HO Scale Slot Cars
Slot car racing is an exciting hobby that gives you the opportunity to live out your raceway dreams with realistic HO scale motor vehicles. Wide arrays of collectible slot car items are available in HO scale. This is the same scale that hobby companies make HO trains in, so you'll also be able to find a large number of scale scenic items for your racing layout.
What size are HO slot cars?
While all HO slot cars are supposed to be the same scale, there are actually several different sizes you'll come across. Original 1960s-era HO equipment is close to the same HO scale that model railroad companies make equipment for. HO is defined as a 1:87 ratio size, which is half of the older O scale. Later equipment is often closer to a 1:64 ratio size. You'll see some commercial and shop-tracks using a slightly different definition of HO scale as well.
What types of slot car controllers are on the market?
You'll come across several slot car controller shapes, but many of these are compatible with one another. AFX marketed several of their own styles in the 1970s. These AFX controllers provide the same amount of voltage to your car chassis, so you can interchange them. Always check the voltage on your HO scale slot cart track adapters as well as the chassis of each car before you try out a remote. This is always a very important safety precaution. Collectors can find these types of racing remotes:
- Carbon disc
- Rheostat plunger
- Full-grip style
- Pistolgrip rheostat
- Electronic HO slot car remote
Can you combine slot car track pieces from different manufacturers?
While HO slot car wheels might be compatible with different track types of raceway equipment, you'll need to check the rail joiners before you combine parts from different manufacturers. Each company has its own way of making HO scale slot car track. Aurora and Tyco have used different types of racing adapters. You'll want to check to make sure that the chassis pieces all fit snugly together before you stage any racing events over curves.
How do you clean an HO scale slot car track?
Cleaning slot car track takes a delicate touch, but there are a number of items available on the market that can make it easier. Clean the rails every so often by either using an ink pen eraser or a Brite Boy model railroad abrasion tool. Make sure to use a small amount of pressure and never create ruts or uneven points while you're clean. Be very gentle in order to prevent damage to the track. Track cleaning compound or window cleaner is needed to keep the actual slot car track joints free of dirt. Keep the counter that the track is installed on clean as well.