Lionel expands Fastrack Line for 2014

Great news.  I like the additional switches in 096 and 031.

Did we loose O36 manual switches?

Thanks!   Interesting on the combined remote/command.  I wonder what that does to the price?

 

Glad to see the O-96 - I have been wanting larger diameter curves. 

No changes, no new SKU's.

I was hoping for O27 Fastrack and switches (given that O31 doesn't fit inside O36)!

 

I can dream can't I?

 

Ed

One wonders when they'll actually ship.

 

As Homer Simpson would say, "Mmmm ... O-96 curves!"

 

 

 

 

What, me worry?

For clarification…

 

There will be no only-remote turnouts?  Only the more expensive command enabled ones?

 

On a related note...

 

I hope they've worked out the QA/tolerance problems that were introduced with the O31 curves (they didn't snap together without visible gaps).

 

  --Joe

So what's the MSRP on a circle of 096 going to be?

 

Be careful what you wish for.

No pricing yet but I heard the switches will be less than the old Command only.

084 curves list for $7.49 each, so $7.49 x 32 = ouch !

Good question.

 

 

I would imagine it's cheaper in the long run at this point for Lionel to only manufacture one version of the larger switches, right now there are 2 different processes they would need to build them in the form they have been delivered so far.  (who knows, maybe they even re-designed so there is only one board inside now - though I hope they make replacements available for the old style TMCC boards some day, as I have a bad one that I need to buy a replacement for)

 

And to clarify, the previous ones weren't "command only", they had remote toggle switches with them as well, they just had the TMCC board also installed to allow them to work either way.

 

If the above makes it possible for Lionel to reduce the price on the TMCC capable switches, that's a good thing, though I'm sure those ho have no interest in TMCC for switches will not think so, since the price will obviously be higher than a standard remote only switch.

 

-Dave

 

No, we did not loose them, these are the SKU's for the NEW Items!

The price won't necessarily be more than the standard remote switches, it all depends on what the end costs are.  Since even the dealers don't have prices, I think the only person that can really comment on the pricing with real information is Lionel.

 

 

These are new sku's only! The 036 man. switches are still being made.

I will have pricing in Feb. We will post it asap on our web site or via a newsletter. Thanks C&C

I have been waiting for them to get rid of the remote switches. it seemed silly to offer two products when only one of them could work for command and no command people. Plus only making one type of switch should allow them to change the pricing and command switches didn't cost much more than remote oneS. o31 is great too!

I may be on the lower side but I sure hope they still make the remote or at least offer it. I don't like running mine through the handheld remote.

I'd bet money and give you odds that the standard remote control will be included in the sets.  It would be pretty dumb to not offer that option.

I can see the possibility of selling the switch without the control for less money, but one wonders if they'd even bother.  I'm sure lots of people still run these conventionally, so omitting the remote switch is not really an option.

 

I'm still waiting for numbered turnouts, some subset of 4, 5, 6, 7, something.  That's whats really missing to the line at this point. Combining Command Control with Remote is fantastic idea, but I bet it will cost the same or more than the Command Control turnouts they have now.

 

 

I doubt they will cost more. The current command switches already come with the remote that the remote switches have. I would expect same cost or lower or current command switches.
Like I mentioned earlier the current command switches already can serve a person with or without tmcc. No need for two lines of switches when one could do the job.

jrmertz,

 

On average, I can buy the remote fastrack turnouts for $20 to $30 less than the command ones which is what I was meaning. If I need to add more turnouts in the future, the CC ones would be my first choice and the thought has crossed my mind to sell / replace the remote only ones for CC ones, but that doesn't make economic sense to me.

 

If there are only CC turnouts which I think are great, you would be stuck to buy the more expensive turnouts with CC unless Lionel can bring done the costs only having one turnout design in production.

 

Anyway, I do like the CC turnouts a lot...so I'm just pointing that out.

 

 

{emphasis mine}

 

{edit: Paul responded while I was typing, so I see he did think the same thing I did, but others seem to question the cost factor as well - we will have to see when the price sheet actually comes out }

 

Maybe I didn't clearly suggest what I was trying to.  The current (like since they were introduced) Command Capable switches have always been able to be remotely controlled as the original remote control versions.  They come with the controller and can be used either way.

 

I wasn't suggesting the new switches would cost more than the current Command Controlled versions, just that they would likely cost more than the standard Remote Control (no TMCC) switches.

 

Unless there was some revolutionary advancement in the technology or manufacturing methods, I can't see how they would be lower than a current Remote Control (no TMCC) switch. 

 

After all, costs frequently go up for identical prioducts pretty much a little in each successive catalog.  It's hard to believe something improved will go for less (though it's possible - I am sure some examples such as the Milwaukee Road Steamer that was quitre a good deal a few years back could be cited).

 

As to simpler improvements, it would be nice if they could include a template for the controllers with numbers higher than 6 at some point! That should be a very simple improvement to implement - no tooling required!

 

 

-Dave

Agree Dave.

 

I didn't originally know the remote was already included in the CC turnouts which is great.

 

But those that don't want CC, will have to buy the CC versions for the remote which tend to cost more than the pure remote versions which is point I was trying to make.

 

May be that will increase slightly the used value of my remote turnouts as they become harder to find, and I will eventually upgrade to all CC versions which I do really like and weren't available when I bought my turnouts.

 

Also, I agree they should sell for separate sale templates with numbers higher like 7 - 12, 13 - 21, 22 - 28.  Another idea would be just have a different color for the numbers so you gave blue1 vs a red1 vs. a green one...Then you can keep the 1-6 numbers but have different colors of 1 - 6 to help distinguish them for separate sale.

 

 

Economies of scale & amortization of tooling.

Paul that makes perfect sense when you say It like that.

 

As a side note I have the CC switches, they are great (so get them ).

Also, if you shop around you can get the CC switches for less than the remote switches. I've never paid triple digits for any of my command switches. 

As a Fastrack user with an extensive track plan, I too wish they would offer the numbered switches.  It is still a very good track system.

hello charlienassau.....

 

I need to buy some wide curves so how much will a complete 32 pieces of 096 cost ? Does Lionel make long straights ?

 

the woman who loves the S.F.5011,2678

Tiffany

 

 

Is the o-31 curve track (not a switch) on sale yet?

0-31 curves were available last year{2013}, in spring ...the new switches are due out sometime this year{2014}...hopefully.

Me, I'd like to see longer regular straight sections- 4', 5' or 6', 10" long roadbedless straights for bridges....

...and fastrack flextrack....

The shop I repair for has had 031 Fastrack curves for several months now.

 

Tiffany, I believe there has been extended (36") straight sections for several years.

The extended straight sections are 30" long, and I have a bunch of them.  They've been around for a number of years.  I've seen the 31" curves, but I have no use for them, so I don't have any.

Great, but how about some FULL-SIZE 084 curve sections (16 to a circle) instead of those silly short sections (32 to a circle!)  

 

And with the new Big Boy coming soon, they should consider some 096 or larger curves! 

 

Any type of expansion of the Lionel FasTrack line is a win-win for everyone.  Lionel can't please everyone but it shows that they are listening to modelers. 

 

The best way to get an idea across to Lionel is email them a nice letter explaining what you would like to see and why.

 

Steve, Lady and Tex 

While I agree on the surface, I have a feeling it's a matter of a combination of manufacturing (bigger tooling required) and also maybe details such as packaging. 

 

(not too related, but note for even the long straights that  the roadbed is not continuous(but the rails are), it is several 10" sections held together by the rails - using similar tooling to at least manufacture the roadbed pieces for straights)

 

A case of O84 is actually quite compact (even though it's only 3/4 of a circle at 24 pieces).  If the pieces were twice as big, it would certainly be harder to package them.  This type of thing matters when you are shipping large volume across the world.

 

The fact that O96 is following the same idea enforces this logic to me (though it's entirely possible there are other factors I am missing).

 

-Dave

 

Dave

 

Good points and those may be factors in their decision process. However, Lionel needs to fix the pricing if they expect to sell more wide radius curves. Although one would expect a "small premium" for the wider radius curves, the current pricing has 084 costing close to double the cost of 072. If they are going to stick with the short pieces, they need to lower the price. Same goes for the 096

I'm with you 100% on the price John. 

 

I have maybe 2 circles worth of O84 (bought one years ago to run Acela on - the track was a little lower cost back then, but not by much).  I don't think I'll immediately rush out to buy O96.

 

Not to cross topics too much, but the pricing structure for this track is a good example of why I don't believe for a minute there is any way the "new" Command Switches (stated as replacing the 2 types - TMCC vs just "Remote") will cost less than the current "Remote only" variety.

 

-Dave