Scalextric Digital, Analogue and Micro Scalextric at Slotcarcentre.co.uk

Getting a good layout
The basic circuit supplied with starter sets is fine to begin with, but once you have got the hang of changing lanes you will be wanting something a bit more testing. We have now built several digital tracks, with multiple lane change sections over a lap length of about 14m and lap times of around the 6 to 7 second mark. Our latest circuit has three lanes in places too.

You will need circuit design software to stand a decent chance of working through all the possible permutations discussed below. Track Power (see the software page) will enable you to plan a circuit with diverging tracks (e.g. pit lanes). Also, you can now download a free track planning tool from the Scalextric web site which will help you get the most out of the space available to you. If you need some ideas for layouts, try the Track Plans Booklet.

Scenery
If you are building a permanent circuit then why not incorporate some trackside accessories and scenery? Some model railway scenic items such as grass scatter and matting can be used, but in many cases the scale is not correct (e.g. trees, people, etc.). If you need realistic looking slot car scenery, try Slot Track Scenics or Howard Scenic Supplies.

Think cars, not lanes
We have spoken to a good many people over the years who have trouble thinking differently from the one-car-per-lane concept of analogue racing. With digital racing, if you want to race 6 cars, you really don't need 6 lanes. Why? Because everyone could just stay in the same lane all the time, which defeats the object. The idea of digital racing is to create tracks that are more realistic in width, (3 lanes maximum, 4 at the outside - see below), but with the 6 cars now having the ability to run independently on the same lane, you bring the cars closer to each other, following each other, and thus have the challenges of overtaking, blocking, strategy and of course pit stops. With a 3 lane circuit you can do much more in terms of layout than you can with a 6-lane one, so, although all those acres of lanes on 6 and 8 lane tracks look impressive, you don't need them for digital.

Real life track width illustrations (images courtesy XPB)
Brno - one of the widest tracks all the way round, except perhaps for some of the US airfield circuits. These A1GP cars are often seen trying to go four abreast into narrower corners, with spectacular results, but here they do actually have the space to do it.	Macau - one of the narrowest tracks, along with Monaco, where competitors like these WTCC cars are in single file at several points around the lap. Almost all other tracks used in major competitions are somewhere between these two extremes.

Don't mix analogue and digital powerbases
Worth remembering that a digital circuit consists of 1) the digital powerbase, 2) digital controllers,
3) lane change pieces (optional if you want to stay in the same lane all the time, as you did in the old days - perhaps to use Scalextric RMS, but rather defeats the object of digital racing), and 4) track (any type of track that connects to Scalextric Sport track using the usual connector pieces, such as older analogue Scalextric, SCX or Ninco track).

You can't run analogue (non-chipped) cars on a circuit that has any of the first three in it. But you can run chipped cars on a circuit with the analogue power base and controllers. If you are creating a permanent or semi-permanent circuit that might need the ability to be analogue/digital flexible, bear in mind the ease with which you can replace the digital powerbase, controllers and lane changers. If you leave any of these connected up, you won't be able to run your analogue cars should you wish to.

From 2009 an analogue/digital switchable powerbase will be available which overcomes some of this issue, although lanechangers will still need removing or disabling to run analogue mode.

Sort out your lane changes
The main consideration in designing the track is the amount of space required by the lane changers. Try and arrange it so that when using corner lanechangers there are alternating opportunites as you go round the lap, to swap from each lane. You will need to accept that you probably won't have the space (or funds!) to have a lane change opportunity at every corner, so, having swapped to a given lane you will probably have to suffer being on the outside of one or more bends before you have the next chance to swap.

You should try and space your lane changes out evenly round the circuit - it's very frustrating having to drive half a lap with no opportunity to get past someone, then have four lane changes in quick succession.

Since 2006 Scalextric produced a straight lane-changer which will help to provide additional overtaking opportunities and resolve some of the issues regarding evening out opportunities to overtake around the lap. If you have a small space you may not be able to fit many of these in to your circuit as they are 1.5 standard straights long but certainly worth trying to fit one in perhaps on your main straight. You may need one to help people get across to the pit lane at the end of the lap for example. An important point to note about the straight lane changer is not to place it directly after a sharp R1 bend, as the centre line of some cars will pass over the track sensor at an angle, and not activate the lane change (depending on the position of the LED in relation to the wheels). A quarter straight between the curve and the lane changer will sort it out.

Crossovers
You might think that crossovers, either the old straight "Classic" Scalextric ones or the more modern "racing crossovers" would be obselete with the arrival of lane-change pieces. In fact, including an odd number of these in your circuit actually doubles the length of your "logical lap". In analogue tracks you have to use crossovers in pairs to ensure the electric current is back on the right lane by the time it gets back to the powerbase. On digital it doesn't matter, so if you have a single crossover, it means that if you do nothing at every lane-change opportunity you will still come round on the next lap on the other lane. This means you have to keep a mental map of the best route round a pair of laps. And then this assumes that you don't have to break your rhythm to overtake someone, or spin off, etc. It does however force cars to cross paths, which you may not find desirable if you are already crashing too much!

Layout ideas to start you off

Our 8x4 "Digital Racer" layout
Here we have created a layout that will fit into an area 8 feet by 4 feet (2.4m x 1.2m approx). There is room for a pit building on a pit lane, and three lanechangers, plus the powerbase and lap counter, so you can have a complete digital experience in a smaller space.

8x4 Digital Racer with space for Pit Lane Game
Here's a revised version of the above circuit with the pit lane repositioned and lengthened to provide room for the C7041 pit lane game.

Digital Flyer layout
If you aren't keen on all those 180 degree hairpins, by using a flyover you can ease a couple of them, as in this "Digital Flyer" layout. Still keeping the same overall area, pit lane and number of lanechangers. You will need to make sure the flyover is properly supported, with good track connections and easy to get your hand under to fish cars out.

On both our versions above we have also shown borders and barriers for all the critical areas, you could add more if you wanted. If you would like more information and accurate cost details for circuits like these, and cars to go with them, please get in touch. Most people seem to be building their circuits from components already in their possession, e.g. from a set, and then contacting us for the extra pieces they need. The cost of doing this would be in the region of £200 to £350 depending on your base set. To build them from scratch would perhaps cost in the £500 to £750 region depending on the number of borders you are going with.

Layouts with junction crossovers
There seem to be quite a few digital layout designs around on the internet these days that incorporate a 4-way junction crossover (C8210) in the layout to enable more track to be fitted in a smaller space. These track pieces are great for "crash and bash" type sets with low-detail sturdy cars, but are really not suitable for digital circuits, particularly not if you are planning to use F1-type cars, as their front wings will not stand up to repeated crashing at right-angles into other cars. They will just get broken and you will end up with lots of arguments and repair bills. And of course they are not realistic, since other than stock car and banger tracks, no real circuits use them.

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