Overpass

[RichD]

Most people get 3/8th MDF from shops that make cabinets. If you use 1/2 MDF you might have to do kerf cuts where the track has to bend.

[Phil Kalbfell]

Most 1/32 tracks down here use 1/2 MDF, it can be bent by by moistening both sides and be find it over several days using clamps and some scrap timber. Using 1/2 makes a much stranger track, I can walk on mine when cleaning it, or walking on scenery.

As for the overpass, draw the track out fully, then mark where the overpass will go, route the rest of the track, cut out the raised sections and elevate them. Then carefully cut and mark the overpass section, leaving it a bit longer than required, route the lanes and then trim the overpass section to fit. The overpass can be attached using some timber under the joints and screwing down.I think there is still track building section on the BSCRA site in the UK.

[Wet Coast Racer]

Phil! Good to hear from you!

[Maddman]

Not in my experience.

I can see why people would think it is so, but I have built 100s of tracks and never found it to be even remotely true

My TKO track titled "The Bear" had an overpass and lap times for all four lanes were within 0.1 second. That's a far cry from not even remotely true.

[NicoRosberg.]

And I have built tracks with overpasses where there was still a favoured lane, and still a sucky one people avoided.

[HO RacePro]

Maddman

You earned my respect long ago. You have always made valuable contributions to SCI.

Your experience with lap times on "The Bear" validate my own on my "Yorktowne Raceway" -- also a track with an overpass. Yes, each of the four lanes are distinctive enough that they require their own driving adjustments to achieve the best lap times. But given that, pretty even lap times can be achieved in each lane. Driving skill matters more than the lane.

All of the above is remotely true.

Ed Bianchi

[daufderh]

Is there an alternative to MDF that I can get? Being my first attempt at an overpass, I'm not terribly excited about "processing" it in anyway. I'm barely capable as it is and that's just one more complication that I don't need. If I can't find something else or the 3/8 MDF I may scrap the overpass for this build. Mostly I just enjoy making the tracks, The one I have now has had less than 100 laps run on it. It runs great, but I'm feeling the itch to build something new.

[daufderh]

Most people get 3/8th MDF from shops that make cabinets. If you use 1/2 MDF you might have to do kerf cuts where the track has to bend.

What would I google for to find such a place in northern Virginia?

[slotbutton]

Yes, each of the four lanes are distinctive enough that they require their own driving adjustments to achieve the best lap times. But given that, pretty even lap times can be achieved in each lane. Driving skill matters more than the lane.

If driving adjustments are needed, surely no four lanes are equal?

If you rotate through all lanes does equality matter? The best driver over all 2/4/6/8 lanes will still be the victor?

If you created the perfect equal lane track, the better driver will be the winner....as long as the controllers/cars/etc are equal....

[Wet Coast Racer]

What would I google for to find such a place in northern Virginia?

I'm seeing places like Sheets Wholesale Inc & Indoor Lumber Yard in your general area. Look for a good hardware store or wood supplier, someone that builders would use.

There's Home Hardware stores all over the place.

[NicoRosberg.]

If driving adjustments are needed, surely no four lanes are equal?

Exactly.

If you don't build a mirror track them some lanes are going to be harder than others. You might be able to build a track where the fastest lap times for each lane, over years and with many racers trying their luck, are very close, but it will probably be a different story on one night, four lanes, and differing abilities.

All of the above can apply to a layout without an overpass.

Especially if you don't nest the lanes.

RRZ.jpg

[HO RacePro]

Is there an alternative to MDF that I can get? Being my first attempt at an overpass, I'm not terribly excited about "processing" it in anyway.

I'm having trouble figuring out what scale track you are planning. For HO 3/8" MDF is ideal. For 1/32nd and 1/24th you should use 1/2".

MDF is much more flexible than you'd suspect. And I don't know of any good alternatives.

I would never expose MDF to water, and transverse cuts on the underside just aren't necessary. If you are having trouble getting MDF to bend enough, force it as close to what you need as you can, then leave it for a couple of days. MDF will take a 'set'. Give it time to relax its stress before you bend it to your final shape.

I should point out I have never had to fuss with MDF to get it formed the way I wanted it. You shouldn't either.

Ed Bianchi

[HO RacePro]

Slotbutton sez...

If driving adjustments are needed, surely no four lanes are equal? No four-lane track has equal lanes. None. But that does not mean any one lane is better or worse than the other. The right car and the right driver can exploit the advantages of any one lane to be competitive.

If you rotate through all lanes does equality matter? The best driver over all 2/4/6/8 lanes will still be the victor? Rotating through the lanes is indeed the best way to assure each driver has an equal chance at winning. Even so there is no way to assure absolute equality. Track conditions can change during a race due to dust, rubbering-in and other factors. And who you are running next to matters. Don't whine. It's part of the game.

If you created the perfect equal lane track, the better driver will be the winner....as long as the controllers/cars/etc are equal.... Yes, true. But dang it, life just isn't fair. Get used to it. You can have fun anyway. And remember, sometimes life is unfair in your favor. Don't apologize for it. You have or you will pay for it some other time.

Ed Bianchi

[RichD]

I have done a lot of IROC style racing where the cars stayed in their lanes and only the drivers rotated. The cars could be supplied by the club or by the track owner. One owner tried to assign cars to the lanes so that they could all turn equal lap times, at least with him driving them. In that case the racing tended to be very close with many of the racers having the same number of laps when the dust settled.

[NicoRosberg.]

I have never really gotten the point of IROC racing, but I have seen it 'succeed' at it's goal.

At least at slower speeds with cars that are pretty neutral. Once speeds ramp up and/or you have cars with 'vices', some push, or coast naturally, or have a lot of magnet etc, then you tend to see those who would build such characteristics into their own cars come to the fore.