"Schweiz-Baden was designed as a purely fictitious place, nestled at the foot of the Swiss Alps...just a stone's throw from the wooded forests of Alsace-Lorraine. The circuit was mainly home to Le Mans prototypes of the coupe and open-cockpit variety, though a wide range of modern and classic GT cars also ply its many challenging curves. The track was landscaped and includes a hand-painted backdrop, combined with several areas where painted scenery and three dimensional models blend together (see the village area). The L-shaped tabletop is approximately 4' x 12' along the back side and 3' x 6 foot along the right-hand side.
The main section contains a paper-clip arrangement, with the main grandstands and pits surrounded by outside straightaways--and at one end, the "Trinity Curve"...a banked section with three inside 60-degree curves (curve-straight-curve-straight-curve). This came about because some of the longer cars couldn't take more than two sections of the tight Artin banked curves at a time. The smaller table section contains the "esses"...raised on a upper level of track--all supported on a 4" layer of foam, which is covered with crumpled and painted landscape (kraft) paper--an old and very cost-effective model RR trick. Schweiz-Baden features a wide range of varying curves and level changes over it's approximate 58 ft. length, and believe it or not, sub-10sec. lap times are not that easy to come by--even with an out-of the box Fly.
TRACK DETAILS
The track is a hand-laid (no computer plan) Artin 2-lane setup, with custom-painted borders...and I also blacked-out the dotted-white-line separating the lanes. The power supply is from the Artin 4-lane set, it provides separate power to each lane, and I splice-wired the extra leads to double the per lane amperage from 1.5 amps to 3. That and the Parma controllers make a BIG difference in the overall enjoyment level. Look at the photos and I think you'll agree that it is indeed possible to design a unique and challenging layout with Artin track. (Okay, it did take three different sets...) Artin Lap Counter/Timer; Ninco, SCX and Artin barriers, with white board advertising barriers slipped into channel at edge of track.
SCENERY
The Control Tower, Pits, Medical Station and Beer Haus (concession stand) are hand-made from foam-core, cardboard boxes and clear plastic boxes. Many of the building exteriors are inkjetted onto large sheets of adhesive-backed paper, then applied to the structure. A mix of porcelain "collectible" accessories (I painted out the snow) and other painted toy buildings round out the architectural mix, which includes 3 painted Artin grandstands. The track signs blend old and new logos, along with local (Swiss & European) advertisers like banks, magazines, radio stations and even passenger railroads. My overall goal was to make the elements blend together as well as possible, with enough scenery to add interest and fun--but not to overdo it by trying to cram as much as possible onto the table."
As it turns out, the basic inspiration for the original track and scenic themes will be carried through on The Schweizering. Of course, the result will be better this time, we hope.
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