Carrera vs. Ninco track
RickTurn
reading several site reviews, I would like to know (1) why the
current Carrera track is considered "fragile," compared to Ninco (ie;
better interlock. system, clips, connectors?) (2) are these tracks
squirrely on smooth surfaces, or do they have a way to hold down to a
wood board w/screws (3) which has a better power supply/controller
out-of-box.
I plan to have a semi-perm. set-up, w/ some room for expansion.
Thanks!!
Gregory Braun -- HO Slot Car Racing
Ninco's track is made from a soft flexible vinyl-like material, while
Carrera's track is made of a hard, rigid styrene material. If the track is
to be assembled and torn down on a regular basis the Carrera track joining
tabs are likely to break eventually. Carrera does make a metal tab to join
broken tracks though, so even they're aware of the potential for broken
tabs.
Ninco track is approximately a full inch wider than the older Scalextric/SCX
style of track. Carrera track is almost an inch again wider than even the
Ninco. Wider track allows two cars to more easily pass on a turn section.
You can pass is some cases with 6" Scalextric track, but it can be
difficult.
Wider track though also requires wider turn radius sizes. So Ninco requires
nearly 5 feet of table depth, and Carrera almost 6 feet to construct a
reasonable turn.
Ninco track has a rougher surface when new. With age and uses it becomes
smoother. Carrera track on the other hand is molded with a flat smooth
surface when new. Many find the Carrera surface better initially for
traction and reduced tire wear.
Ninco's electronics; hand controls, power supply and power terminal track
are the best available.
All of the currently available 1:32 scale slot cars will work on either
Ninco or Carrera track. Both Ninco and Carrera track employ a slightly
deeper slot than Scalextric/SCX track. Ninco and Carrera cars however will
need to have their guide flags trimmed slightly to run on Scalextric/SCX
track.
The two brands that you've narrowed your choice down to are both excellent
track systems. If you have the extra room that the Carrera system requires,
then by all means go that route. If space is somewhat limited then you may
find Ninco to be a better option.
Either way though you'll have a track system that you can expand as time and
budget allow.
Best regards from Milwaukee, WI U.S.A.
Gregory Braun
E-Mail: Sup...@GregoryBraun.com
Web Site: http://www.GregoryBraun.com
Telephone: 1.414.817.6508
Slot Cars: http://www.HOSlotCarRacing.com
Race Track: http://www.ScenicHillsRaceway.com
-------------------------------------------------------
Ancient of days! august Athena! where,
Where are thy men of might? thy grand in soul?
Gone--glimmering through the dream of things that were.
--Byron
The Drone
HO Slot Car Racing <WebM...@HOSlotCarRacing.com> writes
snip
>Ninco's electronics; hand controls, power supply and power terminal track
>are the best available.
Concerning the controllers, Ninco's standard controllers are 70 ohms
which makes them difficult to use with cars other than Ninco's own.
(Ninco cars are easier to control with the higher resistance.) Also I
have found them to stick "on" after a little use which is disconcerting
as, instead of active braking when you take your finger off the trigger,
you get (slight) power :-(
All this doesn't mean they aren't "the best" (compared to those that
come with other track systems) but they ain't great.
--
Peter
AndyL
> Ninco track is approximately a full inch wider than the older
Scalextric/SCX
> style of track. Carrera track is almost an inch again wider than even the
> Ninco. Wider track allows two cars to more easily pass on a turn section.
> You can pass is some cases with 6" Scalextric track, but it can be
> difficult.
This is often quoted as a disadvantage of Scalextric track but personally I
like it - the difficulty of passing makes for more realistic racing I think.
You have to plan your passing moves and sometimes take a bit of a gamble to
get past. I haven't used the very wide Carrera track but I would imagine it
would mean you can more or less ignore what your opponent is doing.
...Andy
Gregory Braun -- HO Slot Car Racing
I would agree. A pair of Ninco or SCX F1 cars with their open wheels makes
passing very difficult. GT and LMP cars however can bump one another and get
away with it.
On longer layouts the narrower turns are not as much of a problem, but on
smaller and tighter 5x9 foot set layouts there just isn't as much straight
available to make a pass. Especially when a child is racing against an
adult.
The Drone
.co.uk.dontspamme.net> writes
Quite. I'm looking forward to trying Ninco Karts on Scalextric track -
there's about 4-5 mm between the wheels on the straight - so they
probably overlap on curves.
Of course, it does mean that I can't run my (two) 1/24 Carrera cars on
Scalextric track but I can on Ninco (there's 7mm between them).
Size is another issue ;-) Assuming the inner radii of the inner curves
are similar, the outer radius of the Ninco track is about an 1" wider.
That makes the outer radius of standard curves 2" more, outer curves 3"
and grand outer curves 4" - or 8" more for a 180 degree turn. (All
measurements are approximate, I haven't measured them.)
Finally, Ninco don't make a half-standard curve so if you are building a
circuit and need this radius, you are stuck with (multiples of) 45
degrees whereas Scalextric offers (multiples of) 22.5 degrees. (It is
even possible to find odd examples of half (22.5) inner Scalextric
curves - although these have been long deleted.) Ninco don't make a 1/5
standard straight either so your choices of layout will be more limited.
Returning to the overtaking business, I'm a pretty feeble racer but I
can start quickly and I do seem to be able to get my cars to slide a
little more at opportune moments when I'm being overtaken by someone
outside me. It gives me great pleasure to knock one of these quick
racers off as they try to go past. It's about the only time I get the
better of them!
Since we don't replace cars during our races, I'm looking forward to
achieving a grand slam when I take one off which takes the other two off
in turn. Then I shall be in Nirvana :-)
--
Peter