"Professional grade" Lionel Fastrack?

quote:

Originally posted by falconservice:
American Flyer S Gauge FasTrak has solid rails.

http://lionelllc.wordpress.com...ican-flyer-fastrack/

The new track system features a rugged plastic base with very realistic molded ties and ballast profiles. The solid metal rails have a correct “T” cross-section. Locking connectors on the base secure sections firmly and the rails are joined by small joiners similar to what you’ll find commonly on HO and smaller scales. (No more metal pins and hollow tubes.)

Why is there not a Solid Rail O gauge FasTrak as well?

If they can make anything, they can make all gauges solid rail. Andrew

With the current choices in S gauge already (American Models' handsome track and Gargraves) just how big a market is there for Lionel Fastrack S?
Yet they've tooled up for it.
Would the S gauge rails be feasible (tall enough) to use on the existing O gauge roadbed? A blade similar to the one used in Scaletrax should be a simple substitution for the middle rail and perhaps they COULD bring this out with little or minimal change to the existing tooling. I'm sure there are still some clever designers available to Lionel...

Also, by appealing to more 'realistic' modellers, perhaps Lionel would continue to expand both systems with the oft-requested curved switches and the like!

Good Day,

As I have said before. how about a FasTrack 21.......... All three rails solid nickel silver. This would be the top of the line in O Gauge track. FasTrack 21 for the 21st Century Model Railroaders.

It all starts with an idea!

Happy New Year,

Frank

I'm currently using Fastrack on my layout and for a 'quick-and-easy' track system, it's great stuff as is. I am, however, planning on converting my layout to more of a 'hi-rail' theme with realistic track and scenery, and I'm going with GarGraves. I was very impressed with it on a layout I saw this Christmas season and I'm not opposed to painting, ballasting and weathering it to look as 'real' as possible. I can't speak for everyone, but most modelers looking for realistic track probably feel the same. We already have GarGraves, Atlas, ScaleTrax, and Ross, so another system would almost be redundant.

Solid-rail Fastrack might be good, though.

quote:

The Atlas-O "21st Century" track system has O-27 curves, with larger sizes incrementing in 9in increments, e.g., O-36, O-45, O-54, 6-63,0-72,0-81, etc., out to some totally rediculous size like O-120.

So, in theory, you could get three loops (O-27, O-36, & O-45) on a 4x8 sheet of plywood. Although the O-45 loop will come awfully close to the edge. It'd probably be better to stick with O-27 and O-36.

Oh, the Atlas-O sizes are measured center rail to center rail. So an O-27 loop is actually closer to O-28.25 compared to traditional tubular O-27 track.

Len2

and if you add the Ross Roadbed you have your "professional looking" fastrack- Details , solid ral and almost all!

quote:

Why is there not a Solid Rail O gauge FasTrak as well?

If they can make anything, they can make all gauges solid rail. Andrew

well MTH had solid rail on their Realtrax system. unfortunately, the rise of costs in the far east made those tracks[ which can stillbe had on the secondary market] made them prohibitive for the price point.

I beleive that the current FasTrack system is fine. I agree with sentiments stated earlier. Expand the current line and do not change it to a different type of rail. Perhaps Atlas track or MTH RealTrax is more what you would need. I built my new layout with FasTrack and have been 100% satisfied with its performance and appearance. Here are two photos of my layout. Eventually I plan to stain the roadbed and paint the sides of the rails. Even so, IMO it does not look to bad as is.
Bob.

Cobrabob,

That looks great! The grassy/shrubby ground between the parallel lines is a very nice touch.

David

quote:

I beleive that the current FasTrack system is fine. I agree with sentiments stated earlier. Expand the current line and do not change it to a different type of rail. Perhaps Atlas track or MTH RealTrax is more what you would need. I built my new layout with FasTrack and have been 100% satisfied with its performance and appearance. Here are two photos of my layout. Eventually I plan to stain the roadbed and paint the sides of the rails. Even so, IMO it does not look to bad as is.

Cobrabob.....nice looking layout. Please post more photo's I would like to see them.

TEX
Steve

Eric,

My trains only run on traditional O-Gauge tubular. These were RTR sets I bought for a nephew and another boy (I am trying to get more of the youger generation involved in the hobby). Normally, I am not intent upon conversations during a running session, but on these occasions I was trying to explain a few things to the childrens' fathers about the basic operation while JR was racing the train around the fastrack oval--not easy. When Lionel comes up with a way to control the noise and lower the price; fastrack will be awesome.

Joe

quote:

Originally posted by Gandalf97:

quote:

Originally posted by T1 Joe:
...It is very good and stable for carpet layouts and protects the carpet from oil and grease stains, but as has been stated so often: it is deafeningly loud, and prohibits the possibility of conversations while the train is running...

You try to have conversations while running your trains? How to you hear the whistles and horns over all that chatter??? Seriously though, I haven't had this problem, especially when running on carpet.

Jon

Good thread guys. I too have wished fastrack had been made of a different material.

 

I am on the fence as to which system to go with. I currently have a dogbone in fastrack. I also have lost a couple of sections to rust, even though I had it in a dry place.

 

My suggestion to lionel would be to make the rails out of aluminum. It wouldn't rust. I don't have any trains that have magnetraction.

 

Has anyone tried micro marks electrolysis system to recoat/repair fast track?

 

One thing that keeps me coming back to fastrack is the electronic non-delrailing switching is included ( as is TMCC for some ).  That would eliminate a lot of wiring.

 

The cost analysis:

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/d...ent/2415514336522099

 

showed MTH track to be less than lionel. Fastrack was on par in cost to Atlas.

 

I also read about the switch"fix" that you have to do with MTH scaltrax switches:

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/d...ent/2415514336982109

 

So far that has scared me from going in that direction.

 

Wanted to hear some "takes" on these ideas/issues.

 

Well... yes and no.

 

Somewhat surprisingly, the Lionel design is higher in cost than the GarGraves design, but not if you consider that the Lionel switches have integrated switch machines like Atlas. In this case the Lionel layout at $792 is cheaper than the GarGraves at $901 and much cheaper than either Ross Custom Switches or Atlas O. Had we been able to squeeze in the missing yard spur, the addition of the switch and the straight track for the spur would raise the cost about $40, making the Lionel design still lower cost than the GarGraves design. The cost of the switches in the Lionel design is $602.

 

If you look closer at the analysis, Fastrack isn't all that expensive compared to the others.

I read the same cost analysis that gunrunnerjohn did.  I was surprised that FasTrack compared so well but there it is.  A cost analysis can only give you a "ballpark" figure though and it is only good at a specific point in time.  Also, the wide variance in prices between different vendors makes it more difficult to analyze prices.  For example, a FasTrack O-72 switch can be had for between $75 and $115 depending on the vendor and whether or not that item is on sale.  Complicating it further, just because vendor "A" has the best deal on the switches doesn't mean they will have the best deal on other pieces of track.  When you throw in the variable of other brands of track, making a good cost analysis becomes so difficult I wonder if it is worth the trouble.

 

Even though I have an extremely tight budget for train stuff, cost isn't my primary criteria for evaluating track.  If I were planning a new layout and buying all of the track at once, I could see making it more important but I am not likely to be in that place in the near future.  To me, the most important criteria is whether I like how it looks and operates.  I address the cost constraint by shopping carefully and picking up a few pieces at a time.

I think with a little work, you can get fastrack to look really decent - 

 

 

Thanks!  I use FasTrack.  I started with the loop that came with my Polar Express set and I have added from there.  I have an O36 layout on a 6x12 table and an O72 test loop on the floor that is about 7x11.

 

I hadn't thought about the wheel wear issue.  I'm thinking that making sure the joints are tight will help reduce that problem.

I took a long look at 3-R before deciding to stay with 2-R. I think Fastrack is one of the better track systems out there, when all factors are considered. ScaleTrax looks great, but it isn't as readily available as Fastrack.

 

I still think there will be a seismic shift in O scale at some point in the next few years. It seems that much of the new product in 3-R is full size, with an emphasis on realistic appearance. At some point there will be a shift in track preference, perhaps to some sort of stud rail system, or maybe a radio control option on high end 3-R locomotives making it possible to operate on 2-R track.

 

Believe it or not, I've been wrong before... but I think at some point 2-Rail or stud rail will take over the market.

 

Jeff C

Gentlemen,

   I love my FasTrack even the 1st black center rail stuff, and I want it to look like a toy train when I finish my layout.  I love my Tin Plate old and new, ScaleTrax has really never interested me all that much.  I would also like FasTrack to build quality switches that will accommodate all my Tin Plate Trains.  I do believe Ross has just accomplished this, excepting some miner rolling stock.  FasTrack switches are usless to me, at this point I am running old Lionel 711 & 072 switches, they accommodates all my Tin Plate and post war trains.  Further DCS works very very well with FasTrack, and with the new Ross Tin Plate switches, I will be able to engineer more complex layouts, and have them still look like a toy train layout.  If anything I would like Lionel to darken their FasTrack bed,

however if I really want it that badly, I can darken it myself.  if Lionel would engineer some new modern FasTrack switches, that would actually accommodate Tin Plate I would love it.  I now fear this will never happen because of the new Ross Tin Plate Switches.

PCRR/Dave

 

Note the 1st generation Black mid rail FasTrack on the 2nd level.

 

I've seen decent, and that ain't it. That's fantastic.

 

To those who want the t-rail or solid-rail Fastrack with the "blade" center rail: You do realize that you would be giving up the unique electrical connection that Fastrack makes between sections. The reliability of that connection is part of what makes Fastrack so reliable, and therefore successful.

 "out to some totally rediculous size like 0-120" .to me anything smaller than 072 looks foolish in ogauge. if you ever ran on 90-100" curves you would never go back to the o27-o54-whatever, that  every one seems to have............last thing we need is another track system.-jim

I agree. Fastrack is fine the way it is. If you don't want a "Starter set" look then loose the 3rd rail and go 2 rail if you want it look "Real"

Just an FYI...  Max, in the video above, eventually decided he liked the postwar look of tubular O27 better and tore down this layout to start over.  He did a great job weathering in his track and anyone who saw his old fastrack layout would agree, but in the end, he decided that it was more important to him to do his own roadbed.

 

Also, if remember the the article from the Fastrack designer, he also submitted all the designs for something called "Super O II" track which Lionel still has.  it was eventually shelved since Fastrack was a hit.  There was also a picture of sample piece Super O II in the article which you may still find on the fastrack yahoo forum.

 

According to the author, Lionel wanted a new starter set track and also a high end track system.  So far, the "High end" track system has yet to materialize and who knows if it ever will.

 

If this story is true, may be Lionel one day will eventually release their Super O II track system...in the mean time, there are  a lot of options out there.

Lionel FasTrack is intended for starter sets and durable enough to disassemble and reassemble many times, it’s well engineered. Personally, I can’t get buy the rail shape, and I don’t mind bending curves and ballasting. If I were inclined to change my layout often, I would use Atlas Industrial Rail track. It looks good and it is compatible with their 21^st Century track system.

Maybe it's me, but all the fuss over the track is pretty entertaining.  It's already visually challenged with a 3rd rail.  Non train people see the third rail no matter how you disguise it.  It seems like the O Gauge community keeps thinking they are going to pull a Houdini with the track.  Gargraves has ugly huge ties, Altas is expensive, Fastrack gives you other options, but they all have a 3rd rail - Tube rail, T-rail all these systems are so visually challenged, it really does not matter in the long run.

You know, I seem to remember a time a few years ago when all the "experts" on this forum said "Why would Lionel make another new track system with company x,y, and z already in the market?" Lots of people said they wouldn't buy it. Too bad this forum doesn't have archives that go back that far because I'm pretty sure ther would be some people eating serious crow right now.

 

There is always room for a superior product. I am kind of a rebel, but I think Lionel should branch out and offer more than just the traditional 3 rail products. I say follow MTH's lead, add 2 rail support for Legacy(think American Flyer) and bring out a new O gauge track system what I call 2RS. I hate the fact that innovation gets hampered because of a 100 yr legacy of doing 3 rails. There was a reason for 3 rails then, but there is no technical reason for 3 rails today. You can run the same big O gauge trains in the same space on 2 rails if the electronics are capable. Before someone shoots me, I'm not talking about abandoning 3 rail, but I would like to see a new product line that isn't tied to "what has always been done".

 

My guess is that is exactly what Lionel will do, but it will be with S gauge in the AF line. And that's not such a bad thing. 

Visually challenged, yes.  But ultimately, three rail offers the simplicity of No Fancy Wiring.  Reverse loops, wyes, turntables, anything that reverses the direction of the locomotive/train can be done with only two wires.  No insulated rails required.  The center rail is always one polarity, the outside rails the other.

 

With two rail, to accomplish the same you need to insulate rails, wire in switches, relays or other electronic circuitry.

 

And while I consider myself primarily a "scale" modeler,(S Scale currently using DC and DCC) there's something in the back of my mind that longs for three rail O.

 

Rusty

And yet... here you are posting in a thread about it.

Well, yes and no.  Certainly it's a whole lot easier to wire a 3-rail pike in the world of conventional operations, but one might also argue that command control tends to negate many of the earlier disadvantages of both 2-rail and 3-rail.

 

And I seriously doubt that we'll see any of the manufacturers investing big-time in a new 3-rail track system.  Too many things weighing against such a hefty and fully committed investment, including the current world economy, existing manufacturing difficulties, the already available options in 3-rail track, the already glutted and somewhat leveling-off model railroading market as a whole, and probably a couple of other things that I've overlooked.

HMM...  I have a ping-pong top for my pool table.  If I could figure out how to get it off the pool table and somewhere else, I'd put a train on it!