Fastrack 3" straight section (and new "Fastrack Formulas" table)

Nice work  Thank you!!

Thank you for posting this, it will be a very useful reference!

This should be pinned.

And when I said this was the most highly anticipated item in the new catalog, they laughed at me...

Jon

I have a section that I think the 3" section would take care of a few smaller pieces that cause a lot of bumps to go away.

Thanks and nice work on the charts.

Mike this is very helpful and well presented!  Thank you for bringing this new 3” FasTrack length to our attention and taking the time to create this spreadsheet showing possible length combinations.

Now, someone has to inform all the track planning program developers!!  But I think they may have to wait for exact measurements when the product hits the shelves.

Chuck

@PRR1950 posted:

Now, someone has to inform all the track planning program developers!!  But I think they may have to wait for exact measurements when the product hits the shelves.

Chuck

I requested the update for RailModeller Pro (my primary track planning software) and AnyRail already!

http://forum.railmodeller.com/viewtopic.php?t=4542

https://www.anyrail.com/forum_...hp/topic,3973.0.html

I don't have an account on the SCARM forum, so I'll let somebody else put in that request. Feel free to use one of the above as reference as it includes the link to the online catalog, page number, and the part # for the new section.

@PRR1950 posted:

Now, someone has to inform all the track planning program developers!!  But I think they may have to wait for exact measurements when the product hits the shelves.

Chuck

I would think they could take the model for an existing straight section, copy it, and adjust the length to 3". I don't imagine any of the other parameters (width, height, etc) will be changing for this new section.

@Mixy Milen Peev is the author of SCARM and a member of OGR Forum.  Please let us know if you're aware of the addition of this new Lionel 3" O Gauge FasTrack section.

Thank you

Now if we can just get @Dave Olson and the Lionel team to announce some 084/096 switches, one or two sets of of numbered switches, and a double crossover, we'll really be cooking!

@SteveH Thanks for the note.

Sure, I will add this new track to the Lionel O FT library for the next update of SCARM

Mixy

@Mixy posted:

@SteveH Thanks for the note.

Sure, I will add this new track to the Lionel O FT library for the next update of SCARM

Mixy

Thank you.

For those of you who use SCARM and would like a handy work-around for the new 3 inch piece, in the attached SCARM file there is a 3.00 inch piece of FT that has been precisely "Snipped-off" from a 4.5 inch piece.  You're welcome to cut and paste it from the attached file into your SCARM project if you want to use the new piece in your design(s) before the next update is released.

Note; if you generate a Parts List using this work-around piece it will show up as follows:

@Mike0289 posted:

I requested the update for RailModeller Pro (my primary track planning software) and AnyRail already!

http://forum.railmodeller.com/viewtopic.php?t=4542

https://www.anyrail.com/forum_...hp/topic,3973.0.html

Quick update - the next versions of Anyrail and RailModeller Pro should have the new section!

https://www.anyrail.com/forum_...hp/topic,3973.0.html

https://railmodeller.uservoice...k-3-straight-section

This past weekend the only dealer I found with a listing for this new 3” piece was Trainworld with an estimated September delivery.  Anyone else found other listings, maybe with an earlier delivery estimate?

Now I am really curious.  Lionel had the opportunity to put a lot of thought into the Fastrack lengths that they came up with and it appears that they did put a lot of thought into it.  I imagine that they created their own fit charts before producing Fastrack and then locked most of them up to give modelers the fun of figuring out how to use Fastrack.  Now I wonder if this 3" section was planned from the very beginning and designated as a "secret weapon" that they could launch in whatever year they chose to generate sales and renew interest in the system.

@Mike0289 posted:

Now if we can just get @Dave Olson and the Lionel team to announce some 084/096 switches, one or two sets of of numbered switches, and a double crossover, we'll really be cooking!

The larger switches are needed. Every other track manufacturer makes large-radius switches (Atlas, Gargraves, Ross, MTH Scaletrax).

I would imagine that the 3" track section wasn't exactly a Heavy Lift, but the large radius switches will be a lot more work.  Looks like Lionel went for the low hanging fruit.

I'm always grabbing a few extra Fastrak filler pieces so these 3" will be helpful.   Funny thing, my minimum radius is 060, guess what the only radius Lionel doesn't make in 1/2 sections,...   

@Mike in NC posted:

I'm always grabbing a few extra Fastrak filler pieces so these 3" will be helpful.   Funny thing, my minimum radius is 060, guess what the only radius Lionel doesn't make in 1/2 sections,...   

Or quarters...