Fast Track Problems

Hmm.  I have used all of my Fastrack out of 2 Lionel ready to run sets, added dozens of every different length tracks, crossings, switches, uncouplers, activation sections, and graduated trestle without any problems of height difference or pulling apart.  I do have each piece screwed down to the layout which might make for better performance.  It's been a good product for me.

John,

   What you are experiencing comes from using 2 different generations of FasTrack.  I have been warning people about this for quite some time, your early generation FasTrack was made with very serious quality control, your newer FasTrack unfortunately was not.  The difference in rail height often happens with the newer FT.  To counter act this screw everything down and tap the rails even, at every matching join.  

Use all your older stuff 1st, then transition into your newer track, do not mix the Older and newer FT as you build, if you can, use a short piece of 3" 1st Generation FT  to transition into the newer stuff.  Work the pieces together properly for a good fit.

The very best thing you can do is try to acquire the 1st or 2nd generation FasTrack at your local Trains shows, the black mid-rail FasTrack was the very best FT ever made, pick up as much of it as you can, the 2nd generation track was almost as good, unfortunately identifying it can be a problem for guys just starting to use FasTrack.

Now the problem with the later generation FasTrack is actually the rail height, it varies all over the place, and if you use it, you must fit the rail heights together by tapping the track joins evenly and then each piece of track must be screwed down so it will not move.  For Carpet Centrals us the clips and the zip ties for best results.  Take the time to drill the holes properly in every piece of Carpet Central FT.  It works pretty decently using this method.  However FT works best when screwed down.

I am very careful when purchasing FastTrack.

PCRR/Dave

99% of everything you see in my Train Room is 1st and 2nd Generation FasTrack.  It runs smooth as glass.  Both on the Ceiling Shelf Layout, the Bar Top loops, and the lower platform, the numerous FTCC Switches are incredible engineering, and work perfectly from my Legacy Cab2 HHRC.

The RealTrax Formal Living Room Christmas Layout is screwed down in the same manner, running on a 3/4 Ply Wood Base on 2X6's.  It also runs incredibly smooth, like the Train Room FasTrack.

I have three large ovals of Fastrack and over time I have had track that pulled apart, which was solved using small zip ties as shown in the photo. As for conductivity problems, that problem is solved with extra power feed wires used wherever there is any loss of electric. In general though, I have been fairly satisfied with Fastrack and for my floor layout it has been good for me.

Thanks for the quick responses. For such an expensive product it seems a lot of work to get it to work. The rest of my layout is made up of supersnap track that fits together nicely and smoothly. Unfortunately this track is harder to get, especially 42" curves. In the meantime I have 42" curve tubular track which should result in the Hogwarts engine running more easily. The 36" fast track curves allow the engine to barely make the curves.

John

N5CJonny,

  Real niceCarpet Central Christmas Layout sir, Great job!

PCRR/Dave

John F,

The original K-Line SS Track is some of the very best ever made, if you ever want to sell it let me know.  Use the FasTrack Transition pieces to run form it to your FT.  Like a fool I sold all my SS track and original K-Line SS Switches, I regret this foolishness all the time.

If you have the room use the 072 FasTrack curves everything runs great on it, especially Tin Plate.  If you don't use a 3" piece of FT between your 036 FT Curves, it helps lot.

PCRR/Dave

I've only ever used Fastrack in my carpet layouts and have never had any problems with it.  I snap it together, take a pair of needle nose pliers, give a little pinch at every connection, and away we go.  Problem free.

https://www.youtube.com/channe...w?view_as=subscriber

JJ,

  You bet the older FT worked just as you describe!  It was/is great stuff.

PCRR/Dave

Pine Creek Railroad posted:

N5CJonny,

  Real niceCarpet Central Christmas Layout sir, Great job!

PCRR/Dave

Thank you so much Dave.

Pine Creek Railroad posted:

John,

   What you are experiencing comes from using 2 different generations of FasTrack...

Or more than 2 generations.

Within just the first few years of FasTrack production, from ~ 2004 on, I have noted several different changes in the tooling, all toward a cheapening. I have not bought much since, but can only imagine what it has degraded to now.

Wasn't there a thread recommending to use mini binder clips underneath the track to hold it together?

That's what I use for the O-36 curves on my layout.

I hope John (OP) did not try the Hogwarts on O-31. I believe it needs O-36.

This discussion begs the question; how do you tell the first and second gen Fastrack from the newer stuff?

When did Fastrack make a 3" piece?

1st Gen =  Has Black center rail.  

2nd Gen = Might be same as 1st gen, but without the Black center rail.  I'm not 100% sure about this since I don't own any 1st Gen track.

Current Gen. =  Has more plastic cutaway on the bottom side of the plastic roadbed.   Doesn't seem as strong, since it flexes more because it has less plastic.  The rail tops are squared vs. rounded of the earlier generations.

2nd Gen on the top.  Current is below on the following photos.

cpowell posted:

Wasn't there a thread recommending to use mini binder clips underneath the track to hold it together?

Binder Clips

John F posted:

Some years ago (maybe 10) my wife bought me a Hogwarts Express set which came with a complement of Lionel Fast Track. Several years ago I set up a larger layout and recently incorporated  the Hogwarts set by using the fast track on an elevated line. It has been nothing but trouble. I had bought additional tracks to extend the set up and found that some sections don't quite fit in together in that despite a lot of pressure the track don't join completely. When the trains are run the track sections often pull apart. Even when the tracks fit completely their is a slight unevenness.  This is a special problem around curve tracks. This has resulted in the engine de-railing.

In my opinion fast track are over priced and not all that well made. When I run the same engine on tubular rail there is no derailing. I am now in the process of replacing all my fast track. Anyone have similar experiences?

 

John

I have always used only Fastrack with no problems. Two important considerations. 1. Keep it flat and on a good base. 2. Put something under it to deaden the sound. 

I am not saying that it is the best, most realistic (certainly not) or easiest to work with but it has served me well. And yes, I agree, it is pricey. 

John F posted:

Some years ago (maybe 10) my wife bought me a Hogwarts Express set which came with a complement of Lionel Fast Track. Several years ago I set up a larger layout and recently incorporated  the Hogwarts set by using the fast track on an elevated line. It has been nothing but trouble. I had bought additional tracks to extend the set up and found that some sections don't quite fit in together in that despite a lot of pressure the track don't join completely. When the trains are run the track sections often pull apart. Even when the tracks fit completely their is a slight unevenness.  This is a special problem around curve tracks. This has resulted in the engine de-railing.

In my opinion fast track are over priced and not all that well made. When I run the same engine on tubular rail there is no derailing. I am now in the process of replacing all my fast track. Anyone have similar experiences?

 

John

if you do not want your fastrack send it to me

The 31" curved sections are particularly bad. They don't even connect to themselves without some grinding of plastic roadbase to properly connect and bring the rails together.

Terry

Gentlemen,

   FasTrack is still a great product, Lionel definitely needs to up their game on the Quality Control of this Track, especially for the price they are charging for it.  The 31" FT pieces do seem to have more trouble now than ever before.  I used a couple of the newer pieces and made them fit properly, however it took some doing.  I have 2 pieces up 10' in the air on my ceiling shelf layout, if I did not trust them they would not be up there with my favorite Tin Plate running on them.

PCRR/Dave 

Fastrack:  A year ago- May 2017- I bought enough Fastrack to make a 16 X 20 walk-in layout.  I chose Fastrack based on the recommendation of my local hobby shop (LHS), and over Gargraves, Atlas, Bachmann and MTH.  I also trusted the Lionel brand- the "leader in the industry", and it was/ is the first Lionel product I had ever owned.

Since I was working off a rough track plan, not one published with diagrams as to what piece went where, I had to set the layout up, then go through testing and tweaking the track joints where I had some or total loss of continuity.  

To use Fastrack successfully, I found you have to do the following:

1.  Review the video at:  

https://www.lionelsupport.com/....cfm?documentID=6968

2.  As you assemble the track, follow the tips in the video:

- Press the tabs underneath to be sure the rails are securely in the roadbed.

- tweak the male connector on the center rail, slightly, to make sure it has a solid sprung connection.

AND...

3.  use a pair of side cutters to squeeze the female track tubes:

If you overdo it- just open it up slightly so you get a tight fit.

Now that my layout runs well, I am not going to change anything.  I have had great service from every new engine (Lion Chief Plus) and car that I have bought.

Again thanks. A lot of interesting ideas. When I set up the elevated line I literally cut an oval shaped track support out of plywood so the base was perfectly smooth and even. When I decided to extended it (I had bought 4 additional Hogwarts passenger cars for a total of 7) I added 2 pieces of wood (2 feet in length) to stretch out the oval but this is not where the derailing occurs. By the way, the curves for the original set are 36" and not 31". 

My plan is to replace the flat track with some snap track I have with additional 0 gauge tubular track. Curves are 42". I don't have room for anything bigger while the 42" curves still fit on the oval. 

John

Above is a picture of fastrack sections held together with zip ties.  Another similar approach:

You can use the holes in the track -- but need 2 ties. 

Thread one tie tail first through the track hole in one section from the top, loop it back up through the other hole in the other section across the bottom of the track -- the tail will now be pointing up out the track section on the other side.  Take another zip tie,  thread the head onto that tail and tighten.   Trim the excess tail.    Two zip tie heads will appear on the top of the track, one in either hole.

I found green zip ties that thread great through the holes at AC Moore.    They aren't terribly strong but appear to do the job good enough.

(the green works for me, but there are other colors out there no doubt ...)

On the topic of binder clips.  These work as well.  Get small ones.  However a word of caution -- I somehow managed to make a short in a section by poorly applying one so that it crossed the ground and hot underneath somehow.  Took me forever to debug.  

I think the simple reality is that the track wears over time at the connecting points -- as its taken apart, reassembled -- an some of us have done this a lot.  It's just not as forgiving as say "lego".

My take:  the pins bend slightly, their mountings wear, the plastic connecting post receptacles stretch, the metal rails also appear to stretch somewhat.

All of that leads to a loose and possibly troublesome connection.    And all if it can be mitigated somewhat with the various techniques described above...

Other things:   I've squished the plastic receptacle points back together in attempt at getting that tighter.   And I've pulled up the "butterfly" connectors on the bottom and re-torqued them and bent them back down, samson like  (sometimes this make for a good result)... 

Didn't make much airplay but someone else suggested using conductive grease ... 

I originally built my 16x45 layout with 2nd and current generation FT. I used many of the tips already mentioned. The track was installed on homasote and I used lots of drops. I had four large loops. I found the track to be easy to use and electrically sound. Having said all of that, I tore it all out this winter and am replacing it with Atlas. For all the good features of FT - and I really believe there are many - it was extremely loud on my layout. Others have reported the same and some have said the opposite. For me, the noise was too much. Just one data point - your mileage may vary. 

https://ogrforum.com/...ne-up-that-fasttrack 

Mitch 

Update. I completed the replacement of fast track with supersnap track and tubular track (I didn't have enough snap track) with 42" curves and the entire run is 60 inch straight track on either side with the 42" curves on either end. After running my Hogwart's express engine plus 4 cars a dozen times around their were no derailments. Goodbye fast track.

John

John F,

   Good luck finding all the SS Track you need to finish and to expand your layout when you want to.  I love the original K-Line SS Track and Switches, however you gave up FasTrack Command Control Switches, unless you decide to transition in and out of them with your SS Track, which can be done.  

Do you have any 072 FasTrack Command Control Switches you would like to sell?

PCRR/Dave

The rest of my layout, 12' by 9', is almost almost all supersnap including several pairs of supersnap switches (31") that Trainz sells at a great price. I do have some 0 gauge 022 switches also but no fast track switches.

John

John F,

   Glad you found most of the SS Track you need, it is great stuff no doubt about it.  Try transitioning in and out of 072 FasTrack Switches.  It gives you the low voltage FTCC ability of Remote Control, plug and play operation, from the Legacy Cab2 or TMCC Cab1L.  Even the Tin Plate runs great using this engineering method.  As I indicated before I made a very foolish mistake selling my original K-Line SS Track and Switches.

Mitch,

Great job with the later FasTrack fixes, luckly the 1st 2 Generations of the FasTrack were made with better QC so the fixes were not required.  Always like your upgrade work.

Gentlemen,

   For you guys having problems with the noise FasTrack makes there are different cures for this, the best I have found is the block acoustical Ceiling Tile, if you want to deaden the sound completely, then a piece of inside/outside carpet over the acoustical ceiling tile. In reality it was so silent that I removed the carpet and just used the ceiling tile.  Our over head shelf ceiling layout hardly make much noise at all, with the synthetic shelving I used from Lowes, the FasTrack noise is obsorbed quite well.  The lower platform with the 3/4 Ply and no other sound suppression does make some noise, however when the train is in the big 14' tunnel, you can hardly hear it running, and I like to hear my trains run.  The upper Bar Top layout surprisingly makes little noise, because of the old fire proof 2 1/2" material the Bar was constructed out of.  God only knows what is under the finished top on the old Bar.

PCRR/Dave

I have bought several Lionel sets in the past 10 years that featured fastrack. Rarely used track since my layout is all Gargaves track and only used around Christmas tree during the holidays.

Recently set up a 4x8 oval on carpet , connected track ,different shades of grey and it works as advertised , after reading this article went and double checked for all issues described,  everything's fine.  Not fastened in any fashion other than regular assembly 

Running trains in it for 10 days no problems with track, all is well, 

KUDOS LIONEL 

JHF,

   Glad to hear you got FasTrack that made a perfect layout.  KUDOS +1  Exactly How old is the FasTrack you are using JHF?  

PCRR/Dave

From Area 51 diesel set,  Groome Lake set maybe KC SOUTHERN BELLE SETS

I've used Atlas track since the very early 2000s on my permanent layouts & it provides the best all-around track "experience", IMO.  But, Atlas will not work well if the layout is transitional/carpet central.

So, on my "seasonal" layouts, i use Fastrack - and  have for a number of years.  I originally chose Fastrack because of its convenience as well as performance as well as sturdiness as well as looks as well as availability (whew!).

Never have had a significant problem.  It's a very good track system - the best - for non-permanent and semi-permanent layouts, IMO.

One thing that helps keep Fastrack working well is to take it apart with a knife blade. you can pry it evenly away from the next piece. It is almost impossible to take it apart by hand with out prying on an angle, which spreads the rail at the pins.

John H,

   What I have found over building lots of different layouts is that the very best safe guard you can do for your track, no matter what kind, is to assemble the layout properly, screw it down and leave it alone. Then make sure you keep the Track clean for best running results.  The more you disassemble any layout, the more the Track wears and is damaged while working with it.

PCRR/Dave

I did find two sources for snap track that seem to offer very good prices. Nicholas Smith Trains is selling 30" and 40" sections at almost a bargain price (I just ordered 1 box of a dozen 30") and Trainz has Switches (only 31") also at a bargain price. So far no 42" curves (I am using 6 42" tubular track at one end of the Hogwarts setup and 6 snap track on the other end). The snap tracks, at least for me, work out better and cheaper than fast track.

John

The Fastrack I use on my Christmas Tree loop must be first generation,because despite the fact that the track is over ten tears old it  is  very diffucult to seprate once joined and the seam literally disappears when the sections are joined.Great stuff! The track has Patten Applied For molded into the underside,it has that a way to tell early from late?

Phil,

The best way to tell the difference is by understanding the picture shown, of the different generations of FT.  The actual difference in the track is shown in the picture here in this post.  The Black Center Rail is a definite identifier of the 1st Generation FT Also.  The 2nd Generation which is almost as good, has no Black Center Rail.  This 2nd generation is more than likely what you own.

PCRR/Dave

Yes no black center rail so most likey second generation.