Lack of new Scalextric track pieces

[troy_sinclair]

I have seen the new 2016 Scalextric catalogue and by my reckoning it's more than 10 years since Scalextric manufactured any new track pieces for their adult range.

I don't understand why when we get a constant surfeit of new cars every year and the development of race control/ power systems continue apace with ARC, the production of new interesting challenging track pieces has ceased.

Can anyone inform why this very important component of the product mix has been neglected for a decade?

 

 

 

 

 

[Blagard]

Troy

I have seen the new 2016 Scalextric catalogue and by my reckoning it's more than 10 years since Scalextric manufactured any new track pieces for their adult range.

I don't understand why when we get a constant surfeit of new cars every year and the development of race control/ power systems continue apace with ARC, the production of new interesting challenging track pieces has ceased.

Can anyone inform why this very important component of the product mix has been neglected for a decade?

 

Pretty negative in every way. How about making a positive contribution and advise what important component you are saying they should be making? Essentially for a race track there is pretty much all you should need especially with Digital for pit lanes etc. Now with race control software there has been great development albeit slow. But I'm sure a good idea will be most welcome.

 

[Andy P.]

I tend to agree with Blagard. You have all the pieces you need to build up to an 8 lane analog track (and 4 lanes banked curves) and with the exception of the lane change curves you have all you need for digital.

They have introduced 90° R2 curves within the past year which I love as it cuts down ever so slightly on build time.

The "classic" pieces, such as the Goodwood chicane, hump bridge and tight chicane can be readily bought used and added in using adapters (as can track from other Spanish manufacturers).

To be honest though, those "classic" pieces won't really be that popular with most people today. While most racers know their cars will crash having a piece of track that basically makes it a foregone conclusion that there will be an accident is frowned upon in most circles.

The current C8246 "side swipe"/chicane track that is available only allows the cars to "trade paint" and I am pretty sure that that is the most most racers will want happening to their cars.

Personally I think Scalextric has done a good job of positioning Micro as the fun kids product and keeping the Sport line open enough for novices and professionals alike.

Carrera does a similar thing with their Go! and Evolution/Exclusiv series.

The only piece I think they could add would be a straight crossover ideally as a standard or standard and a half as opposed to a double straight and radius 2 or 3 "squeeze" curves that you can use with the side swipes above.

I have hacked up some R2 curves to make squeeze curves and they work but it would be good to have something "professional".

 

[troy_sinclair]

Thank you for your comments Blagard and Andy P.

As a Scalextric user for 40 years I have all the old specialist classic pieces and still try to incorporate some in my set up but it's interesting that you think not improving and developing the track in anyway shape or form for 10 years isn't a negative?

Products improve through constant development, not inertia. I just find the stasis bizarre.

[Andy P.]

Like I said, I can think of a few areas but in general I can't see a whole lot of new stuff coming..

[tony_white1]

I don't know if Troy's idea is all bad...

Sports standard straight x over would be good for Pit lane complexes in digital...

Digital chicane complex (that has better slot profile than using digital pit lane C7015 and C7014 combinations)

Single lane C7016 with added opto sensors for Pit in/out sensing or sector sensing etc....

Bring back a revision 2.0 of R2 digital lane change tracks that were around at the starts of Ssd (some R3 or R4 versions would be a great addition as well)

R4 and R2 single lane modules (instead of getting ugly daggie shapes from using 2 lane pieces) could be useful to recreate an authentic digital pit lane...

These are all ideas..but if you don't advance you do get run over in business...so why shouldn't scalextric develop? Afterall this forum should be monitored by their R+D department as it effectively a free think tank...