LabRacer

We have received a sample of road dome to look into and test, to which we have experienced mixed results, one namely launching of cars if it is hit.

We'd like to hear from other clubs who have looked at this system and if they have purchased it and what their experiences are with Road Dome Track System

Here is a link for those who may want to know more.

http://www.roaddome.com/roadrail_ra...ngsystem_S.html

Cheers

James

GCRCCC President (Australia)

ICEMAN

iTrader: (1)

We here in the Memphis area we have a indoor carpet track that uses it . I think it has good and bad points.

good- very durable, easy to turn marshall, , simple to change track design., easy on cars.

bad- easy to jump track during race to gain spots, good for jumping, hard for novice drivers to stay on track lines.

just my opinion, i would rather have something else.

LabRacer

Thanks Iceman for the feed back, our club has been in two minds regarding the Road Dome whether to get it or not.

Cheers

James

1fastdude

iTrader: (16)

We at Ultra Racing have tried it also with pretty much the same comments as ICEMAN.

Bigger Brother

Hi

Here in the UK its started to be used a bit. I would suggest you check out this press release from the BRCA (British Radio Car Association - equivellant of ROAR in the UK) regarding safety issues:

http://www.brca.org/Roadrail.htm

Oliver
UK

racenut123

iTrader: (32)

Our track uses them and since we are already invested,we are stuck like chuck.DONT BUY THEM.They are an absolute horror.

Rob Hochberg

I also strongly recomend against them, people cheat and hop the track, and it very tough on the cars, bodies, and those little rivets on the domes. Use 1/2-3/4" PVC instead, and duct tape the corners. Not brutal, and no one will jump the track.

Sleighty

2 clubs i go to use it. I personally like it alot, Not many people track jump and if they do then its easy to notice on the race laptimes.

if you have alot of extra track then you can mount one of the spare lengths upside down ontop of another. This makes track jumping impossible. This is especially handy also to stop cars hitting it and jumping into the pit area etc.

popsracer

Pluses:

1) Lightweight and easy to transport.

2)Very compact when stored. Can be put in a Sedan Trunk.

3) Initial cost is actually competitive with conventional Track building materials.

4) Easy on the Cars, not likely to break parts on the Boards.

Minuses:

1) Domes act as springboards and launch Cars easily. (Remind self to stay off the Dots)

2) Easy for errant drivers to hop/jump Boards.

3) Moves too easily when hit (at least on Asphalt).

4) Connection system leaves much to be desired.

Every material has it advantages and disadvantages, so there is always some kind of trade-off involved.

Randy Cook

iTrader: (1)

I have been using them at my track for almost two years now. The track is appx. 40x80 indoor, and it gets switched from oval to road course and back every week. This is where they are awesome. They are good for infield only. I use a two foot wall around the perimeter. I also use spaced 1x4's for the straight, so that no cars can jump a rail at high speed. As for crossing a rail to "cheat" track position? Who ever is calling the race should be catching that.(along with a little help from the corner marshalls). The best advice I can give is to add an extra dome beyond the point where the last rail connects for the corner dot.(i call this double dotting the corners, it keeps cars from beating the heck out of the connecting point) I love the DOMES, the RAILS? They are good, but not the perfect solution. You really have to be carefull on layouts and avoid having a rail in a position adjacent to a fast corner, that could end up being a high speed RAMP(I leave BIG run off areas here). I have drilled all my connecting points and bolted them together in high stress areas. For bigger races I get out the boards and anchor them to the surface in high stress areas. Hope this helps.

Randy Cook
owner
R/C's Raceway, Tulsa,OK
www.rcsraceway.com

Randy Cook

iTrader: (1)

AND I have to say that up to this point they are the best commercially available track componets out there. My system is the old one that uses velcro, which I have been modifying as we go. Good ol bolt, nut and fender washers do wonders.

rcguy2477

iTrader: (4)

I also personally hate them. For people running cars that are lower(4mm), the car can easily catch on the dots.
The cars can also get jammed on the ends of the rails, wich adds a lot of time to your lap. They also arnt that durable. With newbs, they tend to go over the ends of the rails, and the connections break, and the hole becomes larger and cracks. And it doesnt serve its purpose well, to keep cars in the correct lane. I got hit many times in the strait when cars would touch the rail and loose control.

nashrcracer

iTrader: (1)

if your still looking to buy one I know a track in knoxville that has a full layout like $2000 worth good enough for a 88x50 track that they would probably sell to you reasonable. only used two weekends on carpet and then piled into a corner and replaced with good ole 2x4s

Evoracer

iTrader: (24)

As a track owner, you have to be concerned with drivers wants and needs BUT...you have a greater concern which is for your track to succeed !!! My 2 cents worth is that no matter what track type you have, you will never satisfy every drivers wishes. The Road Rails system is fantastic for what it offers the track owner...Portability, ease of assembly and breakdown, factory support, professional look. After researching and going through the pains of trying to put together a PVC track, I sold it all and went with the Road Rails system. The ease of transporting the system alone was worth it !!! I had 2000 ft of 2 inch pvc + metal corner dots + pre bent corner sections + sand bags to hold the pvc in place. Don't let anyone tell you that PVC tracks offer any better situation. If your Road Rails move..OK..sand bag them. Or weight them down with rebar inserts. In critical areas where an airborne car could be a serious problem, some have used a Road rail turned upside down and attached to the rail on the ground. Airborne vehicles are never a great situation BUT neither is the great amount of broken parts that occurs from hitting pvc or wood rails.
As a driver, I can see where some guy's are coming from with their arguments BUT...as a track owner providing a service to a broad spectrum of drivers...This system has changed the way I can do business and also support the club. If you want more info about how I'm using the benefits of this track system, feel free to e-mail me.

Afro Puff

iTrader: (3)

I strongly dislike the Road Rails also. We do have the occasional flying car due to their shape, but that's not really a concern of mine. My qualms with the Road Rails on asphalt:

• They move too easily. We've tried taping and screwing them to the ground and it works OK.
• Along the same lines, if you step on one at the wrong angle, you'll go sliding in slow-motion and fall to the ground (my dad did that, it was hilarious but potentially dangerous).
• The connecting system leaves MUCH to be desired. Again somewhat remedied with a hearty helping of duct tape.
• Once you've thoroughly secured them to the ground and each other, they are no longer easy to put down/take up.

Overall, I'm less than impressed with the Road Rails. They're easy on cars but that's about it. Of all the systems I've run on (actual wooden boards, Road Rails, fire hoses, industrial strength PVC), the hoses are BY FAR the best. They're not hard to pick up/put down, they don't move as easily because they're heavy, they don't launch cars, and they're safe to step on.