Introduction
According to Wikipedia: A crash barrier, sometimes called a “safety rail” or “guard rail”, is a metal, concrete, or wooden barrier placed along a roadway to reduce the severity of accidents, in particular by preventing them from leaving the road.
For our cars and circuits the role is the same, to avoid going off the road. In addition it gives a very nice look to the circuit, it reminds me of a street circuit like Monaco with its barriers at the edge of the track. For one of the advantages is to avoid going off the track but also to go and get a car several meters from the track, because a car launched at full speed can travel a long distance, damage itself, damage something or injure someone.
Carrera therefore offers for our 1/43° tracks barriers for the turns. While in the 2024 catalog this type of barrier disappears from many sets in favor of the rubber version ref 20061651. It is therefore time for me to publish this article.
Elements proposed by Carrera:
The sets contain for each turn a barrier for the outside. Putting a Barrier on the inside has only an aesthetic function (which I admit, I like).
If you buy additional rails or want to have the barriers in straight lines, you will have to buy barriers in the Carrera accessories range. It excites two colors, red and white.
Red barrier “Carrera” Ref: 20088304
LThe barrier strip is held at the top and bottom, which allows for a smooth barrier along its entire length, which is not the case with the second model. The barrier is slightly more offset on the outside of the track compared to the second model. Thus, the vehicle will be less advantaged if the vehicle leans on the barrier to avoid leaving the slot and the track.
This support allows a flag to be inserted on its rear.
White barrier “Carrera GO!!!” Ref: 20088305 or 20088110
Old model of support the strip slides from above and is caught between 3 spikes. The disadvantage is that on the track side, the barrier is not smooth and if a vehicle slides along it, it risks catching part of the support and slowing down or even throwing the car off the track.
This support can also accommodate a flag reference 61650.
Installation instructions:
Please note, there are 2 sizes of barrier strips:
The supports of the first reference (20088304) have a height of 12.4mm.
The supports of the references (20088305 or 20088110) have a height of 9.7mm.
So if you already have barriers or several types, check the model you want.
Note that to my knowledge the barriers are white with red text in the boxes and that it is possible to buy a red version with white text (ref. 20088304)