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It is interesting to look at some of the changes which have occurred between the first production runs of Fastrack in 2003 and today. Here are a few that I have observed? Do any of you have other variations you've seen?

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In the photo #1, the foreground image shows the first production run of Fastrack. Note the brown ties, and black center rail. The background image is current production.

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In photo #2, we see the differences in rail profile. Initially, Fastrack had a rounded tubular profile (right). Later production was switched to a sharp rectangular profile (left)

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In photo #3, we see the differences in the base castings. The upper track is from the initial production run. The lower track is current production. Note that current production has: (a) plastic thickness reduced by about 1/3 and is very flexible compared with original track, (b) slots were introduced down center of base to run bus wires, (c) plastic molding was recessed into ties to squeeze out as much plastic savings as possible, (d) rails are not crimped to base as tightly on new production.

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I have much of both examples and the difference in the thickness of the plastic is the most noticeable change. The new pieces are really thin in gauge. However, it hasn't had any effect on how it performs and I still have never had power issues even with large floor layouts with only one power feed.

 

 

This is going to be an enlightening thread. I have three variations in my spare track bin. I have the old base with the holes/tubular rails with silver center Rail. I have the newer base but also has the tubular rails. All my turnouts the tubular rails. And finally I have the newer base with the flat rails.  The track with the round holes has been prone to rust or at least corrosion ( I live in Florida ). I would like to know when did they switch to flat rail profile? Also I have noticed the the newer base has a tendency to warp. Definitely the flat profile makes it easier to run scale wheel sets.

 

SUZU,

   Your attention to detail matches with my observations of the track down thru time, I actually got rid of some of the newer FasTrack, because I thought it was not as well made as my original or 2nd generation FasTrack.  When the newer FasTrack started to warp just a little before I had it on the layout, I traded it on some more original old FT.  I now have no Flat Profile FasTrack pieces at all, and no track that warps or even rusts in a normal climate.  I have never have any problems with the older FasTrack and I always screw it down when I use it.  The Command Control Switches match up with all the old FT pieces perfectly.  Further I make custom close out pieces with this older FasTrack, by cutting the Track to exacting size & curvature required.  I then reuse the original Flat Coupling Pins on the custom made piece.   

PCRR/DaveDSCN1506

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Last edited by Pine Creek Railroad

Wow,  interesting !  This is one of those threads where I wouldn't have noticed until someone pointed it out.

At a quick check  at mybox of Christmas layout track I have a mix of the thicker stuff with the silver center rail, and thinner stuff with rounded rails. No flat top rail, however that sounds like a plus in the esthetics dept.

I have 150' or so of fastrack making up my permanent layout, I'll have to assume its a mix of both.

Never had any problems continuity wise, and the only track that ever rusted was accidently left out on a deck in a rainstorm after a photo shoot.

My layout just turned 11.

Last edited by RickO

I have all three varieties, one thing I've noticed is the rounded stuff caused issues with the MTH scale wheel 3-rail steamers.  They run fine on Atlas track, but the front pilot climbs out of the curves for the Fastrack, even on O72 curves.  I don't have the newer square rail O72 curves to try and see if the MTH scale wheels have a problem on those curves.  I haven't seen any major rust issues, but it's not super-humid around here, unless it's summer.  

Gentlemen,

    I know people who have the newer FasTrack and have complained about it working apart as the trains run on it, got to admit my 1st and 2nd generation FT does not work apart even when not screwed down.  If you are going to use the newer FasTrack I recommend you always make sure it goes together tightly & correctly and screw it down for best running results.  Unfortunately the newer FasTrack is not what the older FasTrack was for making Carpet Central layouts. My advise is that when you attend the Train Shows try to pick up as much of the older FasTrack as you can, especially if you want to run a Carpet Central, nothing makes a bigger mess than having your FT work apart behind your Christmas Tree, on Christmas morning with the kids playing with their new train.  IMO Lionel needs to return to their original high quality FasTrack production, I own lots of it and I love it.  Further Lionel also needs to come out with a new 031 or 027 FasTrack engineering design, that actually fits inside their 036 FasTrack.  My inner most loops are required to be MTH RealTrax at this time.  

PCRR/Dave

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Last edited by Pine Creek Railroad

Guns,

   I never knew the MTH Scale Pilots had trouble with FasTrack, my big Tin Plate Pilots run on it perfectly even thru all the switches including the Y's, even on the inner loops.  I do realize they are a some what different however.  Even the big 12 Wheel Tender on the 263E Work Train has no problems with FasTrack, even with the Tenders original type Truck Flanges.

PCRR/DaveDSCN1416 

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Last edited by Pine Creek Railroad

Dave

I just looked at my turnouts on my layout. They all are the more rounded Rail profile which explains the derailments with some of the 2R wheel sets. The other thing I noticed is the newer base is noiser than the older base.

John, its not just the MTH scale wheel sets but also Atlas, but also other makes scale wheel sets are effected by the rounded profile.  What I have noticed is that the rounded profile causes 2R rolling stock to lean, which may also explain derailments.

Interesting topic!  Two complaints I have heard most this season is the lack of quality plating and loose pins.

Poor plating is the cause of minor surface rust forming while still packaged in the case from Lionel.   Also, the latest issue of Fastrack pins seem to be very loose resulting in poor power transmission from track section to track section.  I have sold some needle nose pliers to customers because of this issue.

Poorly plated track new out of the box has been going back to the distributors.

I highly recommend everyone inspect each piece and every piece of Fastrack you purchase for these flaws as we check every piece we place on our shelves.  I have been collecting a good sized box waiting to be filled and returned to Lionel for credit.

MTH Realtrax also has quality issues, so they are not limited to just one manufacturer.

JR  Junction,

    It really is to bad what has happened with this latest generation of FasTrack, what use to be a very high grade track is now problematic, it's why I keep adding to my stock of 1st & 2nd generation FasTrack, when I am out at the Train shows.  Not only is the older FT still perfect, most of time I can pick it up at a real decent cost.  One time years ago at a Train Show at the Holiday Inn, I purchased every bit of the 1st generation FasTack that 3 different vendors were selling, at a very low cost, one of the best purchasing moves I have ever made.  Purchased a lot of 1st Generation RealTrax that day also, real glad I did that now also.

PCRR/Dave

Last edited by Pine Creek Railroad
JR Junction posted:

Interesting topic!  Two complaints I have heard most this season is the lack of quality plating and loose pins.

Poor plating is the cause of minor surface rust forming while still packaged in the case from Lionel.   Also, the latest issue of Fastrack pins seem to be very loose resulting in poor power transmission from track section to track section.  I have sold some needle nose pliers to customers because of this issue.

Small vice grips work better.

I have a loop of the rounded top Fastrack and it has surface rust on it.  It has never been out of a heated room.  Maybe living on the Maine coast helped it rust.  It doesn't matter, as I don't plan on buying any more.  That is especially true with the changes Lionel made.  Too expensive and too noisy for me.  Lionel could have done better.  Like always, buy what you like.

 

BROTHERDAVE,

      I have owned the original FasTrack Switches and the new FasTrack Command Control Switches I have now, got to tell ya the quality has actually improved with the Command Control Switches, I sold all my 1st generation manual controller type FT switches fairly cheap.  After Guns just showed us the new upgrade ERR set ups, I am a might upset at my self for acting so quickly to get rid of them.  However Nassau Hobby always has a great sale in February on Command Control Switches of all different sizes, I bought more than a few from him during the Feb FT sales down thru the years.  However the best deals I got on about 12 pair of FTCC Switches, were from people contacting me, when they see my FT layout pictures on the OGR.   I picked up these FTCC Switches, on incredible deals, just because of some of our members selling cheaply.  All in all I have had only 2 switches that have had any kind a problem what so ever, and both came from Nassau Hobby NIB.  The LED on one of my 072 FTCC Switches failed for some unknown reason, however the switch works perfectly in all other ways.  The 2nd 072 FTCC Switch had a Sending Unit go bad after 2 years.  I plan to beat this problem by using it, back to back with another FTCC Switch, and wiring it up on a relay so that when I operate the one FTCC Switch remotely from the Legacy Cab2, the other switches wired to it, operates at the same time.   Most all my FTCC Switches are 048 and larger, I do have 1 set of new 036 FTCC Switches that I purchased from an OGR member, NIB, and they work perfectly.  I may transition in and out of them on my inner RealTrax 031 loop, this next Christmas season.

PCRR/DaveDSCN1697  

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Last edited by Pine Creek Railroad

For reasons I don't understand, four of the eight command O72 switches I'm using had the LED fail.  I have since replaced them, but it's pretty amazing to have that many failures.  Yes, they worked at one time.  The switches are powered with PowerHouse 180 bricks from track power.  The good thing is after a couple, you can replace the LED pretty quickly with practice!

gunrunnerjohn posted:

For reasons I don't understand, four of the eight command O72 switches I'm using had the LED fail.  I have since replaced them, but it's pretty amazing to have that many failures.  Yes, they worked at one time.  The switches are powered with PowerHouse 180 bricks from track power.  The good thing is after a couple, you can replace the LED pretty quickly with practice!

You are not alone. At the LHS where I work as the repair guy, we have a sizable mountain of dead FT switches. Many DOA,  or shortly after purchase. Fried PCB's, falling apart, rusted, failed LED's or controllers, etc. Not worth the time or money to fix at a busy store, waiting to get tossed in the trash or sent back. Fragile creatures. Small percentage survives the first year to maturity. Seems like we are exchanging them as fast as we are selling them. We also have a respectable pile of those  FT crossings with the dainty little flashers or gates which keep getting mangled. 

Other than a couple if minor issues with the limit switches internally, and of course the ridiculous crimps that should be real connections, the only issue I've had is the LED's going out.  I actually measured the current for the LED in operation, and I see no reason that is should do that, so I don't know what to make of them failing.  If it continues, I'll probably add a RC filter to isolate whatever spike is apparently killing the LED.

I have noticed the change of the track over the years.  I got my 1st bunch after they went to the silver center rail.  Good track, but yes, newer stuff is not so nice.  Almost all my newer pieces are bowed in the middle, so my trains gallop as they go down the track.  On some older locomotives if they are going slow enough they die to loss of power as the dip is that bad the center pickups loose contact.  I have some of the early O36 manual switches, they are almost bullet proof.  They have been used a ton, the frogs are missing the plating in the bottom where flanges have been running on them, the switch stands have long been broken and removed and I still use them.  I just switch them by flicking the points with fingers.  I don't bother switching them if I'm coming from the back side.

GregR posted:
gunrunnerjohn posted:

For reasons I don't understand, four of the eight command O72 switches I'm using had the LED fail.  I have since replaced them, but it's pretty amazing to have that many failures.  Yes, they worked at one time.  The switches are powered with PowerHouse 180 bricks from track power.  The good thing is after a couple, you can replace the LED pretty quickly with practice!

You are not alone. At the LHS where I work as the repair guy, we have a sizable mountain of dead FT switches. Many DOA,  or shortly after purchase. Fried PCB's, falling apart, rusted, failed LED's or controllers, etc. Not worth the time or money to fix at a busy store, waiting to get tossed in the trash or sent back. Fragile creatures. Small percentage survives the first year to maturity. Seems like we are exchanging them as fast as we are selling them. We also have a respectable pile of those  FT crossings with the dainty little flashers or gates which keep getting mangled. 

If you are just going to toss them, you can send the dead switches my way.  As long as they don't short the track power out, I could care less if the command or remotes don't work, I'll just flip them by hand like I do my old O36 switches.  I'm looking for a couple O72 switches, I really wish Lionel made some manual so that they didn't cost so much.

This is a depressing topic.  Lionel taking what had been a superior product and introducing new flaws by redesigning it.  It's probably been a few years since I've purchased FasTrack, so I didn't even know about the flat top rail change. 

If I recall, the circles of O84 I bought cost somewhere just north of $200.  With this thread, I don't think I'll be buying any more.

-Dave

Gentlemen,

    My experience with FasTrack Command Control  Switches might be a little different than some other peoples.  I recommend them highly, the LED's that fail are no real big deal, when compared to how well they operate, with all my different Pre War/Post War & Modern Trains, especially great with my Tin Plate, they are almost bullet proof.  To combat the failed LED's once Guns told me that replacing them is really not a operator function, I started placing the lighted manual remote control track side, for instant number and turn out recognition while operating them from my Legacy Cab2.  Although the last generation of FasTrack itself has faded with it's quality, the new FTCC Switches are actually better than the 1st Generation manual remote control FT Switches.  In fact I actually used my old 711/072 Lionel Tin Plate Switches thru out the big permanent Office/Game Room Multi Level Layout, instead of the new FT Switches, because I had problems with the 1st pair of FT  Switches that I purchased.   My 1st and 2nd Generation FasTack with the new FTCC Switches runs perfectly, with all my different Trains and my new P2 Pittsburgh, 34 Shannon Street Car.  I have amassed a great deal of 1st & 2nd Generation FasTrack so I can build just about any FasTrack Layout I want to Engineer at this point, and I still look around for more of it, at the Trains Shows even today.  FasTack is a great product, if you purchase the right FasTrack.

PCRR/DaveDSCN1696

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Last edited by Pine Creek Railroad

Very interesting thread for me! Don't have a layout yet but always planning! On the fence between realtrack or FastTrack! All my stuff is MTH, and about 50 assorted Menards cars. The more I read on this forum, the more I learn! Downside is the more I learn the more confused I get but some knowledge is much better than no knowledge! You guys keep posting and I will for sure keep reading!! Thanks

Thanks for answering my question PCRR/Dave. 

Glad to hear that the newer command control switches work well besides burned out leds being an issue.  I find that my old manual 036 switches work great.  I am currently using them for a 2 track shelf switching style layout.  

I don't think  I will be buying more fastrack in the future.  I will use gg/ross going forward but am thinking of incorporating my fastrack in sections as an mow upgrade which will allow the use of fastrack sensor track in a believable way.

Dave

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