Skip to main content

Replies sorted oldest to newest

I can't view what you posted, but this is what I think Lionel used to combine the railroad and the slot car using a Lionel piece of track like this.  I have never used one.  I just picked up a couple of them boxed cause I had never seen them before and haven't seen them since.  I think they were probably prototypes that were kept in Joshua Cowen's desk.  Let me know if you would be interested in one or both of them.

 

IMG_20150623_133027668_HDR

I think it would be cool to have the slot car jump over the train, like they did in the movie "Used Cars".   Now landing that jump and hitting a gap that could re-align the car in the slot would be the ultimate operating accessory.

Attachments

Images (1)
  • IMG_20150623_133027668_HDR
Last edited by aussteve
aussteve posted:

I can't view what you posted, but this is what I think Lionel used to combine the railroad and the slot car using a Lionel piece of track like this.  I have never used one.  I just picked up a couple of them boxed cause I had never seen them before and haven't seen them since.  I think they were probably prototypes that were kept in Joshua Cowen's desk.  Let me know if you would be interested in one or both of them.

 

IMG_20150623_133027668_HDR

I think it would be cool to have the slot car jump over the train, like they did in the movie "Used Cars".   Now landing that jump and hitting a gap that could re-align the car in the slot would be the ultimate operating accessory.

I think this was in the 1963 catalog.

aussteve posted: 

IMG_20150623_133027668_HDR

I think it would be cool to have the slot car jump over the train, like they did in the movie "Used Cars".   Now landing that jump and hitting a gap that could re-align the car in the slot would be the ultimate operating accessory.

Hi Aussteve,

That piece looks like it might be for HO scale cars.  I am using O scale slot cars and track, and slot car companies do make a jump over section in O scale:

http://thumbnail.image.rakuten.co.jp/@0_mall/kamehouse/cabinet/hobby/slotp/imgrc0073930998.jpg

Take care, Joe

Last edited by Joe Rampolla
Paul Kallus posted:

That is what many of us (I suspect anyway) wanted to do as kids! With SuperStreets RR crossings this is possible with O-gauge items, but few have actually done. I really tried to incorporate the Crossings into my layout but could not accomplish it. With command control it'd be awesome.

Hi Paul,

Slots now have a version of DCC, so command control is available.  

Take care, Joe.

 

zwbob posted:
aussteve posted:

I can't view what you posted, but this is what I think Lionel used to combine the railroad and the slot car using a Lionel piece of track like this.  I have never used one.  I just picked up a couple of them boxed cause I had never seen them before and haven't seen them since.  I think they were probably prototypes that were kept in Joshua Cowen's desk.  Let me know if you would be interested in one or both of them.

 

IMG_20150623_133027668_HDR

I think it would be cool to have the slot car jump over the train, like they did in the movie "Used Cars".   Now landing that jump and hitting a gap that could re-align the car in the slot would be the ultimate operating accessory.

I think this was in the 1963 catalog.

Hi ZW Bob,

   Does it say what scale slot car it is designed for?

Take care, Joe.

 

Okay guys.  Looks like all the pieces are available for this new accessory.  We just need someone to build a prototype of this Dukes of Hazard type of a O gauge slot car jumping the railroad train.  Then go into production.  I would certainly be interested in that.  So what am I looking for in the Lionel catalog (endless number of threads on this genre)  "O Gauge Slot Car Train Jump Ramp Set"

aussteve posted:

Okay guys.  Looks like all the pieces are available for this new accessory.  We just need someone to build a prototype of this Dukes of Hazard type of a O gauge slot car jumping the railroad train.  Then go into production.  I would certainly be interested in that.  So what am I looking for in the Lionel catalog (endless number of threads on this genre)  "O Gauge Slot Car Train Jump Ramp Set"

Makes sense to me!

AGHRMatt posted:

Nice work, Joe. I've followed your work since the H.O. power-truck driven vehicles you did for an OGR article years ago. Who's the manufacturer of the slot car equipment? I had looked at Artin battery-operated sets as they can be found cheaply enough for experimentation.

Hi Matt,

    Thanks for remembering that project.  That SUV is still going strong.  Here it is on the layout:

 But now that so many nice looking O scale slots are available at affordable prices, slots would be much easier and less expensive. 

   Carrera is the brand and they seem to have a good quality product at a good price.  The cars can be slowed down just by reducing the slot track voltage, but I am just getting into it and learning.

Take care, Joe.

Last edited by Joe Rampolla
DP posted:

Very ingenious.  And you're a poet too !   Have you seen the Faller Car System ?  

 Look it up on Youtube.  I think it's mostly HO scale, but I am hoping to find an O scale version, if indeed, one is available.

Hi DP,

    Thanks!   I do like the Faller system and wish they would have something like that in O scale.  I don't know if there is enough interest in O scale in Europe for Faller to consider it.   But we can hope! 

(If we get rid of tracks and slots in the road, I guess we would have to get rid of the 3rd rail, too!)  

Take care, Joe.

   

Last edited by Joe Rampolla
MTN posted:

I think 1/32nd scale slots were what Lionel sold in the 60s.

Hi MTN,

   Lionel would be wise to revisit a slot car crossover.  Takes several hours to build one yourself if you want to have little drop out of the slot car power and prevent stalling on the crossover at slow speeds.    Slots have lost popularity just like model trains, but Carrera has some innovative marketing techniques that seem to be working.  Got me interested!

Take care, Joe.

Last edited by Joe Rampolla

 I think they were probably prototypes that were kept in Joshua Cowen's desk.

 

Sorry to burst your bubble. The crossing was a production item. Lionel called their large slot cars  "standard scale", and described them as 1/32. They also made HO slot cars.
They made a "standard scale" slot car and 027 train crossing. I have a few of them.

They do tend to draw a fairly high price.

Lionel also made an HO slot car and HO train crossing. I am not certain whether I have any of them.

Atlas made one as well. Some folks think that Lionel just rebranded Atlas HO slot car equipment. It is true that many Atlas car parts fit the Lionel cars, but there are a few that are different. And I have an arbor press that was used to assemble Lionel HO slot car terminal tracks, so I guess that piece didn't come from Atlas.
Regardless, Atlas and Lionel HO slot car track is interchangeable.

I wonder how many people are familiar with Lionel's three lane slot car track?

 Here is a slot car & train crossing on EBay.

And here is another.

Last edited by C W Burfle
C W Burfle posted:

 I think they were probably prototypes that were kept in Joshua Cowen's desk.

 

Sorry to burst your bubble. The crossing was a production item. Lionel called their large slot cars  "standard scale", and described them as 1/32. They also made HO slot cars.
They made a "standard scale" slot car and 027 train crossing. I have a few of them.

They do tend to draw a fairly high price.

Lionel also made an HO slot car and HO train crossing. I am not certain whether I have any of them.

Atlas made one as well. Some folks think that Lionel just rebranded Atlas HO slot car equipment. It is true that many Atlas car parts fit the Lionel cars, but there are a few that are different. And I have an arbor press that was used to assemble Lionel HO slot car terminal tracks, so I guess that piece didn't come from Atlas.
Regardless, Atlas and Lionel HO slot car track is interchangeable.

I wonder how many people are familiar with Lionel's three lane slot car track?

 Here is a slot car & train crossing on EBay.

And here is another.

The king of slotcars, Aurora, also had a track section for their HO (really closer to S gauge) sized cars.  Aurora also made 1/48th sized slotcars for a few years, and in an odd twist, A.C. Gilbert used Aurora O gauge slotcar chassis and made their own Mustang and Aston Martin shells for a James Bond racing set.

E-UNIT-79 posted:

Joe, does Carrera make 1/48 scale cars or 1/43rd scale? Just wondering because I would definitely be interested in something like this as the only O scale cars I know of where the Aurora ones from back in the 60's but they're very rare, very hard to find and very high priced.

Hi E-Unit-79,

I am new to this, but the Carrera cars are supposed to be 1:43 scale. 

Take care, Joe.

 

Burfle, I think I might have several things that came off of Cowen's desk especially any production cars that have been left exposed to sunlight on one side.  Story is, all of those items must have come off of Joshua's desk.  Some say that dealers or individuals probably left them exposed to sunlight, but for me there is no other explanation than Joshua's personal office desk. 

DP posted:

I agree with Joe R.  Lionel would be wise to revisit the slot car market.  However, given all the advances they have made with their trains, perhaps they should consider a 1:48 scale ...

From https://ogrforum.com/t...92#52956557307554392 :

ADCX Rob posted:

Lionel has NASCAR, they should concentrate on perfecting the old PowerPassers concept in 1/64 or 1/48(or both) track racing using some form(s) of the myriads of remote technologies available and the improvements in tooling, drivetrain, power transmission, and decoration capabilities available. They would have a ready market as a cross section of those they serve now and well beyond... age groups too. With Hornby/Scalextric having a tough go of it, there may be room for Lionel.

 

Slot cars and trains perfect!

When I was a kid I used my lawn mowing and paper route money to spend at swap meets on trains and slot cars had a big layout set up in the hay loft and house.

Lots of fun.

So here is my train room no roads crossing the tracks but would be fun.  I have a 4 lane routed wood track figure 8 16x8 feet with one loop of track around the layout and many tracks from the train room run underneath the slot car track and another loop around the ceiling for long passenger trains and big steam engines. Lots of fun.

I think that the photos above show a 1/32 type slot car track. The current Carrera 1/43 track would be closest to scale with our O Gauge trains. Should be a bit of work but OK to make it all work just need to run the cars at speed to get them over the train track power cut.

 

 

IMG_9567IMG_9568IMG_9569IMG_9570IMG_9571

Attachments

Images (5)
  • IMG_9567
  • IMG_9568
  • IMG_9569
  • IMG_9570
  • IMG_9571

This is a pretty good topic. I just recently integrated my son's 1/43 Digital Carrera slot cars into the layout that he received for Christmas. We had talked about a adding RR crossing, but knew they didn't make one for O Gauge.  Seeing what you done and also watching videos, using copper tape to make track. It has defiantly given me some ideas. Is there anyway you could show picks of the crossing from the underside and how you wired it?? Also will the copper  tape support the digital signals?  Below Video is  what I have done. The car with the flashing lights is a Carrera 1/43 Mercedes SLK Safety car.

 

1-DSCF3799

1-DSCF3548-001

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-zKKlLewUE

 

 

 

Attachments

Images (2)
  • 1-DSCF3799
  • 1-DSCF3548-001
Last edited by suzukovich
DP posted:

The issue I find, with slot cars is that you basically have an Indie racetrack.   

Hi Dan,

    Someone on a slot car forum told me that they reverse the polarity of one lane on the 2 lane track to have opposing traffic.  So it doesn't have to look like a race track, especially if you paint the appropriate lines and remove the red and white stripping.

    But I agree that the Faller car system is nice.

Take care, Joe.

kj356 posted:

Slot cars and trains perfect!

When I was a kid I used my lawn mowing and paper route money to spend at swap meets on trains and slot cars had a big layout set up in the hay loft and house.

Lots of fun.

So here is my train room no roads crossing the tracks but would be fun.  I have a 4 lane routed wood track figure 8 16x8 feet with one loop of track around the layout and many tracks from the train room run underneath the slot car track and another loop around the ceiling for long passenger trains and big steam engines. Lots of fun.

I think that the photos above show a 1/32 type slot car track. The current Carrera 1/43 track would be closest to scale with our O Gauge trains. Should be a bit of work but OK to make it all work just need to run the cars at speed to get them over the train track power cut.

 

 

IMG_9567IMG_9568IMG_9569IMG_9570IMG_9571

Hi KJ356,

    Thanks for sharing the photos of your beautiful layout and track work!

Take care, Joe.

suzukovich posted:

This is a pretty good topic. I just recently integrated my son's 1/43 Digital Carrera slot cars into the layout that he received for Christmas. We had talked about a adding RR crossing, but knew they didn't make one for O Gauge.  Seeing what you done and also watching videos, using copper tape to make track. It has defiantly given me some ideas. Is there anyway you could show picks of the crossing from the underside and how you wired it?? Also will the copper  tape support the digital signals?  Below Video is  what I have done. The car with the flashing lights is a Carrera 1/43 Mercedes SLK Safety car.

 

1-DSCF3799

1-DSCF3548-001

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-zKKlLewUE

 

 

 

Hi Suzukovich,

      Looks great!  And slots add a level of interaction some children really enjoy. 

Take care, Joe.

Add Reply

Post
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×