I'm thinking an AFX Super International set would be a good beginner to intermediate 4 lane set for me to start out with. I'm not sure exactly how much space I'll have, but probally looking at a 3x10 or 4x8 or something like that.

Would I be trying to cram 10 pounds of potatoes in an 5 pound sack if I bought two of the Super sets? Maybe I should just look at some additional track pieces to add to a single set, but when I look at the price of a set (about 135.00/ea on that auction site) versus sigle piece track costs, I think I come out ahead with purchasing two sets.

My eight year old keeps asking me when we're going to start runnig cars again so I'd like to set something up for him that's four lanes, but interesting/challenging enough for us both. Opinions?

That is a great set to start out with. With 2 sets you might end up with a bunch of pieces you don't need. Check out http://www.hoslotcarracing.com/ for layout ideas. He has a lot of different layouts for different table sizes and he gives lists of what pieces you will need. Some are based off of the Super International set.

This is a track I had and run great for all cars.
It was built out of 2 AFX /Tomy sets. The 4 lanes.
It is a copy of the orig. Wizzard track he first built.
Can be shortened or lengthened. This is 4x16..
There is a pic of the track in my photos if you need a pic..

Ron,
As Roddgerr mentioned, check out Greg Braun's site at www.hoslotcarracing.com

When you get there, go to the Layouts link. The very first example you will see is derived from combining all of the pieces from the Super Int'l and 4-Way Split sets, and it fits on a 4x8 sheet of plywood. Before committing myself to a larger layout, I bought both sets and set this one up as a floor track in a spare bedroom. It was a fast setup and was a lot of fun to run on.

I also liked that combining the two different sets gave me two separate sets of cars having different body styles.

Whatever you decide, I hope that you and your son have a blast together. I know you will :hat:

Thanks for the responses. Looks like we'll have to try and go with a 4x8 layout to get what I'm looking for. The Whitefish Bay 43 from the above mentioned site hoslotcarracing.com looks like a good choice--and with Richard Petty's number in the title, I don't see where I could go wrong. My only concern is my 8yr old reaching acoss 4ft to get a de-slotted car, but we'll figure that one out when we get there. Thanks again for the help.

Ron

Ron, check out his door frame layouts as well, at 36" it's quite a bit easier to reach across for an 8 year old. I went with the Oak Creek 36 when I first started and it was a great layout and you only need 1 extra 15" straight aside from the Super International set to get going....

My only concern is my 8yr old reaching acoss 4ft to get a de-slotted car, but we'll figure that one out when we get there.



Hey txronharris-Good luck with your new track build.Its something you and your son will enjoy.Be sure to keep us posted on your progress.This place helped me out a ton with good info when i put my layout together.Lots of knowledgable people here willing to help.As far as reaching deslotted cars across the table-you need a telescoping magnet on a stick.Works great and only cost few dollars at most hardware stores.:)

Ron, check out his door frame layouts as well, at 36" it's quite a bit easier to reach across for an 8 year old. I went with the Oak Creek 36 when I first started and it was a great layout and you only need 1 extra 15" straight aside from the Super International set to get going....

Good point. That would also be easier to store as well since it could be rolled under the bed. Since I need a four lane raceway, the Tuckaway 25 looks like it might be a candidate as well. Thanks for the tip.

Before I scaled down my four laner to a door size track, I had a 5'X14" table outfitted with a nice little TOMY AFX layout that used two of the International sets. I picked up two so I would have the key pieces for a four laner such as the power tracks. Plus I was able to use the four wall warts until my power source arrived. The few pieces had left i shipped off to someone in need. At the time, it was the cheaper of two ways to build the larger setup. Plus I was able to dump four cars and get some $ back. :)

:thumbsup::thumbsup: rr

I would be more inclined to buy a Super International (SI) and a 4 Way Split (4WS) instead of two SIs. Or a SI and a Long Beach to pick up some 18" turns. The 4WS has a good number of 12" turns and while the SI has a good collection of 15" straights it is a bit too heavy in the 6" turn department for me. I also like the 4 GTP cars that come with the 4WS.

I've built several portable tracks on door slabs & they work great. They are light weight & stay flat so you don't have to worry about warping or need any elaborate framework. The 3 foot width is easy to reach across and if you have the space you can join a couple together end to end or in an "L" shape.

If your going to build a layout on a door, why not pick up one of those plastic banquet tables? They come in several sizes, including 36" x 96", and they already have the legs on them. The tops are texured, so paint the top green, lay the track, add the shoulders and fencing, and you're racing. I had that before I built my 16' x 4' setup.

Rich

www.myspace.com/northtexasslotcars

...why not pick up one of those plastic banquet tables?

I always look longingly at those, but I've never bought one. A 30"x72" table will set you back about $60, according to the first couple I checked online, certainly $30 or so, even if you luck out and find a sale. Some of the plastic tables I've seen flex in the center, and polyethylene is tough to get paint to stick to.

Hollow-core doors run about $1.00-$2.00 at garage sales, free when stacked against dumpsters, and 10 bucks at secondhand building supply shops. In a couple of years of occasional garage sale-ing I've built up a collection of various sizes, from 9" wide (bi-fold closet doors) to 36" wide, for doing temporary train layouts, slot circuits, and wargames tables. The 36" wide ones make a great "get all your Christmas wrapping done in one night" temporary work-surface. The edges are square and solid wood, so it's easy to screw driver-stations to or under them, screw two together, or widen them (for that "almost fits:cool:" trackplan) by screwing a 1x2 along all or part of one edge. You can make a convenient carry-handle from rope and two screws, which makes moving the door a 1-hand job.

The downside is that the thin surface material grips nails, but not very strongly except at the solid edges. Okay for temporary layouts, but for permanence, you may need adhesive, like silicone seal, helping to hold down the track.

For legs, a couple of wooden TV-dinner tables, (also common at garage sales and thrift stores) provide a surprisingly stable support, fold flat for storage, and are light to carry. Folding saw-horses also make good legs.
-- D