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Dennis, I have the materials for the layout base ready, just have not had the "gumption" to put it together.  I also have most of the FasTrack ready with ballast on the sides of the roadbed.   Been dealing with some health issues and work recently.   Still my intention to build this layout.  -Ken

Ken, I too am sorry to hear of your health issues, so please take care of yourself and family as they come first. Last Christmas I tried to build this layout using MTH realtrax. As Realtrax does not offer a 22.5 crossing I used a 45 degree crossing. It made the layout to big for my space. My question is when using Lionel fastrack you list all the needed switches except one as command switches. I only see the need for three command switches. Am I missing something? Trying to cut cost by using switches I already own. Again wishing you a speedy recovery. Thanks Dennis 

dennis32 posted:

Thanks Ken, The above layouts do not have the same appeal as the other layout. I can't picture running three trains at the same time, or the variety of routes. I might go old school free hand laying track starting with the 22.5 crossover and build it out to see what happens. 

Dennis, how big is your space (if you want to run three trains)?

I would start with the two turnouts back-to-back at the top center.   Then work out the connections to the turnouts feeding the crossing.   Then continue working down to connect the crossing to the inner mainline.

Last edited by Ken-Oscale
dennis32 posted:

Ken, I broke down and purchased version 5.0 of AnyRail. Can I get a copy of the file?

Thanks, Dennis

I had posted this version with O72 turnouts earlier.   If there is a particular variation you are interested in, I will try to find it and post it for you.   Each illustration has a label that should appear in the lower left corner, when you click on it.

BTW, I hope you meant AnyRail 6, that is the most current series.

I got side-tracked building a 4'x10' plan from another discussion thread.   For this one I have all of the track and turnouts, most of which have the roadbed edges ballasted.   I have the benchwork I need to extend my table.   Just have not done anything more.

-Ken

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Last edited by Ken-Oscale

Greetings Friends.   I'm new to the group and O gauge since I have been a G scale Railroader for some time.  Ken, excellent job and hope all is well.  My son is now in love with trains so we decided to build  a table based on your design.  I'm sitting around 11 feet by 5 feet but i'm having trouble choosing track.  I was looking at either the FastTrack or Atlas -O.  I was wondering if you had the design in the Atlas-O or how the conversion would work.  Also if you had some recommendations for a new user, that would be fantastic too.

Thank you 

  1. HaulingSTK posted:

Greetings Friends.   I'm new to the group and O gauge since I have been a G scale Railroader for some time.  Ken, excellent job and hope all is well.  My son is now in love with trains so we decided to build  a table based on your design.  I'm sitting around 11 feet by 5 feet but i'm having trouble choosing track.  I was looking at either the FastTrack or Atlas -O.  I was wondering if you had the design in the Atlas-O or how the conversion would work.  Also if you had some recommendations for a new user, that would be fantastic too.

Thank you 

HaulingSTK:  both are great track systems, a few points IMO off the top of my head:

FasTrack Pros: 

  1. no ballasting needed with integrated roadbed
  2. turnout machines integrated within the roadbed, so no ugly switch machines on top of the layout next to the track
  3. switch machines can be command controlled with TMCC/Legacy, and powered through the rails - no need to run wires for turnouts or build a control panel
  4. Works with magne-traction
  5. Faster/easier to put a layout together, and get up and running

Fastrack Cons:

  1. both a pro and con:  track sections connect tightly, do not come apart (in my experience).  But the integrated plastic roadbed means that track sections must be planned to fit closely without compression.   It is possible to stretch joints a bit, 1/16" looks OK.   But cannot be compressed. 
  2. It is difficult, but not impossible to make custom-length track sections.

Atlas Pros:

  1. railjoiners have been improved, and allow some flexibility in making layouts connect together
  2. Flex track, and the ability to trim sections allow layout shapes to connect with custom size and curved sections
  3. Numbered turnouts for high-speed and more realistic looking trackwork

Atlas Cons:

  1. Need to ballast track.   Can look really great, but a lot of work IMO.   Others don't mind this task, so could be a pro or con depending on your personal preference.
  2. Switch machines on the surface of the layout, or invest in the expense and time of under-table switch machines
  3. Must run control and power to the switch machines, and build a control panel
  4. No magnetraction effect

 

Which one looks best:  perhaps Atlas-O if you can ballast your layout.

Both are reliable

Ken, Thank you so much for the response and info, it is well appreciated.  I will definitely take all that into consideration.  Then again for the ease of getting things started and keeping my boy excited, the FasTrack would be an easy way to go.  

 

Great forum and thank you for all the work you do in building track plans.

One quick question that I have noticed on some of the layouts on here that have reversing loops or switches that would change the direction of the train.  Are power separation clips/blocks or reversal units not needed for the FasTrack as you would need in a 2 rail system?  I know in G scale we have to watch those issues unless a DCC is involved I believe but i'm unfamiliar how it works in the Lionel 3 rail system.  

Sorry, I don't mean to hijack the thread at all, figured it was a good question for a newbie in the FasTrack section.

Hi Ken, 

I really am inspired by your layout. I am new to the hobby and feel that this layout provides the best amount of flexibility for multiple paths for the trains to travel throughout the expereince. There are two modifications I am thinking of incorporating and would really appreciate your help on implementing them. At the very top of the mainline I would like that area of track to be elevated as it is traveling on the right hand side I would like to incorporate a mountain where the trains wraps around the mountain on using outer curve.

Can you please educate me on what additional track pieces I would need to purchase? What grade should I strive to achieve and how? 

Also on your existing layout what is the length of the passenger cars? I noticed on average you have 8 cars. Would you recommend 18" passenger cars or 21"? 

 

Thank you for your time and all of your hard work you put into this amazing layout. 

Really enjoy the creativity and good information in this thread.

One observation / question - I noticed that some of the plans have reverse loops such that once a train has reversed direction, it can't reverse back to its original direction.  Is this a deliberate operational choice, or is it due to space constraints?

Ken-Oscale posted:

Thanks Matt - cool layout.

So I was able to make both layout designs interchangable.   Here is the design with the two sections of track/switches to build either layout.

M412-03-4X12_O36O48_v10e-showinginterchangeable

And the track that would be permanent/common to both layouts:

Ken, I was wondering if you have a breakdown of all the Fastrack Pieces for this layout.  I would greatly appreciate it as I am on a MAC and haven't been able to get anyrail loaded yet.

 

Thank you again for all your hard work.

 

Jay

@Ken-Oscale posted:

Here is a variation that looks more conventional.   By replacing the crossing with two sets of turnouts making a passing track in front of the station, an additional route is created:  the inside mainline can now do its own oval in addition to the return-loop-to-loop.

The twice around with two trains following each other is a bit more tricky because instead of through the crossing, the route runs through the cross-over turnouts:   the turnouts must be set to automatically select the right directions for the twice-around.   This can be done using the detection track segments (non-derail feature) of the Fastrack turnouts, so that in addition to the non-derail feature, other turnouts also switch directions appropriately.   This might need just two wires connecting track detection segments, which can be enabled/disabled with a double-pole single-throw switch - more analysis might be needed on this control idea - I have done something similar on a previous layout which worked fine.

In addition to that oval route for the inside main, there is room for two additional buildings in the center of the layout.

M412-03-4X12_O36O48_v10c

The layout still has the good features as before: O-48 outside route with easements, O-42 (compound O-48 and O-36 small sections) for the inside main, and the passing siding and route variations with the twice-around.   The width is now a full five feet, and the length is 12'1".   This variation uses the O-60 turnouts, not the O-72 variation above.   Cost to build goes up, with two additional turnouts.   Mainline turnout minimum is O-48.

Hi Ken I was wondering if you had this layout using fastrack and with a yard on the left. It’s a really good looking layout I think.

Hi Ken. I’m new to this forum. And I’m just getting back into my trains since I  moved. But I have been looking at the layout M412-03-4x12_036048_v8b and I was wondering if you have the anyrail file that you could share with me. I have most of the components to build  this layout.

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