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Slot Cars - An Introduction To A Fantastic and Enjoyable Hobby

By: Rob Chasen


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You have heard of slot cars and doubtless in some way, shape or form played with a slot car. They have been around ever since the late 1950's. The initial types of slot cars were hand-crafted from electric train pieces and clock gears. It was only a few years later that slot racing sets were being commercially produced and offered.

Fast forward to today. There are 3 scales or sizes of slot car sets that you can purchase. The smallest and most well-liked due to that fact that it takes up so little room is identified as HO which is 1/87 scale. This is a tad misleading since the HO cars are actually 1/64 scale. No one really cares apart from those who build HO train layouts and combine HO slot cars into the layout. Then the size relation is evident.

The next scale is what is typically produced in China and sold at merchants Toys R Us or Target beside the HO sets. These cars are in the range of 4” in size. They are not as high-speed or complex as the HO cars surprisingly, but the price is typically half, making these sets very popular on price.

The last size of slot car that is available in a set with track and controllers is the 1/24 scale. These have become very expensive due to the fact that they are made in Europe primarily and are so precisely scaled and detailed, it is striking to everyone. The tracks that come with the sets are also a much better quality than that of the 1/43 scale. Some of these sets incorporate circuitry which allows two or more cars to run on the same lane but controlled by different drivers. Made of plastic, the track snaps together in sections and are either 2 lane or 4 lane layouts. The electric power comes from an AC power pack delivered to steel rails along the slots

The controllers themselves make a big difference in the price. Sometimes called pistols or rheostats by new racers, these are grasp in the hand with a trigger depressed to control the car speed. The top controllers are after market made by Parma.

Slot cars are offered in the style of any race car you can imagine. There are first-rate examples of NASCAR, rally, Formula 1, GT1, Indy car and even many street cars form all eras. Characteristic of 1 32 slot cars are magnets on the bottom of the car to keep it in the slot and make it simpler for non experienced racers. This is the reason steel rails are incorporated instead of copper. Some of these slot cars even come with working headlights and taillights.

Like all popular hobbies, there is a professional and commercial element also. These slot cars are very expensive and very hard to locate. I will leave this topic for a future lesson.

A hobby that has lasted more than 60 years must be worth trying. Get your slot car set today.

Article Source: http://depositarticles.com/

R. Chasen is an avid racer who learned most of what he knows from the slot car website slotcarsforever.com. If you can't afford the big slot cars then find out how to get a much better job with this super resume writing guide, because slot cars rule and must be funded.

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