Does anyone model slot cars on their layout?

My memories of slot cars are that I spent as much time retrieving and repairing the cars as actually running them.  Yeah, BREAKNECK SPEEDS, that's what I remember.  Regulating the speeds in those days:  Fast, very fast, and fly-off-the-track-super-fast.   

I had a lot of fun with slot cars (Aurora HO) and trains (American Flyer) when I was a kid. So now I have a Carrera Go 1:43 slot car track set up (4 lane analogue) that I have a lot of fun with and intend to integrate into my O-gauge train layout. Instead of the stock 15v DC transformers that came with the track, I use two variable 0-17V HO scale train transformers. Not only are the cars now designed with magnets to stay on the track better, now I can set the power to a point where the cars do not travel at breakneck speed. This also allows younger kids, who have little sense to slow down before a curve, to play with it for longer periods of time. 

I don't know if this violates any rules, but here is a link to my website with info on my track that I set up at the June Big Bend Model Railroad Club Train Show in Tallahassee: www.tallahasseetrains.weebly.com. I intend to integrate the car track with train tracks to enhance the experience. 

I had a 1:43 Carrera on my layout before 'Streets, and recently bought a set to play with again, in order to write the three pages attached here.  

Some folks on this forum know I am working on a couple of books about 'Streets (SuperStreets and E-Z Street).  The attached three page section was written for that first of those two books: there just was not enough room and so it is not included.  But I think it objectively compares the two on their virtues.  which you want depends what you want: I wish I had room for both but I don't, so have only 'Streets.  

Oh, and BTW - since I didn't carry it into the book its not really proofread well.  Has some typos . . . 

Frank, I agree with you regarding the size of the vehicles.  But a friend of mine has an extensive amount of SuperStreets in his downtown area and the action that it creates is so fun to watch that it is almost better than the actual trains.  He also has working traffic lights at his main intersection that actually stop the cars on red and that is fascinating to watch. 

Art

I see the Carrera cars at my local hobby shop and it appears that they are less expensive per car then the new E Z Street vehicles. Don't know anything about the track set up for Carrera. 

When I had my H.O. race cars they needed a special power section to supply power to the track. With the Life Like track if you used too large a screw head with the H.O. car track the cars bump the screws, or you have to counter sink the top of the screw holes with a drill. The old Aurora H.O. (not AFX)race track had larger screw holes to take a wide head screw.

With Super Streets & E Z Streets you have half curves that let you make a smaller size curve, also the little sewer covers pop off to hide the screws to fasten it down.

Also with Super Streets you can supply power to any 10 inch section of straight track.

I am just throwing a few ideas out here for comparison.

Lee Fritz

Thank you GUYZ for all the input. 

GARY GRAVES, I like the idea with the 0-17 V trandformer so the cars won't go flying off the track at those breakneck speeds. 

Who knows maybe Lionel or MTH might read this and come up with something in the near future?

TANKS again GUYZ!!!

Well....to respond to a comment above....  Those of you that have been following what Lee Willis and a couple of other folks here on the forum have been doing to convert scale vehicles so that they will run on "Streets" know that it can be done.  There are options for those folks that are inclined to run vehicles which are more in scale with scale trains found on many member's layouts.  If one is going to be more traditional with the track and trains, then I feel the stock vehicles may be of less concern.  Either way, I look forward to the book(s) that Lee will have available coming soon.  AND...thanks Gary for the link to your set up...it was great!!

Alan

the cars are about a third the cost and as I said in the attachment I posted, less durable, too.  

I'm not sure what you mean by half curves. Streets curves are available only as 45 deg sections - eight to a circle.  Carrera has similar size curves (eight to a circle) and some half sizes I think, although all I had was the eight-to-circle. 

You can isolate and run different blocks with Carrera track, too, if you want.  

LEE,

  Thank you for all the info in your book.  It would be nice if Lionel would bring out a 2 lane streets, also cars that have a better looking wheel.  Your 54 De Soto looks good but wish they had better looking wheels.

This question is for Lee or any modeler who knows.....

Is the E-Z Street System, considered to be a slot car operation.

Thanks

I plan to use a modified slot car trackage to animate some coal trucks on my layout. I have acquired materials but yet to start. 

I recently added then removed a Carrera Go oval with extra wide radius turns.  The cars were just too fast for a 4x8 layout.  Would really need a 30' layout with long straights to do 1/43 slot cars justice

I don't consider E-Z Streets slot cars.  The distinction I make is: Superstreets and E-ZStreet are made for running slowly (scale speeds,cruising) on a layout.  Slot cars are made for racing at fantastic speeds.   Read the comparsion in the document I posted above: it was a side by side comparsion (like in the first photo there) of Carrera and Streets.  

Slot cars are great fun with trains.

Lots of other great threads and Lee has done a great job with the Super Streets and custom cars!

I have a wood 1/32 track built in 1960 that I built a loop of track around and have trains running overhead in the room and underneath.

Lots of fun! 16x8 4 lane.

I use a DC model train transformer on each lane. Can have cars running constantly or race mode they go really fast!