[Nonfractal]

If there had been a clear map on how to get started / restarted, it would have been useful rather than the wallowing around I had to do.

I started the slot hobby about three years ago.
Perversely , I enjoyed the "wallowing about".
Learning new things at every race meeting and blogging the learnings has been great experience for me. 
It also meant I had to work everything out  for myself, so despite many dead ends, I have working processes that are not always aligned with the way others set their equipment up. 
Alan