Derby Magic Track

Commercial tracks.
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gpraceman
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Re: Derby Magic Track

Post by gpraceman »

timtrain35 wrote:Another shameless bump. I just checked out their site again, and there are new photos posted on their site. The connecting screws, apparently, have been removed from the "running" portion of the track and have been replaced with a washer assembly in the middle of the lanes (where the wheels aren't). If this is all true, it might push me over the edge. Check it out and let me know if I'm looking at this right.
That seems to be a good improvement.

I do wonder if they are going to run afoul of BestTrack, due to their stop section design. They might consider it a violation of their patent.
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Re: Derby Magic Track

Post by RMoose »

Looking over their website it looks like they have addressed the main concerns raised earlier about their track design. I think that is a good sign they are serious about selling a quality product. The price is certainly attractive. I see they also offer a 26 to 44 foot one lane test track that comes with a timer. That looks like an attractive option for anyone considering a test track setup!

All my experience has been with wood or aluminum tracks, so these plastic tracks haven't yet proven themselves to me as a viable alternative. It would be great if they can do that however since it is always good to have more options to choose from. My remaining concerns would be the light weight of the track - wood and aluminum tracks are sensitive to bumps from excited racers (or adults) that can affect their performance, so how well would a lighter plastic track handle that situation? Also, I wonder about their durability over many racing seasons.

It would be good to hear some first hand reports from someone who has raced on this track, or a similar plastic track. I would like to know how well they have held up over several years of racing before putting several hundred dollars down to find out the hard way!
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Re: Derby Magic Track

Post by John Shreffler »

I have not raced on it, but have pieces of it here. It is very nice material. Not sure, but I believe it is ABS. You can see some photos at http://www.newdirections.ws/DerbyMagic.html
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Re: Derby Magic Track

Post by RMoose »

Since no one who frequents this board seems to have any experience with this track, or is willing to post about it, I decided to order the $15 track sample and see for myself. It does appear to be made of a durable material, I took it to our workshop and let some of the boys try it out by jumping up and down on it, no damage that I could see from this little experiment.

They have addressed the issue of screws on the running surface of the track, and the track joints on the piece they sent me were quite good, much better than our wooden track in their alignment. Assembly also looks pretty good, although it is hard to draw a conclusion from an 18 inch section.

My biggest concern from this sample would be the way the lane sections join together - it is loose enough to allow the track to flex up and down when held on one side. The sample they send is for a two lane track, still I don't think that would be an issue with a wooden track, or the aluminum ones once initial assembly is complete.

Looking at pictures of their aluminum support stand, and of the video clips I've seen of this track in action, it seems that once assembled this up/down flex is not a major problem, still it concerns me to see it.

I've shown this track sample to the other RA leaders and they are mixed in their opinions, some like what they see, others aren't so sure. Without a doubt the cost savings for this track are the biggest attraction, $359 for a 32 ft. two lane track versus apx. $500 for a 32 ft. two lane aluminum track. If we decide to get a new track, I think we will keep this track in mind, but I don't think we are totally sold on it either.

Hope that little review is helpful to others evaluating the available commercial tracks.
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Re: Derby Magic Track

Post by scoutfrog »

I'll throw my .02 worth in here too. I too have never seen/raced on this type of track, BUT!, that will change on June 9th,2010. A local charity is running a series of races and I'm told they will be run on a Derby Magic track. There will be 7 races in 7 cities over 7 days, so we will see how it holds up to repeated a use/transport. The charity is headquartered here in town, so I'll ask to inspect it once the 7 races are over. Here is a link to the post about the races.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5404
Last edited by scoutfrog on Fri Feb 26, 2010 7:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Derby Magic Track

Post by scoutfrog »

I had time today to talk to one of the the people setting up the racing with the track. He said they have used it several times and it is holding up well. I'll try to actually get a look at it as soon as I can.
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Re: Derby Magic Track

Post by gpraceman »

You can see that track in action a bit at the beginning of this Lowes/Dremel video. Seems like a fast track. Though, you can see guys down at the end trying to catch their cars. The cars were going nearly to the end of the stop section, so I have a feeling that they were worried about the cars hitting the wood cross piece at the end. Hopefully, Derby Magic will find some other way to keep their stop section together and eliminate that risk and maybe make the stop section a bit longer.

Am I imagining it, or is the track flexing a bit as the cars are going down the curve?


https://youtu.be/
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Re: Derby Magic Track

Post by Guillermo »

Greetings!

This is my first post here and just wanted to say that our pack is about to vote on a DerbyMagic vs BestTrack. I really wish there was more info out there from actual users of the DerbyMagic as the bang for the buck is VERY attractive. Adding this bump to see if anyone has any new information to add.

TIA
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Re: Derby Magic Track

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Guillermo wrote:Greetings!

This is my first post here and just wanted to say that our pack is about to vote on a DerbyMagic vs BestTrack. I really wish there was more info out there from actual users of the DerbyMagic as the bang for the buck is VERY attractive. Adding this bump to see if anyone has any new information to add.

TIA
Car prep for DerbyMagic (outside edge car restraint) vs BestTrack or Freedom Track (center rail car restraint) are distinctly different. In many areas, racers participate both local (e.g. pack) races and in area-wide (e.g. district or council) races. it is important to the racers that the tracks depend on the same restraint concept. So first determine what is usual and customary for your district/council races and try to match them.

A second issue is that car prep is slightly different for BestTrack and Freedom Track. They have different profiles, and BestTrack's profile is more demanding of the builder. The Freedom Track profile most closely matches the "traditional Cub Scout Track" profile as shown in the Cub Scout Leader's HOW TO Book and is more likely the profile used for your district/council races. In your situation I would determine the style of track used for district/council races (and whether it has been consistently so and is likely to continue) and match the style as well as possible.

Finally, the price and/or quality of the track should not be the determining factors. Rather it is most important that the track meet the needs of those who will use it. Packs in this area would be ill advised to purchase either of the tracks you have pared your choice down to, since the predominant style of track used here is the traditional gentle curve of the HOW TO book track and those tracks form the pool from which district races borrow!
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Re: Derby Magic Track

Post by FatSebastian »

:welcome: Guillermo!
Stan Pope wrote:Car prep for DerbyMagic (outside edge car restraint) vs BestTrack or Freedom Track (center rail car restraint) are distinctly different.
You may be thinking of a Supertrack? This illustration seems to show that the Derby Magic track maintains a center rail restraint. It appears that the center restraint is a channel made of two narrow rails (like railroad rails) rather than an conventionally raised guide that is solid all the way across.
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Re: Derby Magic Track

Post by Stan Pope »

FatSebastian wrote::welcome: Guillermo!
Stan Pope wrote:Car prep for DerbyMagic (outside edge car restraint) vs BestTrack or Freedom Track (center rail car restraint) are distinctly different.
You may be thinking of a Supertrack? This illustration seems to show that the Derby Magic track maintains a center rail restraint. It appears that the center restraint is a channel made of two narrow rails (like railroad rails) rather than an conventionally raised guide that is solid all the way across.
Good catch! Thank you! I could not see that detail in the video provided, but it is clear from their brochure! From the video, it did appear to me to be a "gutter".

So the decision boils down to track profile and, maybe, surface type.
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Re: Derby Magic Track

Post by pack529holycross »

I watched that video twice, and perhaps they are using the same show twice where the car on the right of the video gets ridiculously squirrelly at the bottom of the Curve Section... not enough evidence to know.. I am curious to see the profile of the transition section from inclined to straight sections.

I just watched it again.. the bottom of the curve bounces after flexing under the weight of the two cars, then recovers as they transition through the curve section.
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Re: Derby Magic Track

Post by Stan Pope »

pack529holycross wrote:... the bottom of the curve bounces after flexing under the weight of the two cars, then recovers as they transition through the curve section.
If so, there is no justification for spending any money on it at all. It won't serve the purpose.
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Re: Derby Magic Track

Post by John Shreffler »

I have samples of all commercial tracks. The plastic DerbyMagic and Supertrack are excellent running surfaces, but the support system of both of these tracks leaves a lot to be desired. If I was going to buy one of them, I would bargain for just the surface, and make my own stable pylon system. Just my opinion, your milage may vary.
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Re: Derby Magic Track

Post by Stan Pope »

John Shreffler wrote:If I was going to buy one of them, I would bargain for just the surface, and make my own stable pylon system.
Great point, John!

Any idea how much additional support is needed to get the "stiffness" comparable to a Freedom Track? Stable support every 4'? every 2'? every 1'?
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