Radio Control Car Action

PERFORMANCE

XTM Racing uses a speed control that allows the user to drop in anything from a single 7.2V
NiMH pack for mild performance to a 14.8V LiPo pack for wild wheel-spinning action. I started
with 7.4V and found it surprisingly satisfying. XTM Racing wanted h t e Rail to be beginner friendly
on 7.4V, so it isn’t uncontrollably ballistic, but it was fun. I got a good feel for the Rail as I ran it
full punch up and down my driveway and blasted across my lawn, and a few times I got some air
over bumps in the lawn. This type of driving with limited power on tap did not upset the Rail at all,
and it never flipped or rolled. The realistically treaded tires provided good traction but didn’t dig
in like a knobby 1⁄8-scale racing tire might and cause the Rail to flip when cornering hard. So far,
the Rail performed perfectly. Next, I went directly to the opposite end of the power spectrum and
bolted in two 7.4V packs for a total of 14.8V. With this much voltage pushing the Rail, it felt as fast
as any racing e-buggy. Acceleration was impressive, and the Rail easily lifted the front tires off the
ground when accelerating hard from a standstill. Top speed was equally impressive. This setup is
good for experienced users or beginners with a lot of open space to run. It’s flat-out fast on 14 4. V
as it blasts by in a blur. Given its 1⁄8-scale off-road design, I was not surprised that the Rail jumps
extremely well. For bashing over rough terrain and taking big air, it was better than a race buggy
thanks to its higher ground clearance. If you’re familiar with 1⁄ 8 scale, you know you can control
the vehicle in the air with throttle and brake inputs. The Rail is no different and is, in fact, very
responsive to trigger inputs because it’s electric. With two fans on the motor and a lot of air mov-
ing through the open cage, the temps on the motor and speed control stayed very reasonable.
I am pleased to report that after a good thrashing, everything seemed to stay tight with no loose
parts and no more than a few scratches to report for damage. Up next was a trip to some sand to
get the Rail in its natural element. I bolted up XTM Racing’s optional sand paddle tires and hit the
beach. My first bit of advice is not to stand directly behind the Rail when punching the throttle;
in fact, don’t stand anywhere behind the Rail when accelerating hard. This beast can sling some
sand! You’ll be shaking sand out of your hair for hours if you’re too close. Other than that, the Rail
is a blast on sand, both visually and in terms of performance. Steering is a bit different on sand
with four paddle tires, but the Rail moves out. It didn’t surprise me to see some wear on the spur
gear, but it wasn’t excessive, and the gear never failed even though it is completely exposed.
When I returned to my workshop, I fired up my air compressor and blew out the sand trapped
in the chassis. Needless to say, a lot of sand gets trapped in the chassis…but it’s well worth the
trouble.
Eye Candy
It seems sand
rails are as
much about
being seen as
they are about
performance.
These ma-
chines are cus-
tom creations,
and many are
true works of
art. Check out
these full-size
sand rails.
WRAP-UP
As I see it, the mission of the Rail is to look cool and be
fun to drive—and it delivers. I give XTM Racing credit
for thinking outside that proverbial box and coming up
with something different and innovative. Even better,
while it’s an all-new vehicle, it’s based on a proven
platform, so you know it will work and perform well. I
don’t think it’s going too far to say the Rail exemplifies
what this hobby is all about…no, not picking sand out
of your teeth because you stood too close, but for just
having fun. The XTM Racing Rail will stay in my stable
of RC vehicles for a very long time.
SOURCES
Global Hobby
Distributors
globalhobby.com
Hobby People
hobbypeople.net
XTM Racing
xtm.globalhobby.com