One glaring need came away from running three cars at a time yesterday- the need to differentiate lanes 1 - 4.

What's the suggested tape to run an entire track length?

Vinyl pinstripe tape is popular, available at auto parts stores, though you may have trouble finding all the colors you want. I had trouble getting the tape to stick, especially around corners. Maybe I didn't clean track well, or was applying tape too taunt.

Paint pens work well, but you are making a committment.

Here is a thread discussing lane markings:

http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=197208&highlight=stripes

Most guys seem to prefer paint pens. I use the Elmer's ones myself, found in many stores (got mine in WalMart craft section).

http://images.yuku.com/image/pjpeg/ca0252a4a3777f7aceb9facbee2fc34ae526106.jpg

I used pens as well. Less expensive than tape, I went with running the pen in the guide pin slot.
The colors are very visable and haven't had any rub off yet.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/HO111507III.jpg

I like the look of continous lane striping, and have done this on both tracks that I built. It's really more of a visual effect, then serving a purpose like getting a car back into the correct lane.

Infrequent markings is all you really need, and when a car deslots, you put it back at the closest track with a lane marking.

If you paint continous lines, be prepared for some extra effort if you ever change your layout, and want to reuse the track. You may have to paint over your stripes, or remove them - both of which can be done, albeit with varying results.

For my next track, I'm just going with the occassional lane markings.

Another good use for the paint pens is for marking the outside edge with a white stripe like real tracks. That it is if you'e going for realism.

Another alternative to stripes all the way around the track is small markers in areas prone to crashes and in front of the lane stations:

http://planetofspeed.net/slots/VS-lane-marking.jpg

SlottV,
I noticed the triangles on your track before. Did you do those by hand or was there a secret to how neat and even they turned out.

Scaf,
Your next track? :cool:

Scaf,
Your next track? :cool:

Well, my current track build. :)

You can also get rolls of little colored sticky dots at office max etc.. for marking the windshied...really helps marshals... :thumbsup:

SlottV,
I noticed the triangles on your track before. Did you do those by hand or was there a secret to how neat and even they turned out.
Thanks, glad you think they're neat and even. :cool: -they're painted by hand with Testors enamel. They actually help with direction too when a new person is racing or marshalling. We have them in front of the lane stations, in corners and other places where cars deslot often. If there aren't any lane colored arrows in the area a car crashes, you don't need to look far to see one and know which lane to put the car on when someone calls the color.

I tried tape before. It ends up curling and pulling up after a few track cleanings. And corners will pull up first because you are stretching the tape to bend, and the surface is too rough to adhere correctly as the material tries to relax back into shape. The tape is made to adhere to smooth car paint, not a rough surfaces. Might work on a PVC routed track though.

Painting your lanes completely around the track may be ideal for many, especially serious racers without landscaping as it offers an 'at a glance' view of what lane you are on anywhere on the track. One drawback I have heard in painting the actual slot is your cars will end up having that paint all over the bottom and around the pin area from scraping it in the slot.

-Scott

We have had great success with painted lines. No problem with paint on the guide pin or chassis bottom. Let the paint dry overnight and it won't come off on the cars.
Heres a trick for line painting..

Get some styrene plastic sheet,
Slot width is great,(Little thinner would do also)
Cut a piece about 2" wide by 3" long, Round corners going into slot,(Helps slide better)
Place in slot, Place tip of paint pen against styrene,
slide the pen and styrene around the slot.
Presto, Instant striping without having to be an expert. :thumbsup:
Make 4 so your colors don't bleed together when painting other colors.
Happy Painting.