Tony’s been in touch. He’s used HO model trains cars, and a bit of imagination for a very fun layout:
“Hi Alastair,
The task was how to integrate my love of model railways and the grand kids desire to race their model cars around a race track.
Main board is 8’x4’ then extended across window into goods yard and made a loop back to main side.
Please see finished project which has us all happy now!
Love your posts and ideas from members!
Kind regards
Tony from Stockport”
A big thanks to Tony for his HO model train cars fun! It’s easy to see why the grands kids love it.
Tony’s also reminded me of Sheldon’s layout – I think the helicopter reminds me of his bi-plane pic.
For me, I like Tony’s (and Sheldon’s) layouts so much because of a very simple point – both layouts have a theme. And for me, that makes the difference.
Readers of the blog will know I’m always banging on about two things:
1) Make a start
2) Have a theme in mind from day one.
It’s the layouts with a theme that always stand out…
That’s all for today folks.
Please do keep ’em coming.
And if today’s the day you start your layout, the Beginner’s Guide is here.
Best
Al
PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.
Do the train and cars paths ever cross? Interesting to know. Please give us a shot of the larger project to see it in its entirety.
Nice layout Tony. My own memories of slot cars involved a lot of spectacular crashes with the cars flying a long way from the track – do you spend a lot of time repairing scenery? 😁
A fantastic layout you have built there Tony ..well done
superb!
Tony ; I kind of took a liking to ur layout. Looks cool actually. Would have liked seeing those cars bust around the corners . Send in a video.
The Critic
Nice layout Tony. Incorporating the slot car track in the model railroad done very well. Bet the grandkids love that. Thanks for sharing. Cary B
This is, by far, the mist masterful blending of race track and model railroading ever posted on this web site. Hats off and trophies to Tony.
Looks great! You have been able to integrate the race track rather well with the model railroad. Not an easy task to do.
I like it,really cool setup!!
Looks great, love the raceway. Have not seen that in awhile Great job.
Congrats Tony!!!!!
You got a compliment from “The Critic”
He tosses compliments around like manhole covers.
Kudos to you Tony. As everyone has said, it is a very nice incorporation of both. Your 4 foot x 8 foot layout sure has grown!! Keep the ideas coming.
That goes together like Anchovies and Peanut Butter ? YUCK !
Tony-
Very nicely done- and looks like great fun!
Looks Great.!!!!!
You did a fantastic job incorporating two layouts together, and neither looks out of place. They compliment each other. Continue to have fun with them.
That’s neat. I love slot cars. Sadly they require a larger scale train layout to look right. I like the idea of something a little easier to work with integrated with the trains. You also have something that you can run faster while the trains go at their own speeds.
It’s like enjoying two hobbies simultaneously, but the slot cars are surrounded by scale models and nice scenery. It gives you a nice background and more of a “real” world for them. The speed of the cars versus the massive power and weight of the trains is also a nice comparison and contrast.
Frank in Orlando
Very nice. When younger I had an HO layout with slot cars and of course the never ending task of putting the slot cars back on the roadway. As a kid this was fun but I think I would find it cumbersome and difficult to continuously do this at 73. Well, if the Grand Kids enjoy it and can carefully retrieve the cars continuously then the more power to having both the trains and slot cars together. It is a tribute to your ability to do both, run trains and slot cars together, Thanks for sharing something I have forgotten about.
When I did my first HO layout, slot cars were a big thing!
I actually used the slot car track in my layout with train crossings, semi trailer trucks, the whole nine yards!
I also incorporated a “N” Scale train around my
mountain as a coal train! It worked great!
Cannot say which is more impressive – the train layout or the slot car track. I have been into both at one time (big time slots in the mid – late 1960’s) and now back into trains for about 25 years. Best friend and I used a hand-held drill with a 1/8 router bit to create a 1/32 scale track that sat next to our two HO scale race tracks and an HO scale train layout. Fortunately, Danny’s parents had a vacant house next to theirs that became our “club” house. Who can have a whole house for such hobbies today?
Tony from Stockport……that is cool………very nice………You actually gave me an idea to add to and enhance my layout………that is to have local traffic moving on the streets in my layout. I will have to control the speed and come up with a turn around method……but all of the tools are built into the racing car tracks and vehicles. Just a matter of incorporating them into the layout or around the exterior of the layout……say a highway running around the layout next to the main line.
Love it!!!
Really, really cool, I had my ho race car with in my first layout 50 years ago. Great job!
Tony, I am so impressed with your combination of railroad and slot car. It’s a challenge to have a train layout and then add a slot car to the mix. Do you ever set it up so the cars flow gently down the roads without a lot of accidents? I wish you well this looks fun and when I figure out my train layout I’ll be mixing and Crossing Track with those fast cars. Thank you for sharing
Can see the labor of love. Creative setup
Where did you get the coal bin, and conveyor in the scene of the coal mine?
Thanks!
I would paint the yellow fence a darker color on the race car track. It’s overtaking the complete layout in my opinion.
Glad to see another layout with slot cars!
Really cool. NUFF said.
That’s really neat I had 1,32 eldon slots together with my O gauge trains as a kid like the narrow boat in the corner too !
LOVE the mix of trains and slot cars. I had the same issue with the grand children, wanted the speed and excitement of the slot cars. You did a nice job mixing 1/64 & 1/87th scale. The long roads help dwarf the size of the slots. To my surprise, the kids grew through the different stages, and now do both together. Makes it all the more enjoyable. Thanks for your post.
Bradspad1
Tony, I’m working on something similar. Still in planning. But my slot cars will have to deal with the trains as I have a piece of race track with an at grade crossing. Makes running the cars interesting when you have to stop for the train!!
Dan W.