[BewstdGT]

This is my first track and its about 95% done as of now, I just wanted to post some updates and get opinions or advice on what else I should/could do with the landscaping. For those who didnt see the first thread the track is 4x10 and its all Tyco track. So here are some pics of the progress from day one up until now:

The original layout
http://www.designbydan.com/pt/HOTRACK5.jpg

After the walls, rails and rumble strips
http://www.designbydan.com/pt/HOTRACK8.jpg

Overview with the latest updates
http://www.designbydan.com/pt/HOTRACK14.jpg

My Pit lane which needs more time, Im going with a leggo garage eventually
http://www.designbydan.com/pt/HOTRACK15.jpg

A nice shot of the east side
http://www.designbydan.com/pt/HOTRACK16.jpg

My favorite pic of the table so far
http://www.designbydan.com/pt/HOTRACK18.jpg

summit waterfall
http://www.designbydan.com/pt/HOTRACK25.jpg

west side of the table, which needs more scenery!
http://www.designbydan.com/pt/HOTRACK26.jpg

The last pic shows that I havent finished the area under the elevated banked section. Im not sure what to do with that. I thought about making a foam wall and painting it to look like slate or stone?? Im fishing for ideas still on how to do this part so if anyone has recommendations on what would look cool fire away!

As for the grass, Im not overly thrilled with the color. At Lowes the color looked so much greener. I still may unattach the grass/carpetting and try giving it some love with a green spray can. Right now it looks like a muddy marsh heh. Anyway, I just wanted to post some more pics and get suggestions from you gents since you are always so good with that kind of stuff. And for the record, I still cant get my lap timer stuff to work haha. Im just enjoying driving on the track period, maybe down the road I'll buy Greg's setup and get something I KNOW works. Any comments are appreciated. Cheers!

~Dan

 

[Crimnick]

It's coming along quite nicley Dan...I really like what you did with the corner hill and stuff...

As far as other scenery...what type of track is it?

a rolling highway?

a racing circuit?

that should define what you want it to look like...

houses and stores?.....bleachers and track buildings....

have you seen "portugal in a playroom" yet?

If not..here's a link...

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

check out the whole article....and click all the corner links....there are some good before and after pictures...

I'm in awe of that track...

 

[Bro-man44]

Looking Good Dan!! :thumbsup: I also have a banked section on mine that I'm still trying to figure out how to "hide the back end"!! Got a question, what is the white type railing/wall you have around the "Esses" and all around the track? The one great thing looking at your layout is that you still have alot of opportunities to add more and that is the fun of building the track!! Keep us posted and send more pictures!!

TBro

 

[coach61]

Looks great Dan! your working a lot faster then I do lol...


Dave

 

[BewstdGT]

Got a question, what is the white type railing/wall you have around the "Esses" and all around the track?

Its just thick white posterboard that I've had laying around for years. I used to be heavy into art so I had a stockpile of it. For the elevated sections all I did was bend about 1/2" at a 90* angle to tape to the table (folds underneath the wall) with 2-sided tape. Then I just traced where the track surface lined up against the paper and I drew a line to cut off the excess above the track. Then I used the 2-sided tape again on the track and the poster board to hold it flush against the side of the track. Its not the prettiest or most functional setup but my intention all along was NOT to make this a hardcore permenant setup because someday I will have a 4-lane track. Hence, lots of replacable pieces like foam, paper and tape. I could pull everything off my table in a matter of minutes if I had to. Hopefully I will have a better basement when/if I find a house so I can have a nice 18-20ft table. These 9.5 ft straights just arent enough speed for the cars geared taller.

 

[Scafremon]

Lookin' good Dan! :thumbsup:

I kind of like the color of the carpet - it has a nice look to it, even if it doesn't look real grass like.

About the laptimer, I forget where you were having troubles. If you are using reed switches and a parallel cable connection, I can help explain what I did which is working for me.

 

[martybauer31]

Looking great, I have enjoyed seeing the progression!

 

[BewstdGT]

Jeff, Im 90% positive my problems were revolving around the parallel port on my laptop. But I was still trying to get the LED's to work. One thing I found out later is flourescent bulbs have ZERO infrared signals put out so the 12" flourescent light I had been using to test wouldnt work. However, I did get the IR led's shinning down on the bulbs in the track and that didnt work either. I have a newer style laptop and I never got anything connected to the port to work. I have an old laptop that I planned to test this with again down the road when Im not fed up soldering those leads on the LED's anymore.

 

[Scafremon]

Dan,

I'm not sure how to tell if a parallel port is working correctly, but have never encountered one that was not working. I don't think your laptop being newer should be an issue - if it has the port then it should be the same as a parallel port on any old computer. One test would be to hook a printer up to it, and see if it works. I did find this "Parallel Port Checker" program a while back. Not sure what it really does, or if it works.

http://www.cenobyte.nl/slotracemanager/download.html

It would be nice to first eliminate the physical port on your computer from being the issue. Then, we can make sure your wiring mods to the parallel cable are correct, your LED wiring is correct, and then it is just software settings.

 

[roadrner]

Dan,

Looks great and looks like a fun track to run. My only suggestions would be to replace the fence retaining wall with the same stuff you used on the the other curves, white solid wall. Thanks for all the pix! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: rr