32 replies to this topic

[PCH Parts Express]

How many eight-lane tracks are in storage? They are better off set up and used.  

[Zippity]

42

[Pablo]

Scott, I agree. But times have changed. Big tracks take up lots of space, which costs money. Old racers are getting sore bones and are too fat to lean over eight lanes to marshal the bank on a King. (  )

 

The days of having enough patrons to support eight lanes are long gone, with the exception of places like Chicagoland, Port Jeff, SoCaL, SpeedZone, and others.

 

There are probably more eight-lane tracks in landfills than there are in storage. If I had a huge house and if I wanted to learn G7, I'd have a blue King. Instead I have a two-lane toy track in my master bedroom for when my grandson visits.     

[Mike K]

Scott-

 

How many eight-lane tracks do you have set up in your shop???

[NSwanberg]

42

 

Is the answer to many questions.

[John Luongo]

Great argument, Pablo, for a well-designed, compact six-lane track.

 

Best regards,

[Bill from NH]

I never saw anyone try to marshal the bank of a King or did I ever see it needed.  I won't question that as we get older, we get slower. But that happens on even four-lane club and home tracks.

[MattD]

Actually, there are 43 tracks in storage and over 20 of them are junk and not worth rebuilding. We have offers of free tracks online from time to time, as guys are tired of storing or paying storage and a lot of time nobody wants the tracks for free. The days of an eight-lane at home are nearly over. Space considerations are a big issue, so is money and the number of racers interested in racing. A four-lane track is much more suited to the basement or garage.       

 

We may change the type of chassis and speed over the years, but slot racing is still racing, whether it is 1/32 cars or 1/24 cars. Whether they have 18K motors or 40K motors. Even setting up a Carrera plastic track will keep slotting alive.    

[Pablo]

I never saw anyone try to marshal the bank of a King

 

You never saw a car launch in the straights, hit the top of the wall, then bounce down to the gutter? Or just go completely over the wall?     It hurts to lean over that far without a grabber.  

[Bill from NH]

No king I ran on ever had a bank marshal, inside or outside the bank.. Launched cars to the inside of the bank, usually on the floor, were track calls. The same applied to the Sovereign. which had a much steeper & larger bank than a king.

 

 

A King Cobra that I saw, but not ran on, in Palmer, MA  had a foot bridge over a short straight that a marshal could use to walk over the track to the inside to pick up cars.

[old & gray]

I never saw anyone try to marshal the bank of a King or did I ever see it needed.  I won't question that as we get older, we get slower. But that happens on even four-lane club and home tracks.

 

You just weren't at the right races. I remember when the previous race was required to marshal the next race (or no points/prizes). Half way through the race director held the start of a heat and took 'marshal attendance,' four guys were leaning on the outside of the bank 'marshaling' (Yes, he reassigned them to other places.)

 

Others can tell stories of Elmsford where you couldn't get a track call when a car took a bathroom break.

[Bill Seitz]

Now that tracks have wider than 4" lanes, an eight-lane track is about 3.5' wide, and it's a challenge to reach out and pick up your car from black or purple in front of the driver's station. I have a freakishly proportioned body with 37" inseam in a 6'4" stature with extra long arms to go with those really long legs. Combine that with being slim, fit, and agile for my nearly 68 years, and even I have a stretch to reach my car on black or purple. However, in consideration of fellow "slotties" that may be less able than myself, I have started frequenting those lanes when practicing to save the easier to reach lanes for others.

 

More than nearly 25 years ago, I lived in a house with a 24' x 48' unfinished basement. I dreamed of putting a large track in there, but with obstructions like stairs and support columns, that would have been a challenge. I never did put a track in the basement, and probably a good thing because I moved away and have not had anywhere since that could accommodate anything large. I finally do have a home track, but far smaller that my earlier dreams. Thankfully, technology has allowed slot cars to still go very fast in a much smaller space, and I can enjoy my C12 and an occasional run with 27 Lite on my 26' x 8' footprint, three-lane banked track.

[Jaz]

Others can tell stories of Elmsford where you couldn't get a track call when a car took a bathroom break.

 

I witnessed this on several occasions.

[Michael Jr.]

Actually, there are 43 tracks in storage and over 20 of them are junk and not worth rebuilding. We have offers of free tracks online from time to time, as guys are tired of storing or paying storage and a lot of time nobody wants the tracks for free. The days of an eight-lane at home are nearly over. Space considerations are a big issue, so is money and the number of racers interested in racing. A four-lane track is much more suited to the basement or garage.       
 
We may change the type of chassis and speed over the years, but slot racing is still racing, whether it is 1/32 cars or 1/24 cars. Whether they have 18K motors or 40K motors. Even setting up a Carrera plastic track will keep slotting alive.    

When a good eight-lane comes up for free, please let me know. I have future plans and don’t necessarily agree with the landfill for eight-lLane racetracks viewpoint.

[Michael Jr.]

My Hillclimb... now a week in storage, had a high bank. The way to make it easy to marshal was a 6 ft long and 6 inch high platform for the marshal to stand on. From that vantage point behind the bank he could easily reach the bottom of the track. We also had some good grabbers handy.

These obstacles can be overcome without throwing out an entire tradition of racing and building backwards or down. Let’s find ways to encourage additional commercial tracks rather than encourage a feeling of hopelessness and retreat to basements and garages.

[MattD]

It is shame so many tracks have gone to landfills. Watch Slotblog for free tracks. They have shown up a few times over the years.
 
Free: King track - TAKEN!

[Michael Jr.]

It is a mystery to me... I wasn't on Slotblog when that King was offered but there are other tracks, just not claimed.

 

Everyone laments they don't have space or whatever but there are a few of us out here that have designs on some additional tracks. Good friend in Charlotte had a collection of various tracks stored that he works on and brings back to his own place or sells. 

 

For my part, if a good track is to be given away, I'm going to store it and put in a rotation with my existing tracks or... God willing, in a second location in a couple of years. Let's not throw the good tracks away. I understand if a track is beyond saving. Sometimes it happens but otherwise, let's get them in dry storage or on the floor of a slot car shop. 

 

And there better not be a single track from Buzz-A-Rama that disappears. I understand ERI had some disappear?

[Cheater]

Michael,

 

If you're referring to the tracks from Elmsford Raceway, the word is that they were sent to the landfill in a dispute with the landlord. Although they were very famous tracks, most would tell you they were well beyond their prime.

[Michael Jr.]

I had heard that. But there is something to be said for restoring a track that has earned its place. I'm sentimental about inanimate objects for some reason. I understand the commercial value of a new track. Just hate to see our history in a landfill.

[Cheater]

Michael,

 

Surely by now you have come to realize that the average 1/24 slot racer cares little or nothing about the history of the hobby. There are some, but very few who do.

Respect for the history of the slot car hobby is one of the foundational planks of Slotblog.

[Phil Hackett]

42

 

The answer to the ultimate question.

[MattD]

Phil, it is 43!!

[Michael Jr.]

https://www.facebook...878425696417662

 

Here is an 8 lane track up for free. I've asked for a picture of the track assembled but there isn't one available.  I'm not able to pull together any additional information.  I seriously doubt this would be race ready in a week. This looks like a project for a guy with some building skill or at least serious repair skill.  If I had inherited my grandfathers eye and hands for wood I would grab all these free ones and sell them back to you guys and make some money but alas.... wood has never liked me and straight lines isn't in my lexicon.

[Paul Menkens]

any idea where it's located? by the looks of that garage there's a lot more stuff then the track to move before he can use it to do any work in it. too bad it isn't at least laid out in some approximation of it's layout and so it's condition could be guessed at, or if it's even complete. looks like this one may be a lost cause

[Michael Jr.]

This isn't to far from Spartanburg, SC.  I will get a more exact location if someone is interested.  I'm asking for more info as well.  It's hard to tell anything from a couple of pieces of track sitting with various other materials scattered around.  I know he had planned to use it as a commercial track but life circumstances and other priorities didn't permit so he is just letting it go.