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Hi all
getting into this hobby at the tender age of 56 :D . I am getting a 5x9 ping pong table top for my pool table and want to put a track on it. When I was young had the small HO cars like all the other kids in the neighborhood. I have a grandson that I want to introduce to the hobby. As a newbie I am kind of blow away by the different manufacturers and options out there. The most amount of room I will have will be the 5x9 table top. Just wanted to get your thoughts on how to get started. I have a budget of about $1000 to get setup. I would want to have some type of track layout that is a little challenging for newbies, but one both myself and grandson can grow with. The plan is to get the best track setup and cars possible within the budget and then go from there. It seems that this forum most folks have carrera , but I am also interested in your thoughts on scalextric and ninco. I would love to hear from all the veterans out there of this hobby and get some advice on getting started. Thanks in advance for your advice - Tom.

Stand back from the computer, Tom! There is an avalanche of information headed your way soon. We love to jump in on that kind of project.

:text-welcomewave: :text-welcomewave: to HRW. You will find lots of help (and opinions) on what is best. I will throw mine in now, I have Ninco at home but run on an 88' Carrera on a weekly basis. I like my Ninco but it can be pricier that either Carrera or Scaley. The pluses (to me) are: wider than Scaley, somewhat more flexible (for instance, if stepped on :scared-eek: ) and the rails are closer to the track surface than Carrera. On the other hand you can get more Scalextric track on your ping pong table than the others. Again, welcome, I'm sure others will be chiming in shortly.

Welcome

Check out the Carrera track Harry just did a review on
Lot of bang for your buck and you can always add on
And that set comes with 2 real nice cars

A lot depends on what shape you want your track to be and how many lanes you want to have. Or are you thinking of getting a digital set?

RazorJon, saw that track, its nice but want something larger. I want to fit the most track I can fit in the 5x9 space that I will have available. Bob, I like bells and whistles so I am definitely interested in a 2 lane digital track. I like ghost\pace cars and upgrades like that .

Hey Tom,

I also have a Nico track at home and I'm really happy with it. I run analog cars and I always run them without magnets. I also try to keep my cars stock - stock motors and running gear, no aftermarket tires, etc.

I have the Wico wireless system as well, which I also really like. It's great to be able to run your cars from anyplace around the track, offering different perspectives. Some find the controllers too sensitive, but I don't have any issues controling the cars. Should you go with Ninco, you'll find that Ninco, Cartrix and Carrera seem to run best on Ninco track using their stock tires - nice grip with nicely controlled drifting in the corners.

Whatever you get, be prepared to have a ball - and to spend alot of money too. They're not kidding when they say it's an addiction! :)

Welcome.

You can buy a bigger Carrera set and/or add track. I personally prefer Carrera over any other track.

NINCO has a VERY abrasive surface that I don't really care for. I have had a couple NINCO sets over the years, but just don't care for that surface. Scalextric is smoother, but too narrow for my taste. Don't think that the even larger 1/24 Carrera will NEVER catch your eye...it can :) But the main thing about Carrera is the smooth, harder plastic surface and width. The cars have more room to drift and slide, even without borders.

Plus Carrera is very budget friendly. The cars have plenty of magnets inside and they run great right from the box.

Regardless what you choose, nice to see you here and getting started. Just find a set that catches your eye and start pullin' the trigger :)

Welcome! Either track system you pick I think you'll be happy and have fun here.

Welcome to the HRW!! If your handy with tools there is the routed wood track option. Smoothest track you will ever run on.

Welcome to HRW.
The best place to be.what ever make of track you decide to go for you will have a good time!
Nige.

The easiest thing to do would probably be the ping-pong table and a good starter set. You'll have everything you need to start turning laps right away.

Considerations - will the track be permanent or taken up to use the pool table? If you want the best of these 2 options the track could be mounted to a surface to be moved as needed. I had a 4'x8' HO track we used for years that folded up against the wall when not in use. We even added enough scenery to make the track look like our local track which added to the realism & fun. For starting out in a small space HO scale sets are worth considering. I'm not as familiar with 1/43 scale.

Now I have 2 wood tracks - an oval and a road course, both 1/32 scale like most of the stuff mentioned above. This has always been my preferred scale because you can easily identify car types, appreciate the details, and make changes. My 4'x14' oval cost about $250 to build, plus about another $150 for hardware, controllers, and power supply. It's a flat track routed right into the wood sheets used for the table top - very easy project. The 6'x15' road course cost about $400 to build. Adding a variable power supply is a great way for kids to learn without getting discouraged or breaking anything.

Lastly, if you can visit someone with a home track you'll get to see and experience things yourself. I'm in central Maine and members of this forum are all over the country. A short road trip with your grandson to check out someone's setup might be the best way to get started.

Slothead

Scalextric takes a bit less space than Carrera. Carrera lets you run 1/24 cars on it, so it is wider and doesn't have the tighter turns that Scalextric has. All of the major car brands will run on Carrera or Scalextric track, but you will need to mess with the guides on Carrera cars to switch them to Scalextric. In a tight space, like a ping pong able, you will be able to fit more Scalextric track than Carrera. Carrera has a deeper slot, so the Carrera cars need a shorter guide to run on Scalextric track. Otherwise, all of the major maker's cars will run on any track.

I know you want to fit the most track you can on your table, but try to come up with a layout that has some straights. In a short space like that, it is easy to make a layout that's all curves and twisty bits. These can get annoying to drive, as you can't establish a rhythm. You will soon tire of leaning against guard rails, so leave room for borders. The borders let you hang the car out and slide through the corners without falling off the track. Both Scalextric and Carrera make wider turns too. include a couple of these where you can fit them, as the variety in turns seems to make driving the layout much more fun. A ping pong table will be a fairly tight layout with either brand. If you decide to go with Carrera, and you want to consider the set that Harry reviewed, just order some extra track pieces when you get it. If you like a larger set, go with that, but you will still want to order extra track pieces and borders.

Good luck, and have fun. This is a great hobby, and the kids liked it too. I'm still waiting for Grandchildren, but I will get them racing too, someday.