I prefer to use a combination of tubular track; 031 & 042 along with Gargraves track. One big plus with tubular is that you can cut & piece track together very easy.
I use 027 for an around the room layout near the ceiling and on my second level. 027 has at least 2 curve radius's; 27 & 42 inch curves, plus you can add in Gargraves track with some adapter pins.
FYI; tubular track is easy to find and is still made by at least 4 companies. Rmt, Williams by Bachmann, Gargraves and Ross all make tubular track.
I have tried Fastrack and find it very limiting and extremely expensive, also not that flexible, so beginners may want to stay away from it.
My findings with my use of track systems; I don't use Lionel current production tubular switches(6-23010), second Gargraves switches may give you problems with MTH steam engines at the switch areas. Fastrack is not any better for electrical issues and don't fit together well if you try to free-lance a track design.
E Z Streets or Super Streets(former K-Line name) is another nice system but you must know what you are doing as this system will give you trouble if you don't know what you are doing with it. Use a number 4 Phillips head screw(half inch or three quarters inch long) to fasten the E Z Track to a layout surface. Also the power wires are best supplied to a 10 inch straight section as you can hook-up both wires to a 10 inch section. Another thing is the use of curve to straight track or curve to curve two and a half inch pieces because of the width for the wheel clearance before & after a curve. And the electrical connectors can be removed and the track pieces swapped around as well.
Williams by Bachmann has very limited instructions for use with it, even the website has NO detailed instructions.
Lee Fritz
