# Has anyone incorporated Aurora slot cars into their HO layout?



## Nikola (Jun 11, 2012)

I did, once, many moon ago. I was into both slot car racing and model railroading. I built a nice slot car course using Aurora components including railroad crossings; there was also a decent HO layout.

My Aurora slot car track componentry is long gone but I still have the slot cars. I am getting the thought of doing something like that again, and was wondering if any of you all have done so.

If you have, please post pictures!


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## rrgrassi (May 3, 2012)

I think Life Like still make a set where the train crosses the race tack. I never did it, cause the NASCAR and Formula cars never looked right crossing a RR track, to me anyway.


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## Bwells (Mar 30, 2014)

Isn't the scale noticeably different?


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Aurora AFX "HO" slot cars are about 1:64 scale, noticeably larger than HO (1:87 scale).....


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## DavefromMD (Jul 25, 2013)

I did it a long time ago (late 60s). It was on our Christmas layout. Just a double oval of train track on a 4 x 6. No slot car RR crossing. 

The slot car track was the street through my little town. The cars were Aurora Thunderjets. It was an oval with 2 T intersections. The middle part went though downtown. Ran 3 cars - one around the outside lane and 2 on the inside lane. Because of the T intersections, it was like having 2 small ovals on the inside lane. One car ran on each of the small ovals. The speed controllers for the cars were the steering wheel type so I could set a speed and let them run. 

The whole thing was run off of one transformer. It was a dual throttle with a DC fixed voltage and an AC fixed voltage. The slot cars ran off the fixed DC. I also had lights in my town's buildings that worked off the fixed AC.

When I had it all going, it was good for about a half hour before the circuit breaker tripped on the transformer.


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## Nikola (Jun 11, 2012)

Bwells said:


> Isn't the scale noticeably different?





Old_Hobo said:


> Aurora AFX "HO" slot cars are about 1:64 scale, noticeably larger than HO (1:87 scale).....


Close enough for the integrated action, at least for me.


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## Nikola (Jun 11, 2012)

DavefromMD said:


> I did it a long time ago (late 60s). It was on our Christmas layout. Just a double oval of train track on a 4 x 6. No slot car RR crossing.
> 
> The slot car track was the street through my little town. The cars were Aurora Thunderjets. It was an oval with 2 T intersections. The middle part went though downtown. Ran 3 cars - one around the outside lane and 2 on the inside lane. Because of the T intersections, it was like having 2 small ovals on the inside lane. One car ran on each of the small ovals. The speed controllers for the cars were the steering wheel type so I could set a speed and let them run.
> 
> ...


That sounds cool. I am a bit hazy on some details of what mine looked like. I believe I had a very large oval that was the mainline train but with one leg a good ways from the edge of the layout. The slot car track ran inside and had ess sections, corners and straightaways with two RR crossings so that some of the slot car action was on the other side of the rails. There were some RR sidings and one was very long that degraded into the type of abandoned, unused track one often sees in RL.

It might be cool to do something like that again.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Nikola said:


> Close enough for the integrated action, at least for me


That would be like combining "H.O." scale trains with "S" scale (which is 1:64) trains....

If you can live with that difference in size, then you're a better man than I.....:laugh:


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## RT_Coker (Dec 6, 2012)

Nikola said:


> I did, once, many moon ago. I was into both slot car racing and model railroading. I built a nice slot car course using Aurora components including railroad crossings; there was also a decent HO layout.
> 
> My Aurora slot car track componentry is long gone but I still have the slot cars. I am getting the thought of doing something like that again, and was wondering if any of you all have done so.
> 
> If you have, please post pictures!


Yes! Just put "Aurora slot cars into their HO layout?" in an internet search engine.
Bob


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## Nikola (Jun 11, 2012)

Old_Hobo said:


> That would be like combining "H.O." scale trains with "S" scale (which is 1:64) trains....
> 
> If you can live with that difference in size, then you're a better man than I.....:laugh:


LOL, there are so many compromises with any scale modeling no matter how many decimal places you strive for. Scale rivet heads that would be 2" across in RL and so on. Everyone has a view as to what is acceptable and to each their own is my opinion.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

No argument there.....:thumbsup:


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## Nikola (Jun 11, 2012)

RT_Coker said:


> Yes! Just put "Aurora slot cars into their HO layout?" in an internet search engine.
> Bob


Interestingly, the spacing between the slot car pickup rails seems close to HO track spacing.

That implies a clever solution to the HO urban trolley layout dilemma since the slot car track could be used for the streets. One could even emulate the old NYC streetcar setup with a buried third rail in between.


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## mjrfd99 (Jan 5, 2016)

Our train room is HO slot cars and trains. Yes AFX is 1/64- not too far off scale wise but older Thunderjet era Aurora is more in scale with 1/87. Auto World repops the older TJ's too The old AFX Trucking sets are close to 1/87 IMHO. It's made for a lot of fun for all of us. Race day the city roads clear for the Grand prix.
I'll try to get some pics of the various vehicles re: size
Few more pics in profile


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## Nikola (Jun 11, 2012)

mjrfd99 said:


> Our train room is HO slot cars and trains. Yes AFX is 1/64- not too far off scale wise but older Thunderjet era Aurora is more in scale with 1/87.


I don't know nuttin' 'bout no AFX. I am talking about the 60s-era Aurora HO slot cars. I always thought they were true HO scale. Sounds like they are (or close enough - each the bodies of each model were tweaked to fit around the motor and chassis).

And that layout of yours is fantastic!!!


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## mjrfd99 (Jan 5, 2016)

Nikola said:


> I don't know nuttin' 'bout no AFX. I am talking about the 60s-era Aurora HO slot cars. I always thought they were true HO scale. Sounds like they are (or close enough - each the bodies of each model were tweaked to fit around the motor and chassis).
> 
> And that layout of yours is fantastic!!!


Thanks! Here's some Aurora history
http://www.hoslotcarracing.com/History.html


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## mjrfd99 (Jan 5, 2016)

Size: 1/87 vs slot cars 
Yellow TT - PD Van-Mitsubishi = AFX
Black TT -Cop car- purple Camaro = 1/87
White GTO and VW bug Aurora T-jet

AFX Yellow TT's are close - the others no.


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