From a 1959 rail racing book.
Sunk guide ways
Started by
MSwiss
, Jan 14 2017 08:41 PM
10 replies to this topic
#1
MSwiss
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Posted 14 January 2017 - 08:41 PM
Mike Swiss
Inventor of the Low CG guide flag 4/20/18
IRRA® Components Committee Chairman
Five-time USRA National Champion (two G7, one G27, two G7 Senior)
Two-time G7 World Champion (1988, 1990), eight G7 main appearances
Eight-time G7 King track single lap world record holder
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#2
Mike Patterson
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Posted 14 January 2017 - 09:29 PM
Interesting stuff, Mike. Got any more? How about page 30?
I am not a doctor, but I played one as a child with the girl next door.
#3
MSwiss
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Posted 14 January 2017 - 09:45 PM
I got all the pages.
Just posting snippets, between heats, while race directing.
Just posting snippets, between heats, while race directing.
Mike Swiss
Inventor of the Low CG guide flag 4/20/18
IRRA® Components Committee Chairman
Five-time USRA National Champion (two G7, one G27, two G7 Senior)
Two-time G7 World Champion (1988, 1990), eight G7 main appearances
Eight-time G7 King track single lap world record holder
17B West Ogden Ave., Westmont, IL 60559, (708) 203-8003, mikeswiss86@hotmail.com (also my PayPal address)
Note: Send all USPS packages and mail to: 692 Citadel Drive, Westmont, Illinois 60559
#4
MattD
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Posted 14 January 2017 - 09:46 PM
I bet that is from the MAP (Model Aeronautical Press) book on rail racing. That is a great book. I was lucky enough to borrow a copy a long time back and get a local copy shop to make and bind a copy for me.
Matt Bishop
#5
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Posted 14 January 2017 - 10:39 PM
By 1959, most hard-headed "rail racers" in the UK. were still not convinced of the advantages of the slot. It took quite a while for the Brits to switch to the slot system poluparized (but certainly not invented!) by Scalextric from mid-1957.
Excerpt from my never-ending book:
"In October, the first comprehensive book about the new hobby was published in the UK by MAP Technical Publications, a 175-page volume about model car rail-racing in Southport style by D.J. Laidlaw-Dickson. It took until page 28 to discover that there were "other" forms of electric model car racing on tracks featuring "sunken guides into a slot",
Philippe de Lespinay
#6
MSwiss
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Posted 14 January 2017 - 10:46 PM
Interesting stuff, Mike. Got any more? How about page 30?
Here's page 30 and a pic of a car from another "system."
Mike Swiss
Inventor of the Low CG guide flag 4/20/18
IRRA® Components Committee Chairman
Five-time USRA National Champion (two G7, one G27, two G7 Senior)
Two-time G7 World Champion (1988, 1990), eight G7 main appearances
Eight-time G7 King track single lap world record holder
17B West Ogden Ave., Westmont, IL 60559, (708) 203-8003, mikeswiss86@hotmail.com (also my PayPal address)
Note: Send all USPS packages and mail to: 692 Citadel Drive, Westmont, Illinois 60559
#7
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Posted 14 January 2017 - 11:02 PM
That is the earlier Laidlaw-Dickson system that went nowhere fast. It dates from 1954 if I recall.
Philippe de Lespinay
#8
Garry S
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Posted 15 January 2017 - 01:22 AM
Hand crank generators to power each lane!
How about bicycle-powered generators, and a slot car track in every gym?
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Garry Stoner
#9
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Posted 15 January 2017 - 09:42 AM
Now, that's a concept!
Philippe de Lespinay
#10
MattD
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Posted 15 January 2017 - 04:06 PM
This is my old copy shop version of the MAP Rail Racing book. It's a great "historical" document and well worth paying a few bucks if any of you ever see a copy for sale.
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Matt Bishop
#11
don.siegel
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Posted 16 January 2017 - 08:21 AM
They do come up on ebay UK now and then. The original edition was 1957 and there was a second edition in 1959. DJ Laidlaw-Dickson was a real pioneer of tabletop racing, but was perhaps more invested in rail racing, since he helped start it! (and founded Eldi, one of the first parts suppliers).
Some of the early articles talked about "sunken rail" instead of slots.
The book is not all about electric model car racing: half of it is about gas powered cars racing on rails, still a fairly major hobby in the US and UK at the time, although slowing down because of various problems (space, noise, etc.) - and that's why it was finally opportune for rail/slot racing to make an appearance.
One of the common problems with all the early tabletop racing systems was over-complicated guidance systems - I've got most of the patents for these, and none of them made it simple.
Don
