Dan,
I admit it. I use FasTrack. However, I don't use trackside postwar accessories (yet) so I can't speak to that part of your question.
I do want to step in and say something positive about FasTrack though. I started in this hobby a year ago and I wanted some kind of layout immediately. My layout had to be built in our basement storage room with the area underneath still used for household storage (not trains). And we're going to move sometime in the next couple years. So I didn't want to get too committed to a scale-type layout with ballasted track, etc. Therefore, FasTrack really works for me for now. I needed to get in the game!
That said, here are the pros to FasTrack as I see them:
- ease of use
- ubiquitous
- good conductivity (I have 150+ feet and 11 switches all under track power from a single terminal)
- stable - my track isn't fastened anywhere (not one screw or nail holding it down)
- easy to break down and move eventually
- I have 11 switches and they're bulletproof, never an issue
Cons
- expensive- but if your layout isn't huge, I don't see this being a big deal
- noise can be an issue- I have carpet pad underneath turf-carpeting so there's very little noise for me but it is a concern
- appearances - if you ever want a scale type layout, it's not going to give you that look
That's FasTrack for me. It does the job. It got me going with an O layout quick.
