Getting To Know Slot Cars

One of the most popular pastime hobbies relating to model cars is that of slot car racing.  These small but fast toy cars run along tracks with slots where cars are powered by electric current.  These slots are also where the metallic blade from the slot cars fit all the way to the slot bottom.  The majority of slot car hobbyists hold racing contest but there are enthusiasts who are more focused in creating sceneries, modeling roads and highways, and simulating urban and rural traffic.

A lot of first-timers start up their collection with cars that are available commercially.  These standardized slot cars are made for better performance on standard tracks.  Long-time enthusiasts regularly transform their collection or assemble cars from scratch and customize them to make them more lightweight and sleek.

Besides racing, slot car hobbyists get their kicks with their collection by customizing their favorite cars.  Just like real cars, slot cars have rubber tires which can be switched and the modification of the bodywork and the motor is to make them more faster and make them more stylish.  Slot cars are basically faster than the fastest formula 1 racing car given that they can reach speeds of up to 1800 rpm. 

A single-handed controller is what a slot car “driver” use to operate his slot car and the controller’s function is to regulate the voltage of the car’s small electric motor.  Slot car evolutions has essentially been with the handheld controller and the cars themselves but the only thing that has remained unchanged is the track.  Slot car tracks originally separate cars by the slots but new developments have made it feasible for cars to share lanes during a race.  The challenge for slot car racers comes on the curved sections where the voltage being fed to the car should be properly regulated with the proper squeeze on the controller to prevent de-slotting or lose momentum that will be the losing factor for racers.

Slot cars are comparable to model trains hobby.  Hobbyists of slot cars and model trains both form the track range, make sceneries which consist of trees and small structures.  The only difference is slot cars move faster than model trains and more people can participate in slot cars compared to the essentially solo operation of model trains.

Additional types of slot vehicles can come in the form of motorcycles and trucks.  Scale sizes such as 1:24, 1:32 and H0 are the most common scale sizes for slot cars. 

Traction magnets, which provide downforce to a slot car, are attached to prevent de-slotting particularly during high speeds on curves.  Despite the added safety feature of traction magnets, some enthusiasts prefer to race without them.  Slot cars that doesn’t have traction magnets have a propensity to drift and the likelihood of going off track gives slot car racers their excitement and thrill.