Fastrack Layouts

The link in the bottom of my post is a more basic layout.  My Flicker Page is my latest layout, but is not large enough for 072  http://www.flickr.com/photos/t...s/72157626165227562/ 

Fastrack curves are measured from center rail to center rail. You also have pretty much 2" of track and the plastic roadbed outside the center rail, meaning you will need about 76" of width to make a complete turn using 072 track.

It's very nice to be able to use 072 curves, but it does use up a lot of real estate.

REV

Thanks, so if  I hold off om some of me larger locos, what would be the best size curves to use and any idea where I can find layout ideas with the tables I have

Thanks

If you don't plan to use the larger locos, O48 and O56, if I remember my sizes correctly (I recently took a leave of absence from O gauge in favor of large scale), should be able to handle most medium sized locomotives.  In other words, you'll need about 5' 6" wide tables wherever a 180 degree turn is needed.

Do you have the 4x8's and 2x4's as stand alone tables, or are they connected together permanently?

If not connected yet, build a layout shape like this:

Make the red 4x8 detachabe so you can access the center hole easily.  This design would also allow for O72 trackage.

--James

Hi Halibut72,

Using the four tables that you have in the configuration that jjwtraiman suggested you can use up to an 084 loop.

Do you have the space for a 144" x 96" rectangle?

Here's 3 loops-084, 072 & 060. Starting at 48" down from the top and 2.5" in, these loops fit. (The 084 will be about an 1.5" from the edge.) The 072 is 8.5" and the 060 at 14.5". The 6" center to center spacing will let you run any loco and use 072 switches with FasTrack.

If you eliminate the 084 loop, you could put a yard on the on straight on the outside, using 2 072 switches for a passing loop for a passenger station or freight depot. The other straight side could have a set of 4  072 switches to enable trains to crossover inside to outside and outside to inside. You could make an industry siding on the inside on the ends or a passing loop.   You could fit a wye off of the inside straight and build a narrow area across the opening or a bridge to enable changing the train's direction.

Depends on how to want to run your trains, but this configuration of the tables appears to give you the options to run most locos and trains.

I hope that helps as a starting point.

I purchased a book called "Track Plans for Lionel Fastrak" by Classic Toy Trains and it has a variety of track plans of various sizes. Hopefully you might find a layout in the book that might help. Good Luck.

my best advice is to download one of the many.  layout design tools and play around.  Don't give up on your large locos.  Im not a compromiser alot can be achieved in a small space.   this a layout I started on and just got the track laid before i had to tear it down to move in a 12x13 room.  072 main and 060 main with an 060 min

I agree on the "play around."

Sit down, and list out the elements you would like to have on the layout.

For me it was:

1. A reversing loop.

2. Two complete loops to allow simultaneous running of two conventional locomotives.

3. A switching yard.

Get a layout program like SCARM, draw your space, and start laying track.

One tip when using SCARM, don't get to hung up on things being perfectly connected. If it's close in SCARM, it'll work in real life.

Don't overlook checking the library for books on "model railroading" or "model railroader". And don't nix a book just because it's for a specific scale, all designs can be converted to other scales.

While I much prefer using software these days, the old paper/pencil route still works, especially if you already have a lot of track to try out various elements. I like software because I only have the tracks that came with my R-T-R set and I don't want to over-buy new track. I also wanted to experiment with different brands of track and the non-standard tracks like 90/45/22 crossovers, 3/4-way and curved turnouts, etc. That is a whole lot easier in software than it is on paper unless you are fairly meticulous about measurements.

Halibut, here's what I did with FasTrack in an 8 x 12 space…two concentric ovals with 0-72 curves.  One elevated oval running perpendicular with 0-36 curves.  And then I just laid out track at the other end, and wherever I could fit track piers, I screwed them in and that's where my second elevated loop went.

(This is the "Panorama mode" view of the 8 x 12 rectangle.)

You can e-mail me if you want more detail or want to ask something.  Good luck.

- Mike

Do a google search for "fastrack rr track layouts"  There are several pictures of layout designs.  Pick one you like and maybe someone with the software can help you out.  Stear away from the FasTrack Book.  None of the layouts fit together.