[woodcote]

I like the 1/24 size but also like the larger layout.
I guess it will come down to ghost cars/autonomous. Can you have those with Scalextric?

Scale...

If 1/24 is important to you, Scalextric is a non-starter. The track width is just too narrow. A compromise (although still a squeeze for the big cars) might be a larger 1/32 track system like the new Policar track. Distance between slots: Carrera 100mm; Policar 90mm Scalextric 78mm.

Ghost / autonomous cars.

All digital systems have autonomous cars - and a few traditional 'analogue' systems do too (although only one per lane). Carrera's ghost car is operated direct from the powerbase - no need for software or an app. Scalextric ARC Pro has a 'Pace Car' feature via the app. The Scalextric C7042 Advanced Power Base (APB) Pace Car is via the hardware, but there are also more sophisticated versions via a computer link-up. Slot.it's Oxigen system (which will also be the Policar digital system) is via the software, as is Scorpius Wireless. I believe the new SCX Advance system has a Pace Car feature via the app.

Almost all are a 'constant speed' pace car - so the top speed is limited by the slowest corner. In your space, that means your ghost cars will be slow down the long straights. If you tweak your pace cars - by putting stronger traction magnets in them, for example - they will be a little quicker on the straight and blisteringly fast around the corners. I'm not sure how realistic or satisfying that is?

One system that offer a much more sophisticated and realistic autonomous car feature is the Scalextric C7042 APB with a computer link up and running the RCS64 software. There are other software options for the APB with good ghost car features, but RCS64 is considered the best. This not an 'out-of-the-box' option and will require some hardware skills and a love of fiddling with computer programs.

Another system that offers more control over the ghost cars is Scorpius Wireless. This is a digital system that can be fitted to any track (plastic or wooden routed). It is expensive and requires a high level of skills to set up. A similar system is Slot.it Oxigen - although I'm not familiar with the details of the autonomous car feature.

Analogue / digital.

All cars running in digital mode need a digital chip (decoder) installed. If you are looking at running retro 1/32 and 1/24 cars from your youth, digital is not the best option. Scalextric offers both analogue and digital modes with its ARC Pro and C7042 APB systems. Carrera Digital does not - although DIY control units that switch between analogue and digital are very common in Carrera's key markets - North America and Central Europe. A Policar / Oxigen set-up with both digital and analogue capability would be relatively easy to set up. I don't believe SCX Advance offers an analogue option. An issue might be the motors in the older cars and their current-draw. The digital powerbases might not be able to handle them at all. That's where the Policar / Oxigen and Scorpius systems have a big advantage - the power to the track is your choice and the digital control is direct from the controller to the car's decoder. The SCX Advance system is similar, but less flexible out-of-the-box.

Recommendations.

There are plenty of considerations, but it does come down to budget. Given your desire to run 1/24 (and perhaps retro cars?) and an expectation to focus on racing autonomous cars...

If your budget is unlimited - get someone to build you a wood track for 1/24 and 1/32 cars and install Scorpius (or maybe Oxigen), with the option of analogue running too.

If your budget is limited and you want functionality out of the box - then it's Carrera (with someone converting the Control Unit to digital/analogue at some point). The Ghost Car feature is basic. The Carrera track could be converted at a later stage to run with the more complex (and expensive) Oxigen or Scorpius systems.

A compromise on scale, budget and need for some technical skills (software and hardware) is Policar track with Oxigen. Although the Policar track is getting very good reviews, the digital track pieces have yet to be released (expected 2021, I believe). In the meantime, Ninco lane changers and pit lanes can be used with Oxigen electronics installed.

Scalextric ARC Pro is the cheapest option, is good value, works out-of-the-box (via an app) and gives you that longer layout length that you liked - but you can't run 1/24 and the Pace Car feature is basic at best (Magic ARC app). The official Scalextric app Pace Car is very basic indeed.

Also dropping the 1/24, but having the best mid-budget ghost car feature is the Scalextric APB + RCS64 software.

[Greg]

So I guess the real question is how hard is it to run multiple ghost cars with Scalextric?

[woodcote]

Easy - once you've learned how to do it  

There are four Scalextric digital options - 3 of them constant speed ghost cars and one much more detailed and fully-featured...

• ARC Pro + Scalextric ARC app. You'll need to learn how to use the app and there's an easy hack to run as many ghost cars as you want, although they won't count laps individually and they will all have exactly the same power going to them. The fun is weaving around the ghost cars and practising your overtaking skills. Here's a video about how easy it is to set up a single Pace Car with the Scalextric app..
  

• ARC Pro + Magic ARC app. Ghost cars are calibrated individually and can be given user-defined characteristics (fuel, tyes etc) that 'normal' cars have. That gives you a 'proper' race. Again, you need how to use the app. The data for each car can be saved (and backed-up). Here's a video about setting up a Pace Car in the Magic app...
  

• C7042 Advanced powerbase (APB). You'll need to learn how to program the base via the buttons on the base and using the LCD screen. It's not the most user-friendly piece of hardware... The functionality is equivalent to the Magic app ghost cars. Here's an excellent video tutorial about setting up Pace Cars with the LCD tower from a very youthful-looking Greg Gaub...
  

• C7042 Advanced powerbase + RCS64. You connect the powerbase to a Windows computer and run the RCS64 program. The software has basic settings installed, which are no more difficult to learn than the LCD tower. However, the joy of RCS64 is to continually dig deeper into the software to get something as realistic as possible. There are lots of video tutorials on YouTube here. This is a nice video that shows how wonderful - and complex - RCS64 can be...
  

Those are your three basic, single-pace ghost car Scalextric systems - and RCS64, which has the options to be something completely different. RCS64 only works with the C7042 Advanced powerbase.

Of course, it is also possible to upgrade a Scalextric digital layout with Slot.it Oxigen (there is software for Oxigen from the RCS64 guys) or Scorpius.

Where you start and where you end up does depend on your available budget. The two ARC Pro options start at the cost of an entry-level set (Le Mans 24h, Sunset Speedway or the 2020 ARC Pro Platinum GT). The Scalextric app is free, the Magic app is donationware (i.e. you make a donation). This is a basic out-of-the-box system.

The C7042 Advanced powerbase is no longer sold in sets, only as an individual component. There's more about where to buy the various components of the APB + RCS64 system (and approximate prices) here: slotracer.online/community/showthread.php?tid=1056

[Greg]

I can't tell you how appreciative I am of the response here.
The information is mind boggling as a newcomer but I'm looking forward to stumbling my way through this and can't wait to see what the end result may be.
Thanks again.....all I need to do now is make a decision!

[Greg]

Another question.
I guess Carrera & Scalextric use a different system for lane changes.
After watching numerous videos it appears Scalextric displays more issues with lane changes and "missed" changes?
Am I seeing this correctly?

[KensRedZed]

Hi Greg,

I suppose the most important question is... Are the missed changes due to the system, or operator error?

I would imagine it's possible to hit the lane-change button just a bit too late during the heat of the moment on either system.

If this is the criteria for your system. It might be helpful to search for reviews.

My humble apologies. But I am an old fartimus maximus analog racer.

[woodcote]

Greg - the two lane change systems are slightly different, but as KensRedZed rightly said, missed changes can be minimised by excellent race craft - as well as careful track design and good maintenance.

The differences between the lane changers are...

Carrera: As with Scalextric, the driver holds down the lane change button on the controller. The Carrera Control Unit (CU) sends a message via the track rails to the chips in all the lane changers on the circuit telling them to look out for a car with a specific ID. When that car comes along and the offset LED and sensor line-up - and the lane changer successfully reads the car chip's ID - the lane changer is activated, the flipper is opened (and held open by a spring) until the car's guide pushes a mechanical switch in the lane to close the flipper, so cars following very close behind go straight on and don't follow the first car. The Carrera lane change has a very 'clunky' feel. The Carrera lane changers are longer (two straights, rather than one-and-a-half), so 1/32 cars can take the lane changer at a faster speed. The flipper is also live, meaning that cars cannot stall on the lane changer.

Scalextric: When the driver holds down the lane change button on the controller, the powerbase sends a message to the car's chip for the LED to pulse at a different frequency. Infrared sensors in each lane changer sense the LED pulses - one frequency triggers the lane changer to close (straight-on) and the other to open (lane change). Unless a car is right up the lane-changing car's bumper (fender), it will not follow the car in front but change / go straight on depending on whether the driver is pressing the lane change button or not. The Scalextric lane change feels much smoother. The flippers are not live (although they should take current from the rail they are touching when open) so there is a chance of stalling if the lane changer is not making contact with the rail and it is positioned in a particularly slow section. It's not a problem I've encountered very often.

In terms of 'missed' changes, both systems require the car's LED to line up with a sensor. If the car is not running straight, there is always the risk of this alignment not happening and the lane change being missed - this is especially an issue with non-mag cars that are more 'tail-happy'. The important thing is to have at least a half straight between a corner exit and the lane changer if you are running magnet cars and at least a full straight if you are running non-mag. As the ideal place to put a lane changer is the end of a straight - going into a corner - this shouldn't be a problem.

Another reason for 'missed' changes can be sensor issues - the car LED or track sensor can get dirty (both are easy to clean with a moist cotton bud - aka Q Tip) and direct sunlight shining on the sensor can cause mayhem (shade or relocate the changer). Careful storage of the lane changers is also important and they should be kept flat in the circuit (if on a bridge or fly-over, they should be supported underneath with some mdf or plywood board). If you have a permanent layout, it is very wise to cover the lane changers (and powerbase / Control Unit) when not in use to keep the dust and dirt off the sensors.

Mostly, missed changes are down to the driver - either pressing too late, following a car too closely or tail sliding / tank slapping out of a corner and down the straight. If you remember where the sensors are and that your car needs to be dead straight over the sensors, that minimises issues on both systems. However, most people prefer to blame the equipment.

One reason that videos might give the impression of more issues with Scalextric lane changers is I find that Carrera digital racers tend to run with traction magnets fitted and Scalextric digital racers are more likely to run non-mag. Just a thought...

A good source of in-depth info on the two systems is Dave Chang's "Digital Slot Car Racing in 1/32 scale". Most of what I know in terms of theory comes from there and helps me understand why certain issues happen in practice. It is an old book, but the basic principles are still 100% relevant and very useful.

[Greg]

Unbelievable, that pretty much sums it up, thanks again.

[Greg]

Ok, went and ordered Carrera 1/24 and some extra track last night. Supposed to be delivered tomorrow.

[woodcote]

Very exciting

Which Carrera set did you go for?