1:300 / 1:220 Scale Race Track

[martink]

This post is probably pushing the limits of what is an appropriate topic here, but I thought it might be of some interest.  One idea that has been in the back of my mind since the very beginning of my experiments with linear motor trains is using the same technology for what amounts to a slotless slot car track, but in a much smaller scale than the conventional approach allows.  This is a simple test track featuring 1:220 and 1:300 cars, racing in a fully automated display mode.  It also races in human-vs-human or human-vs-computer modes.  So, after a few weeks of fiddling around and using up most of my spare track pieces, I ended up with this.  Now, with that out of my system, it is back to playing trains.

[wvgca]

the layout looks interesting to me anyways ..

[nickelplate759]

Very impressive

[MK]

Cool!     It would be interesting to see the underside of it.

[martink]

Cool!     It would be interesting to see the underside of it.

OK, there a couple of ways to parse that request, so I'll answer the most literal and show the electronics & wiring under the board.  The control PCBs daisy-chain together for different requirements, this one with the main control PCB, two motor/cab-control PCBs, and a small customization PCB for running things like the start gantry and the vibration motors in the controller handsets.  All the wiring uses plug-in cables.  I have 3 different test tracks on that board, which explains the two sets of holes and track connectors lower down that aren't wired up at the moment.

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[Mark5]

Very Badass!