Fastrack 30 inch

I would strongly suggest that you put the above question to the designers at Lionel to get the correct answer to your question.

RickM46,

   As far as I know none of the 30" FT has ever had wire notches in it, this is just one more of the reasons I invested in the small Rockwell X2 Bladerunnner portable table saw, with this saw you can custom cut FT track in any manner you desire.   The X2 gives perfect clean professional cuts on FasTrack and RealTrax also.

PCRR/Dave 

Are you talking about a notch centered on the underside of the track to allow a hidden wire to run the length of the track? If so, I can check my stack tonight. They're all 3-5 years old.

 

Or are you referring to the small notch cut into the side of the roadbed on the 10" terminal sections in starter sets for the power wire?

 

 

RickM46,

 

 I think the 10 inch segments you are talking about are the specifically designed terminal tracks that Lionel makes for routing wire. The 30" do not have those, as you've noticed. When I did a Fastrack layout, I drilled a hole underneath the terminal connections and ran my wires up directly that way. The other option, as someone else said, would be to custom cut a notch for the wires (I've done this before too). 

I am talking about the small rectangular notches that are cut into the ends of the track roadbed bottoms and into the interior ribs that would allow you to string wire under the track thru multiple segments.

 

Thanks for the info on the Rockwell X2; I took a look at the Rockwell site; but, I don't see how you could position the track to cut the notches.  I am thinking maybe a Dremel grinding tool to cut the notches.

It's the same for 5" & 4 1/2".

 

I take wire cutters and cut the sides of the rib where a notch would be in the center, then take pliers and bend it back and forth to break off the piece and create a notch.

 

I didn't have to do a lot of them, though. It goes pretty fast. You only need a notch deep enough for your wire.

Rick,

   I misunderstood what notch you were talking about, I was talking about the side wiring notch, I use a high speed tool similar to the Dremel for the underside notches.

Lowes just started stocking complete set of fast coupling files and specialty tools to due this kind of work, you might want to check them out.  These new quick coupling tools only cost about $10.00 and should due the job quite well.  I am going to pick up a set myself at the end of the month.

PCRR/Dave

Sounds like something a Dremel tool could fix.

Thanks Folks,

I like the suggestions and will have a look at Lowes for the fast coupling files - never saw these before so I guess they will be where regular files are.

RickM456

I'm not as gentle.  I just grab some standard pliers, grab the rib and twist.  POP!  Insta-groove.  Dremel would be cleaner cuts, but no one is going to see it...  I've also used Carl's method above for shorter pieces.

On the earliest versions of FasTrack, all full size pieces had this channel molded into them, including the 30" pieces(which are simply three 10" sections connected with 30" continuous rails). The tooling has been changed many times already, the channel has been eliminated on all sections now.

Thanks for all the responses!

Too bad the notches were eliminated.

RickM46

+1  A Dremel can fix anything 

 

"The most Interesting Tool in the World"...  

If you don't mind the smell of melting plastic a pencil type soldering iron does a great job melting the notches for running wire. Just get a bunch of track ready, get the iron hot and it's done quickly.  Do it in your garage with the door open,  outside, or a well ventilated area so you don't inhale the fumes from the melting plastic.

Rick,

   Sense the quick coupling files are new they have their own special display stand in the Lowes tool department on the main isle.  The triangle files should be perfect for cutting the wire notch in the Lionel FasTrack.   Got to admit Rob is right, I did find one of my original 30" FasTracks that does have the wire notches in it.

PCRR/Dave