How the past always comes back to haunt you

[matt1ptkn]

Excellent site! I never knew there was so many variations of the TCR set. I only ever knew of the Tyco. Mine must have been a later set because I always enjoy(ed) playing with it. I never had many problems with the cars getting stuck, just random instances of impulse decisions that didn't end well. Good thing I don't do that often. Thanks for all the info!!

[tamiyadan]

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[Brocklee]

there are many more i didn't cover on the website. basically companies copied off each other so 3 rail TCR systems pretty much all worked the same. many TCR systems are rare as well so it didn't pay to search them out.

the earliest TCR system used Radio control where the track provided the main power in place of a battery. these systems came out in the early 1960s when radio and battery technology was just starting out. the radios took up the entire car with a primitive ESC. the batteries of the day were even larger and had a small capacity so it made sense to use the track as a power system. these radio control systems were very expensive and didn't sell leading to the next step in TCR where analog control was used in place of radio control, total cars were limited to 2 or 3 player controlled cars and additional jammer cars were used. 3 main designs took over the field, 2 used AC power and 1 used DC switched power. of the 2 AC systems one evolved into the AFX system that became the Tyco TCR system, the other used Electromagnetic steering similar to Micro R/C cars. The electromagnetic system was amazing on paper but very hard to make work in real life so production ended. DC power went on but not in America and evolved into the carrera Servo system.

Servo used larger scale cars and Ho scale but suffered from a company struggling to stay out of bankruptcy, so it was exposed to bad ideas and designs and the system withered for 24 years and finally was murdered.

I build prototypes so i took the Servo system and some work people attempted in 2006 and expanded on it and worked out the bugs.
i put together a 8 player Digital Slotless system that allows for full player control and pit stop fuel functions, and has WIFI capability.
I also expanded the system to use Digital programmable Jammer cars.

first prototype board
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAzAgBit2E8&list=UUnRdcSxcxrVBmMTz13LAdPw

first digital slotless car 132 scale
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BuVE8fyUbU&list=UUnRdcSxcxrVBmMTz13LAdPw

scaled up construction in 140 scale after 3 months of redesign
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qV-l2aULQE&list=UUnRdcSxcxrVBmMTz13LAdPw


for comparison this is a 140 ish scale analog system that i modified for 3 player operation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8axozthU7Qg&list=UUnRdcSxcxrVBmMTz13LAdPw


example of a 1990s Worlds of wonder Slotless system that used fly by wire guidance. i restored this set to operation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upeGCK13WfM&list=UUnRdcSxcxrVBmMTz13LAdPw&index=35

once i figured out the electronics i built a ghost car controller to allow for more fun
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1Es1IVRFgI&index=34&list=UUnRdcSxcxrVBmMTz13LAdPw

one of electromagnetic TCR systems from 1977 the electronics were modified to work correctly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbxKyIkF58M&list=UUnRdcSxcxrVBmMTz13LAdPw

this is after i modified the Electromagetic system to work correctly, i learned a lot from the design and made many changes to it. out of the box the system never worked.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vl0osfwWPME&list=UUnRdcSxcxrVBmMTz13LAdPw&index=77

What made the Tyco system work well is they learned from some mistakes and created a better track and car system that worked 80-90% of the time right out of the box for the end consumer. Overall the system is a good starter if you want to enter the world of TCR.

today you can say TCR evolved into Micro R/C cars of the kind Tomy came out with 10 years ago. I race micro R/Cs and have tracks for them as well.

as you can see TCR has many offshoots

HOLY CRAP, I had the oval version of tyco tcr's growing up and I've been wondering what it was called for the past 2 or so years! I hadn't really taken the time to look into it much though. I might have to search the bay for one just for old times sake.

[tamiyadan]

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[matt1ptkn]

While on the subject of slot cars, etc. have you have any experience with Record Breakers, World of Speed? This is another genre of toy racing that I have quite a stash of and still enjoy playing with.

[R Cane]

I was into slot (and slotless) a good bit when I was a kid. As the tracks wore out they got pitched, but I think I still have all the cars. Most are late 70's, early '80's - 1 or 2 earlier maybe, and none later than say, 1984 or so. As I recall, I have 2 sets of TCR trucks, and I think the only track I still have is a TCR set. Haven't looked at any of that stuff in YEARS. I was actually thinking of selling / trading it all for something I can use...fun memories though...