engine driver 125 Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 Hi,Having recently brought a minic motorways coach and aston martin I am suprised that Hornby have not introduced somthing similar utilising micro-scalextrics track and chassis. Working vehicles really bring an extra dimension to model railways, although I will not be able to put my minic motorways setup on my main model railway as I simply dont have the space. As the triang vehicles would work on the scalextrics track it would mean people with the old setup could add more cars and people would find it easier to start a new collection. Would you like to see moving vehicles using slot car mechanisms that compliment the old triang range in the current range? I would like to see:-Flexible track (road),-Some normal everyday 50/60's saloons (especially a Triumph Herald Saloon),-Some modern cars.What would you like to see?enginedriver125 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LCDR Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 A replacement for the old Minic system was subject of discussion on the old forum a few years ago. There was some support. Nowadays I believe we should look for something slightly more sophisticated, which reduced or eliminated the unsightly slot, and also introduced some degree of flexibility. With micro technology something quite sophisticated ought to be possible even at 1 : 76 scale. Induction charging, digital wireless control and even some kind of linear induction propulsion should all be possible. If you have seen 'T' gauge you should believe that it should be possible. Perhaps the Japanese will develop something first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Choobacca Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 I like the idea. Maybe they could make it digital so that vehicles could have special functions such as flashing lights, operating cranes or trucks with a rear tipping action. It could also sold as a kind of "Nano Scalextric".It might look something like this:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DT4MYZyKAs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The son of Triangman Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 The minic system did have the nice road/rail sections allowing you to have quayside lines with road transport running on the same sections(trains permitting). The system certainly has great potential. Making the old system digital wouldn't be too hard either, and as time and funds went on, a track compatible more advanced modern system could be introduced or eventually a new track system even. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LCDR Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 There is a rather good Minic / Tri-ang layout that does the rounds of model railway shows. I saw it at Harrogate a few years ago. I gave all my Minic to my brother many years ago, and I think he still has it. I did have the level crossing and the road / rail section that SoT mentions. The slot arrangement was unreliable, and the cars needed a lot of finger poking to keep them running despite constant cleaning. I have since seen a system that has a steel bar hidden under the road and the vehicles had magnetic steering that followed this. These were buses and lorries, because they needed to carry batteries for propulsion, and were controlled by a switch attached to the vehicle, which was of course unrealistic, or trolley buses that collected power from the overhead, and were controlled like a model railway train. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulleidboy Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 Hi,I think the system LC&DR may have seen is the Faller Car System. This has a steel wire placed in a groove cut in the road and then plastered over, the vehicles are battery powered, and have a magnet that allows the steering to follow the wire in the road. Model Rail did a two page article on it in April 2008 (The Pullman Issue). It is available in HO and N gauge with starter kits beginning at £60 (not cheap). Iv'e seen it in operation and it's very good, some of the vehicles are a bit to european, but I'm sure it would be fairly easy to convert many of the vehicles available in the UK. Just reading the article as I type this, and in 2008 it was available from Gaugemaster. It would certainly enhance and Hornby layout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulleidboy Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 Should have said: It would enhance "any" Hornby layout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poliss Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 Other cheaper systems are available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony57 Posted October 6, 2011 Share Posted October 6, 2011 As a member of the minic motorway owners group just to say a couple of members have been chipping their vehicals to run on a DCC system so it is possible. As the person who raised this issue on the old forum it heartening to see others have the same view as me on how nice it is to see moving vehicals on a model railway layout. Ok there are issues with minic like the rubber that hold the track apart perishes over time but one of the unknow things about minic is you can reverse the vehicals, slowly or at speed, which can not be done with micro or normal scalextics. The rail track has to be super 4 to be compatible with the minic rail/road track sections that are available or use plenty of converter rails.The cars are a little large compaired to corgi trackside/ scaledale but the fire engine, breakdown lorry, Red and Green double decker buses, luxuary coach and Bedford TK lorries are spot on. I am using the scaledale bus depot with my minic buses.I would like Hornby group of companies develop motorised chassies, so most trackside and scaledale vehicals could be motorised to run on old or new minic and/or micro scalextric track and interact with current railway systems. This would be a cheap road system to produce as most of the moulds required are already available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LCDR Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 Given that MINIC waterline ships are now starting to appear in the shops again, who knows! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The son of Triangman Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 The rubber strips which perish with age are esily replaced, someone on EBay sells a good modern silicone equivalent of them for a price.Yes indeed it is totally possible to have vehicles running in forward and reverse. When new in good maintained fettle the system worked very well, but once the insulation in the track sections started to break down it became unreliable, however modern replacment long life insualtion is available and is simple to fit, the system is sorely missed. I agree about chipping minic, it is perfectly doable to chip Minic Motorways stuff. Thinking of DCC, Minic motorways cars, buses, and lorries with working DCC lighting and DCC sound, it may be just about feasable with a micro sound decoder and micro speaker?Imagine a layout where the road transport is DCC and runs like your DCC railway, it simply plugs into your rail system too via road/railsections. That's Minic Motorways with a modern twist.Totally agree about the cars being overscale Tony but as you rightly say the other vintage road transport are to scale.Might get my s/h Minic motorways Corvette stingray going sometime when I can find new tyres and a baseplate for holding the back axle in place.As has been pointed out the track system used for road/rail was Super 4 but easily compatible by use of the R.476 Converter Rail track sections to convert from Super 4 to System 6(Current track).I think myself and Tony are in general agreement, moving transport on a layout is a must. Minic motorways would be a welcome return.Hornby have the moulds, surpised they haven't looked at it. A DCC or DCC ready road system surely must be the next advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LCDR Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 One thing that the old system did not do that a re-issued system ought to is to remotely control the junctions, that way full DCC operation and computer control should be possible. Somehow however I am not hopeful but I certainly would invest in a few MINIC cars and a small layout if ever it came back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The son of Triangman Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 I agree LC&DR remotely controlled jucntions would be needed, I think the standard point motor could be adapted to control the road juctions, perhaps someone here will try this?I would buy and stock it if Hornby re-issued the system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LCDR Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 Some one has raised this in the General Discussion forum too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bocaj Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 A Car System for 00 Gauge would be good. If we did get one it would be good as cars on layouts would not be just sat their.Jacob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary_Train_Driver Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 I would love to see something like this. I posted something about this jus yesterday and emailed hornby to ask what they thought. I really like the way faller do it with the metal wire hidden under the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LCDR Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 There is a layout (more than one possibly), doing the rounds that also have a working canal. The power is provided by a motor bogie running on a track under the canal which is filled with water. The canal has to be very watertight of course. The boat has a steel bar inside, and the motor bogie has a magnet on top, there being only about 5mm between the bogie and the canal. The magnet on the bogie drags the boat along. When the boat moves there is a proper bow wave!Tri-ang also produced a horse racing game called 'Jump Jockey' the race track was made up from sections of hollow box with a slot on the top. The motive power was again a motor bogie which collected power from a system not unlike Scalextrix, but concealed inside the track. The horses were mounted on sticks attached to the top of the bogie. It never really caught on, but the idea was quite good. I wish I had bought one. It was bigger than 4mm scale I believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraemeWatson Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 I saw an excellent bus and tram DCC concept at the Model Rail Live event, buses parking up, overtaking. Exciting stuff. Was stll in development though, and the chap didn't even have a website. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rchapman Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 Would anyone be able to help a new modeller?!I received a new dcc hornby set this year, which I'm keen to get set up soon. I also received a new scalextric kit too. Sadly, the two scales don't match (the cars are about twice the ho size)Due to space restrictions I don't think I can have the hornby and the scalextric sets up at the same time, but I'd really like to have a go at a permanent base, with landscaping. I have noticed that the Micro Scalextric is 1:64 which might enable me to create a joint layout!Has anyone got any experience of creating a shared baseboard with hornby and scalextric?Many thanksRob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The son of Triangman Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 Spotted this on the net it shows a working Minic motorways system, Hornby admin this is in context with the subject.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8SeiMkkEVQ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LCDR Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 I saw this at Harrogate and was mightily impressed, principally at how reliable the cars ran. My son has just bought my grandson a micro-Skalectric which goes like a rocket! the only real issue is that the pick up braids need constant attention. At 1 to 64 it is slightly overscale for HO 1 to 87 or OO 1 to 76, but close enough if you are not too fussy. However the race track is only set up on the dining room table so I have no experience with dual running. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
engine driver 125 Posted November 10, 2011 Author Share Posted November 10, 2011 Today I recieved an old Minic catalogue full of period illustrations and prices in £/'d. As Triang Minic was introduced about 35 years before I was born it gives me a real insight into what was/is avaliable. So far I have a Coach, an Aston Martin DB4 GT and this christmas I'll be getting a Rolls Royce and some track/controllers.Happy Modelling ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony57 Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 In the january 2012 edition of model rail there is a 6 page spread on a triang minic motorway and rail layout that was shown at model rail live at Barrow Hill Roundhouse in 2010 owned by Dave White. If a 50 year old toy can attract model rail press interest then could it be time to bring back a modern version? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LCDR Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 There is certainly a need for something like this as an added operational feature on model railway layouts. I suspect however that as Minic Motorways appeared at a time (early 60s) just before the various train makers ran into some difficulties there will be a reluctance to venture out into potentially uncharted waters. Motorways do lend themselves to a form of DCC computer control and the prospect of junctions and roundabouts switching traffic is quite exciting. Working traffic signals too, and some means of overtaking, which Minic could not do with the slot. I would anticipate it in future as computer controlled and guided using induction technology rather than a slot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamdrivendavy Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 I just joined this great forum. I would love to briefly discuss and perhaps better understand why there is no renaisance of the 'Minic' brand? Whether it be a case of 'as you were' in the shape of the traditional slot system, or whether the whole thing was brought up to date in digital form. Either way, I just so wish Hornby would take the initiative and seize the day. Why oh why can't Minic Motorway (MM) make a comeback! I bet there's a market for it. My hobby entails a modest model rail layout which I'm building slowly. But I yearn for the days of my boyhood when I had both systems integratred via a level crossing. Oh boy... if only. I saw exactly this at the MRC exhibit in November at the NEC. One system definately complements the other like hand & glove. My own layout will be incomplete until I splash out for a 35-40 year old set that I can add. I'd really like to know if anyone out there shares my frustration at being unable to purchase new MM or at least a same scale system that would also work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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