So you guys know I'm thinking about my proposed layout and have got the fever again. Even though I won't be able to do anything for a couple months, stumbling across the "Portugal in a playroom" link got me thinking about realistic painting/borders, etc.

I think it's definately easier to make the cars look like they're apexing a turn or drifting a straight piece of track on a two lane setup, but what about doing it on a four lane AFX track? Have any of you tried it? Want to share pictures if you have? I won't have any problem painting and weathering the track, but I'm talking about striving for that little bit of realism that makes everyone go "Holy crap--that looks real".

Well. I'm guessing from the lack of replies, the answer would be "no" or "good luck trying that".

My question is more along the liine of painting the track and making the cars appear to apex corners and drift the straights by creatively using the track borders. Looking at what he did for the track I mentioned makes me think it might be possible, but not to the degree it was on a two lane track. I'm going to play around and see what I come up with.

You could do it but you'd have to sink your track into the table top and then paint the track wider than it actually is.

For example -- coming out of a turn the cars would run wide to the outside on a 1:1 track. On your HO track then you'd need to paint extra width on the inside of the track.

Then, at the next turn, the cars would be scooting towards the bottom, or apex, of the turn on a 1:1 track. On your HO track then you'd have to paint extra width on the outside of the turn.

I'm sure you could fool around with varying widths to make the cars seem to follow a more natural 'racing' line, but the illusion could be made more simple with a routed track that incorporated squeeze lane spacing into and out of the turns. Then, really, the sky would be the limit.

Who are you refering to Jason Boye and any pictures?

Just the one picture that I can find, but it certainly gives you an idea of the level of detail.

http://www.modelcarracingmag.com/20040320/Pages/yourtrack.html

Note that the sweet cars shown on the incredibly detailed track are also Jason's creations. As they say in basketball, "he got game"! :thumbsup:

http://www.f1specialties.com/main/racetrack/racetrack.html

I appreciate the routed track suggestion, but there's no way I can afford to have a routed track built right now. I'll have to make due with the AFX track, but I think that it may work out OK if I'm creative with the border placement.

I wish there was a way to get squeeze corners and other bits like that for plastic track. It seems that all the types of squeeze tracks that are available are more toy like and wouldn't really be realistic to incorporate in the layout. If AFX would produce a three piece 15inch straight set that had a transition to squeeze, squeeze, and transition back to normal, it could be incorporated in several places on a layout to make the racing more interesting. A squeeze corner set for a four lane would be killer too. But judging from the lack of new track releases, that's only a dream.

Maybe someone on this board could scratch build some sections for you that could be set in those sections like the train guys do with thier modules.

If you have the tools, creating a routed 'squeeze' section wouldn't be hard:

http://neophytte.mine.nu/forum/simpleforum_files/attachments/2008-05-28-9.jpg

I'm about to build one similar to this for a friend to connect to his AFX track.

Cheers

Richard

I've made a few turns on my 4 lane track follow more of a racing line by painting the curbings out onto the track.
In one corner I nested 2 9 inch turns inside each other filling the gap with cork. I painted curbing out onto the track surface on the inside lane as far as the slot to give the illusion that the inside car is cutting the apex. It also helped me even out the lane lengths as the inside lane had too many 6" curves anyway.
I also did a similar thing with a chicane made from 9" 1/8th turns nested inside each other and staggered instead of using the 6"1/8ths.
Sorry I don't have any pics handy but hopefully from the description you'll understand what I mean. Nowhere near the detail on Jason's tracks but it did lend a bit of realism to the layout.

I am sure Brad Bowman could make some racing line curves with Tomy 'ends' for you.

IMHO squeezes are a huge mistake, they just make somewhere that you can't pass. Making the illusion of a racing line, now that is worth doing. You could even make the cars appear to ride the kerbs, as per a picture on here in another thread....

As Cordoba mentioned a couple times, 'extra width' is what is needed. On the inside in some places, on the outside in others. And not just in the corners, but along the straights also, where the cars are finding the line to dive into the corner. Basically, you need to increase the width along the complete layout of the 'virtual' track.

I tried a 9" wide virtual track scaled down using cardboard, and decided it did not sell the concept enough to make it worth it. A 12" wide virtual track I think would work, but now, unless you have a large enough 'playroom', you are sacrificing valuable real-track area in your available space.

The idea though is very appealing, and it is a compelling argument to forego 4 lanes for 2 lanes.

I agree with Montoya- I don't like a whole turn being squeezed. Jason Boye accomplished a lot with painting techniques. Sounds like F1Nutz did the same thing.

How about some pictures F1nutz?

Jim

. . . Making the illusion of a racing line, now that is worth doing. You could even make the cars appear to ride the kerbs, as per a picture on here in another thread....

Here's how I did it:

http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/500/Deckertring2007-_049b.jpg
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/500/MinoltaToyotaLMP-_016b.jpg
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/500/medium/DSC02603B.jpg
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/500/medium/DSC02604B.jpg

I agree with Montoya- I don't like a whole turn being squeezed. Jason Boye accomplished a lot with painting techniques. Sounds like F1Nutz did the same thing.

How about some pictures F1nutz?

Jim

Sorry Jim no can do on the pics at the moment. My routed 32nd track is covering the Ho track for the summer. Similar idea to what Doba shows only painted farther onto the track surface. in one spot the inner lane inside wheel cuts across the grass. If I redo my track at some point in the future I might do more of this technique. It was kind of an afterthought on my existing track.

I'm getting a 21'' turn made with this technique.

Tomy spacing at the apex, slighty wider going in and coming out so you have a squeeze that isn't :) and a non constant radius. Plus faux kerb marking on the apex and the two exits.