79 replies to this topic

[Maximo]

Slot car folks,

 

Does anyone know how many "Purple Mile" slot car tracks were produced?

 

I only know of one that still exists for sure in New England that was moved there from Texas, but I ran across the enclosed photo that shows one that is not standard criteria as there are banks at the end of some of the shorter straights.

 

Is this an existing track and where is it?

 

-maximo

 

[MSwiss]

Both Fingers were banked on the Purple Mile, but they do seem more so, in that pic.

[Richard G With]

Modelville in Ashland, MA, has what they claim to be the only operational Sovereign. It has the deluxe Formica sides, but I think it may have originally had the economy plywood walls? 
 
They also have a HO track modeled after the Sovereign configuration.
 
Of the very few made, one was cut down to fit the space and was the site of the infamous Coca-Cola race in Springfield Ohio in 1972.
 
Modelville Hobby - Ashland

[Bill from NH]

I'm not 100% sure, but I believe the black and white photo is the Sovereign at the original Modelville Hobby at Framingham, MA. It had plywood walls rather than Formica walls, plexiglass in the banked turn at the end of the straight, and the wooden fence coming out of the wall was painted dark red.

The track shown in the background is an American Windsor. An American orange used to be back corner that shows being fenced off to sell hobby supplies and model kits.

This photo would be from about 1974-75. Max, where did you find it? The Framingham location on Waverly St. closed in the 1976-77 timeframe. This was my home raceway from 1969-75.

The Sovereign track was sold to a Rhode Island racer. Before it was ever set up down there, it was destroyed by a leaky barn roof where it was stored.
 
The fencing, also in back of the Windsor, definitely tells me this was the original Modelville Hobby raceway in Framingham, at the former First National Supermarket building. I worked there part-time during the winter of 1973.

[MSwiss]

The photo is in this THREAD.

You posted right after the post with picture.

[Cheater]

The track is the OP clearly has plywood sides, as can be discerned by the narrow top edges. The Formica sides has top edges nearlt twice as wide.

 

Notice also the metal post stools at the drivers panel; these seem to have been a feature at most of the original AMRC franchise track operations as best I can recall.

[MSwiss]

I get a lot of racers that like to sit.
 
Some have to, due to age, like Bernard, but kids like to, also, at birthday parties.
 
You know they really want to win, after sitting in a few five-lap races, if they start standing. LOL.

[Mike Patterson]

I think the lighting is what makes the banking look steeper in the first photo.

 

There was a Sovereign at Tom Thumb East in Columbus. I ran on it with my MPC Dyn-O-Charger.

[Maximo]

Mike, examine the track has it comes away from that turn. It shows the steep angle of that bank.
 
It is obvious to my untrained eye though, but I'm old and can't say for sure!
 
-maXimo

[Mike Patterson]

David, also note the the pictures are taken from differing viewpoints. The B&W photo appears to be taken from a standing position in line with the main straight. The catalog shot was taken from a higher position, probably a stepladder, and shows most of the outside wall of the straight. The donut IS different, though. It appears that the inside wall coming out from under the bridge turns, and extends up the short straight. In the catalog photo, that wall terminates much sooner.

 

AMCR tracks were built in jigs, and some pieces/parts were used in different designs. To my eye, the only piece that is particular to the Sovereign is the bank. It runs into a King deadman, then to a Windsor (Yellow) bank, followed by another King deadman, then another Windsor bank, and into a King 90. The donut is a King item, with the addition of two short straights. The bridge and lead-on both appear to be King track items, as well. Anybody else ever notice this?

[MSwiss]

Those are not King Deadmans on the Purple Mile.

They are 180 degrees.

The Kings were much less.

That said, American tracks were somewhat module.

An example would be Jerry Kulich's first raceway, Fun Island, had an American Red with the 8ft. straightaway's removed after the Deadman and after the Finger, and it made a narrow, approximately 135-foot track.

[Dominator]

Here's a few things about the Sovereign currently at Modelville. The high bank has a lot of banking. I have never measured it but would guess it to be around 75 degrees. The two deadman turns are flat and very smooth. The amount of speed you can carry through these turns can be surprising. The two finger turns have approximately 35 degrees of bank and you usually only have to blip black and purple. They are as fast as any modern King track finger. The 90 has a few degrees of banking. The eclair/donut is completely flat leading up to the lead-on. I believe the sidewall did not carry across the bridge to allow the drivers on black and purple to view their cars easier as they came across the bridge. As it is now you lose site of your car on black exiting the turn before the bridge.

It still has the original MDF just with new paint when Gary Gerding resurrected this icon seven or eight years ago.

[MSwiss]

Dom,

 

Maybe 60 degrees on the big bank.

Google 75 degrees. It's almost vertical.

 

[grooverunner]

Mike,

 

I believe Peter told me the big bank was 70 degrees when I first when there five or six years ago. It's close to vertical.

 

Ken

[MSwiss]

No doubt it's quite banked.

 

75 just sounded high from when I raced on one.

 

I assume during a track call they slide down.

[Jeff Bechtel]

As comparison, the Alltech tracks were advertised as having a 60 degree bank on them.

[Half Fast]

There is also a very abrupt transition from the straight to the bank, I'm surprised it doesn't disrupt the car entering the bank.

 

Cheers,

[Bill from NH]

It is obvious to my untrained eye though, but I'm old and can't say for sure!

 

Max,  Dick Cafarelli, the original owner of this Sovereign, used to say that the bank at the end of the straight wasn't a stock AMR bank, but steeper. I do not think the banking in the fingers had been modified. 

[MSwiss]

A good thread on the Purple Mile, when Peter Lentros got his;

American Sovereign/Purple Mile arrives in Ashland!

A post from that thread, from Peter Lentros;

"Hey everybody, first of all the bank is 65 degrees and the length is 63 feet. It looks like 23 feet wide."

[Half Fast]

What happened to the Purple mile that was at East Northport (Long Island) NY?

 

Cheers

[Dominator]

Thanks for posting the link Mike to the original thread on the purple mile.

65 or 70 degrees is probably more accurate for the bank.

[Mike Patterson]

Someone needs to get one of these:

 

 

and go measure that puppy! Main bank, deadmen, fingers. This is important knowlege that must be made available to the masses. Or at least to me!

[Maximo]

To the masses...

 

We should document every aspect of all slot car tracks produced back in the day. Knowledge then becomes indisputable and very informative.

 

-Maximo

[Milkman]

Hi Maximo,

 

To answer your question, I believe only six or seven Sovereign tracks were built. The one pictured in your post looks like it was taken at Modelville in Framingham, MA, owned by Dick Caferelli. This was the "econo" version. In the late '60s and the '70s I raced/ran on this track almost weekly. Too bad only one of these originals is left.

[Steve Ogilvie]

There was an original Purple Mile set up in a raceway in Sarnia Ontario in the mid-'90s. It was a bit rough, a missing section of the the bank was crudely replaced and it did not work that well. I visited that store only once and do not know how long they stayed open or where the track went.

 

In the early '90s we built a Purple Mile style track for a store in New Jersey. It was bigger than 220, I think around 235. King-style donut and a footprint of 60' by 24'. It barely fit in our 64' X 40' shop.