thumbsup:


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

High quality play by play Shoe! With all the great pix and commentary it feels like I was right there with ya.

Mrs Shoe feeling better? K-Stones are no fun. I've been right there as well. Poor gal, my sympathys.


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## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

Paul - Excellent work once again.


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## pshoe64 (Jun 10, 2008)

Bill! K-Stones ARE CONTAGIOUS! Got my wife nursed through her's a few weeks ago, and I had the great misfortune of passing 2 this week. Mine came right on through, nothing as bad as what she went through. But we're both doing fine and I *will* be working some more on the track this weekend! 

Thanks For checking on us! This group at HT is a terrifically great family!

-Paul


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## pshoe64 (Jun 10, 2008)

Updates were posted 8/1/2012. You can actually see some progress and a real banked turn being created!

WRR Track Rebuild

-Paul


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## demether (Aug 26, 2008)

that's some huge work with great result so far :thumbsup:

For my own track, I was thinking of making a "roadbed" in fiberboard, but your idea seems better, at least for the turns. What do you plan for straight sections of the track ? Same system or does the road become flat between the turns ?


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## pshoe64 (Jun 10, 2008)

The front and back straight (about 18' long) transition to flat across all 4 lanes. One of the issues I was having with the original 40 degree banking was the transition from banked to flat with the first 45" of the straights being twisted to meet the banking angle. As the cars came off the turns, any worn pick ups seemed to find the one spot in the twist that would lose contact. The new transition is much less dramatic and so far tested well with all of my cars.

-Paul


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## demether (Aug 26, 2008)

That's a cool idea. With your system, we can make the straights flat, making the construction simplier (and cheaper, in a way, since I was thinking about adding an extra fiberboard roadbed) :thumbsup:

By the way, here's the oval (not sure of the final design actually) I'm preparing. Just a "mockup" installation, I need to clean, repair, all the track pieces. 



















It will be dedicated to 1/43 nascar cars (SCX compact) in priority. The track itself is 1/32 (artin). I choosed 1/43 cars on 1/32 track because the track looks more realistic this way, and because SCX 1/43 cars are cheap. 

I'll post my own topic soon :thumbsup:


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## pshoe64 (Jun 10, 2008)

The large scale looks like a fun run. I like the 1/43 nascars myself. I picked up an SCX set off WOOT for $20 a few months ago. I run the cars on my Carrera Evolution track. Nice wide spacing between lanes! I look forward to seeing how your track turns out.

-Paul


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## pshoe64 (Jun 10, 2008)

*Posted in Swap and Sell Section Too*

Hi Guys,
I'm still working on the new banking for Woodrum Ridge Raceway and need a handful of track pieces from the Tomy AFX line. I need:
2 - 18" Radius Curves
6 - 15" Radius Curves

I would like to swap for these but I can go Paypal too if need be. Anyone have some or all of these and are interested, PM me here at HT.

Thanks,
Paul


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## pshoe64 (Jun 10, 2008)

*Tons of New Articles Posted*

Hi Guys,

I just finished writing the updates for the Woodrum Ridge Raceway project. All of the new banked turns are completed and I've covered the whole step by step process. I've also updated the scenery articles and some of the track building "How-To's". Check them out here:

Woodrum Ridge Raceway - The H.O. Tracks

This was WAAAAY overdue!
-Paul


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## GTPguy (Oct 17, 2008)

Great step-by-step narrative and pictures. Thanks Paul.


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## Grampa Ho (Feb 25, 2009)

I AM IMPRESSED. 
This is something I would expect to have to take a shop class and years of practice to learn and know.
I am trying to do the same with smaller turns with L & J track.
This is such a practical, exact, and very simple line of action to take I think my wife could do it and she has problems with just plugging things in. 
This will definitly cure the awful thought's I had in my mind to try.
this should be in a sticky.
Well Done sir
Rich


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## pshoe64 (Jun 10, 2008)

*PArt 5 Posted*

Just finished posting Part 5 in the series. This one covers the skid aprons and retaining walls. Next up: how to paint the track and some additional wall work.

Woodrum Ridge Raceway - Building the Ridge Pt 5

-Paul


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## FOSTBITTEN (Aug 1, 2013)

The higher banked turns were they too steep for some of your cars? I was thinking of making a small oval w/4 lanes high banked & 2 lanes slightly banked. I have some aw magna traction's with the extra magnets. Are these the cars that were too slow for the steepness of the banking? 

Also I want to see how you paint your track.:thumbsup:


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## pshoe64 (Jun 10, 2008)

Painting will be covered in the next chapter. I will be doing the photography this weekend, so it should be up by next week at the latest. I have a fairly large collection of HO spanning 42 years in the hobby. So my older chassis, like Aurora T-jets, Bachman, Atlas and so forth would not negotiate the 40 degree banking. Plus the lap times were getting so low with the modern cars, there was little "driving effort" when running the oval. Decreasing the banking angle solved both issues. Stay tuned, I'll cover two ways to paint the track.

-Paul


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## FOSTBITTEN (Aug 1, 2013)

Oh okay now I know the types of cars you are speaking of. I am thinking about a true dirt oval maybe 4 lanes or 6 lanes. I have not made up my mind. It probably end up being 4 lanes with squeezes & crosses in the straights just to keep things interesting. And just using the banking that TOMY makes even though it is fairly unrealistic to have a 40 degree banked dirt oval. Just gonna have to wait on the $$$ to get the banks (or all the dirt) to make the track.

My daughter said I should make it like a bathtub. Meaning that the infield will be sunken down in the middle of the track. 
I think that maybe just crazy enough to work! Leave it to a 6 y/o to make perfect sense as far as being able to reach cars & being able to see the action.


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## tjd241 (Jan 25, 2004)

*Take'n care of business...*

We're all 1:1 guys first...and our *other* HO guy comes second.



pshoe64 said:


> Hi Guys, This was WAAAAY overdue!
> -Paul


No biggy Paul... We knew if we waited long enough... the other *pshoe* would drop ! !

Thanks for taking the time to post for us. Great info as always... and good to see you back at it. :thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## racin75 (Jan 28, 2007)

*homemade banks*

its a easy job bankin the turns go to my photos and check my banks out.


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## FOSTBITTEN (Aug 1, 2013)

racin75 said:


> its a easy job bankin the turns go to my photos and check my banks out.


The great thing about this thread is that Mr.Shoe has shown us all how he did it. As well as many other things on his page.


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