Albany, OR - Jairus press
Yesterday a slot car track was found in a huge storage shed in Albany Oregon. The shed, located 100 yards from I-5, had been a storage place during the last 40 years. Inside is a collection of stuff including cars, car parts, engines, juke boxes, stereo components, furniture and a slot car track.
My friend Jerry Kruger made the discovery when he went to purchase a 1956 Hillman wagon that he will be building into a pro-street hot rod. While there he and I purchased the track for $200 bucks. Turns out there might be three tracks there! A four lane track and 2 six lane tracks. I couldn't see any banked turns but there are about an even dozen turns... all flat. Some tight and some wide. I figure that a banked turn might not be apparent until the structure is built underneath. Therefore it's only guessing to say what type of tracks these are. The braid was glued down and most of the glue had dried to the point that the braid is peeling away.
The track had been here in this location since the late 60's according to the man in charge. There are no wheel marks on the turns apparent and the paint is the original - never repainted or resurfaced. I found only two drivers stations.
Unfortunately the track is buried up against the back wall behind a 1967 Plymouth Satellite. This Saturday I will go back and help pull it out for better pictures. More pictures here on my Fotki.
Although I have been talking about setting up a track here in Salem for over a year now... Looks like I am going to have to do something NOW! Jerry and I talked most of the afternoon and came to the conclusion that neither of us has the time or interest to devote to a business like this. However, Jerry has a lot of friends in Jefferson who own a lot of commercial buildings in downtown Jefferson. Buildings that are currently empty! Weird how doors open when you least expect it! Jefferson a little quaint town located 2 miles from I-5, Twenty minutes from Salem and 5 minutes from Albany. About an hour and a half from Portland and less than an hour from Eugene. Almost dead center of the Willamette Valley and if a track were located here... would become the only commercial track(s) in the area and the second in Oregon!
