After using several types of track I am back to tubular(1960's style Lionel track) and Gargraves track, as it stays together very well and can be cut to fit with little or no problems other hen adding in track pins. I started out with 031 track and am back to using it again, works very well.
The older Lionel switches(the TRUE 022's) hold up almost forever with just some routine cleaning and other light maintenance.
Modern Lionel switches don't seem to hold up for long, maybe one year to a year & a half and then they just quit working electrically, especially the 6-23010 & 23011.
I had five of the 6-23010 & 23011 series of switch and will never use another one of them, one would throw the switch point almost 50 times a minute when any of my Williams engines and only Williams(worked fine with Lionel engines)got within two tack sections of it and another acted like a blinking light on a Christmas tree before it shorted out completely.
I have tried Fastrack and I don't care for it. It's a bit more expensive to purchase and will try your patience as it don't fit well together unless you follow a Lionel track plan exactly to the letter. I had a small 3 foot by 9 foot layout of Fastrack to try it.
Maybe it's just me but it is very loud when running anything on it and has very poor electrical connections. I could have gotten some bad track, but I traded it off at a train show.
Lee Fritz
