240 replies to this topic

[Vay Jonynas]

The San Diego YMCA in the latter part of the 1960's:

 

 

[Zippity]

Edited: Missing photo from Post #12

 

 

 

[Bill from NH]

That photo has only been missing for nine years.   

[Vay Jonynas]

It's a nice one from New Zealand though! Not quite enough to make me pull up stakes and move but still....

 

[Zippity]

That photo has only been missing for nine years.   

 

But I only checked this thread, yesterday

 

The "Kiwi" Blue has gone and has been replaced with this Janis Nabokins 8 laner

 

[Vay Jonynas]

Even better!

 

[hiline2]

[Vay Jonynas]

Wow! How many feet is that White Lightning track?

[jtveg]

Wow! How many feet is that White Lightning track?

From the video description:

This was the 2nd largest commercial 1/24th scale slot car track in the world, and the largest in the USA measuring over 240 ft in length. This track was located at Centereach Miniature Speedway on Long Island, New York in the early 1990's.

[don.siegel]

When you're talking about longest commercial tracks, look at these: 

http://slotblog.net/...ane-track-ever/

 

Don 

[Vay Jonynas]

I really like this Strombecket track design:

 

It's basically a couple of figure 8's with one looped over the other to create a hill climb. Has anyone raced upon a big wooden track with a similar configuration?

 

[Vay Jonynas]

For decades I've thought that a crossover on a slot car track would automatically turn the outside lane into the inside lane and vice versa. That's what I thought the geometry of crossovers dictated. But today I found two counter examples of slot car set layouts issued by Lionel in the 1960's:

 

 

The outside lane stays as the outside lane despite the crossovers in both cases.   It seems that my understanding of geometry isn't as good as I thought. It's not that simple.

 

[alanb]

For historical purposes here's a few more pictures of the track that was located at Tri-County Hobby in Hildebran, NC. The track was approximately 220' in total length. It was built by Terry Throneburg. He built all the chassis for them as well, including the 1/12th scale cars that were raced there. These pictures were taken by me. You can also see the dragstrip in one picture and the smaller road course as well. These photos were of the last track that was there. There was an older track that they started with but that was before I discovered the location so I don't have any photos of it. The track was located in the basement of an old hosiery mill located at 101 1st St Pl NE, Hildebran, NC 28637.

 

[MSwiss]

Very cool.

 

I've seen a few pics before.

 

How did you get to the inside?

 

What were the circumstances of it closing?

[Bill from NH]

I remember seeing a grainy black & white video of the 1/12 stockcars with their scratchbuilt wire chassis, Parma S16D motors, & RC bodies & tires. I think the 1/12 cars ran on every other lane. The southeast at one time ran some unigue 1/24 stockcars, but I don't recall if they ran on this track. Those I'm thinking of ran 4.5 in. bodies. a scratchbuilt brass rod oval chassis, & 16D motors. There was a time when many cars of this type were for sold. on eBay.

[alanb]

There was an entrance on the south end of the building and the main one that people used was around back on the east side.

 

Here are a few more pics with a 1/24th scale car and chassis and a 1/12th scale chassis out of the car. Those were so much fun. He scratch built the chassis' and use clear remote control bodies.

 

It was more of a hobby/club track than a commercial track and I think they just had other interest. I had quit going before they closed so I don't know the full details.