Fastrack clips?

Tom P,

   The 1st & 2nd Generation FasTrack is made perfectly and never works apart while running Trains,  the later FT all works apart.  The way we beat it is to drill small holes in the Plastic Road Bed Base and Zip Tie the bases together, it works perfectly and keeps the FasTrack together securely , no matter what trains are being run.  The guys with Christmas layouts are using the Red & Green small Electrical Zip Ties to add to their Christmas Track coloring.  When you want to take your track apart, use wire cutters to snip the plastic Zip Ties.

PCRR/Dave

I think someone recently suggested using binder clips (from office supply stores). I am imagining the small black ones here. Pretty sure the post was about using them with Fastrack. Have not tried it personally, as I use Atlas track.

https://ogrforum.com/p...ly=50845428056492137

The small binder clips work great, I use them on mine.  I found a gross of them on eBay for around $5, they're now $5.60 for the gross, item: 271757094696

Clip them right in the center and fold the ears flat up against the base, job done.

Guns,

   How about a picture of these fitted to the FasTrack, I have not seen these used yet!

PCRR/Dave

There seems like a bigger issue here. One of the primary features of Fastrack was how the sections locked together and even allowed you to hang a complete loop on a wall for storage.

When did Fastrack loose the tight fitment?

Gaz,

   It actually disappeared after the 2nd generation of FasTrack.  The 3rd generation stuff we picked up in the RTR sets worked itself apart, it took a while but it separated as the trains ran on it.  My daughter Vanessa was very upset that her game room Carpet Central  Train set up kept separating.   Deaf Children are all about the visual.  Frank at the Iron Horse actually replaced all the FasTrack that came in that particular RTR set, with older 2nd generation FasTrack for her, so that she never had the problem again.  This is how we found out that Lionel had altered the FasTrack, so it was no longer perfectly Engineered.  IMO Lionel needs to go back to their original FasTrack Engineering and Supplier.  The original FasTrack with the Black Center Rail worked absolutely perfectly.

PCRR/Dave

I have Fastrack on a permanent layout and everything is obviously screwed in place.  I did not know that that the later generation track had this issue.  I also experienced this problem when I was setting up a temporary layout on the carpet for my grandkids.  I thought it was me not doing something right.  That is too bad, because those problems cause kids (and adults) to get frustrated and they move on to something else.  C'mon Lionel----FIX the PROBLEM !!!!

ADCX Rob posted:

nvocc5 posted:

Has any found a solution to the problem of walking apart Fastrack...

I use 25mm binder clips from the dollar store if/when needed, on the bottom of FasTrack. You can remove the "handles" easily leaving just the spring if you want.

ADCX Rob posted:

I stole the idea from the HO-1/64 slot car realm - the banked turn sections come with similar spring clips for the mating sections to add rigidity to the raised sections.

I use the smaller 15mm ones, they seem to fit flatter under the Fastrack.  I tried the larger ones, but they didn't fully seat flush.  These work perfectly for me.  eBay item: 271757094696, cheap for a gross.

Gentlemen,

   Outstanding way to remedy the problem, maybe Lionel should supply the 15MM clips with the new FasTrack!  I guess the easiest way to use these clips, for a small Carpet Central, is to build the layout upside down on the Carpet, attach the clips and then turn the entire layout right side up.  The kids would have little problem doing this, all by themselves.

PCRR/Dave

base11 posted:

I have Fastrack on a permanent layout and everything is obviously screwed in place.  I did not know that that the later generation track had this issue.  I also experienced this problem when I was setting up a temporary layout on the carpet for my grandkids.  I thought it was me not doing something right.  That is too bad, because those problems cause kids (and adults) to get frustrated and they move on to something else.  C'mon Lionel----FIX the PROBLEM !!!!

Wow, really?

Tubular track carpet layouts are notorious for separating. It was always part of the fun: TRAIN WRECK! WHEEEE!

I think we had more fun with that than just watching the train run aimlessly round-and-round.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

I use the smaller 15mm ones, they seem to fit flatter under the Fastrack.

They sure do - wow those are a tight fit. I didn't even try the small ones. They should work well on a hard surface, the 25mm clips were working fine on carpeting.

They are a tight fit, OTOH, they do fit.   I have some track on industrial carpet, and my Christmas track layout is on a slate floor.  For those I need something that doesn't stick out below the track.  They look made for the task. 

I confess that those didn't occur to me to use these until you mentioned them earlier in another thread, it was a good suggestion.

Pine Creek Railroad posted:

Gaz,

   It actually disappeared after the 2nd generation of FasTrack.  The 3rd generation stuff we picked up in the RTR sets worked itself apart, it took a while but it separated as the trains ran on it.  My daughter Vanessa was very upset that her game room Carpet Central  Train set up kept separating.   Deaf Children are all about the visual.  Frank at the Iron Horse actually replaced all the FasTrack that came in that particular RTR set, with older 2nd generation FasTrack for her, so that she never had the problem again.  This is how we found out that Lionel had altered the FasTrack, so it was no longer perfectly Engineered.  IMO Lionel needs to go back to their original FasTrack Engineering and Supplier.  The original FasTrack with the Black Center Rail worked absolutely perfectly.

PCRR/Dave

  "This is how we found out that Lionel had altered the FasTrack, so it was no longer perfectly Engineered.  IMO Lionel needs to go back to their original FasTrack Engineering and Supplier."

Now I have to purchase these clips for the sets we gave away last year??

Wondering why Lionel changed their FasTrack design to one that comes apart more easily. Was this to make it easier to assemble and disassemble? Did they think it would be used more for permanent layouts, rather than temporary layouts?

I do not have any issues with tubular track coming apart on carpet on my large room-perimeter floor layout, but I am careful to crimp the rail ends just so for a tight fit.

I appreciate this thread and the solutions offered!   I have not purchased much Fastrack recently, I still have a ton of the older stuff, and was not aware of this problem.   But I plan on purchasing more for my next layout (fastrack plus Atlas-O).   Amazing that a redesign (probably for reduced cost) introduced a problem, that was then undetected by Lionel or the manufacturer.   That's a shame.   The fix is easy (clips) but most casual users will never learn of it, just deal with the problems.   Too bad, I hope this does not hurt O gauge reputation or kids learning to love O trains.

Rob,

   You are absolutely correct the 2nd Generation FasTrack was just like the 1st, without the Black mid Rail, I own lots of it also, and keep acquiring more of both, every time I see it at the Train shows.  You want the best when it is available.  The vendors are starting to wise up to what is going on however, and the 1st & 2nd Generation FT is starting to increase in value.  Way back, when Harry Neil was breaking up the Lionel RTR sets that had the 1st & 2nd Generation FasTrack, I bought a mess of it for pennies on the dollar.  Can't do that any more.  Real glad Harry was doing this long ago, and that I was smart enough to purchase most of it.  Picked the 1st generation Mid Black rail stuff up at a Train Show, when nobody wanted the Black Rail, at the old Marriot from a guy who was going out of business, he sold me 2 big plastic boxes of it, full to the top, for $20.00.  Those were the days, to acquire the original FT.

PCRR/Dave

So this explains a lot.  I need to pick up some binder clips.  Does the tighter fit improve the electrical connection properties as this seems to also be a problem with my FT.

Chris 

Ken-Oscale posted:

Amazing that a redesign (probably for reduced cost) introduced a problem, that was then undetected by Lionel or the manufacturer.   That's a shame.  . . .

I hope this does not hurt O gauge reputation or kids learning to love O trains.

I think that Fastrack is offensively expensive, especially when you consider that it comes packed with RTR sets, and is expected to be the system which will be purchased by the consumer wishing to expand his/her initial setup. I suppose I don't fault Lionel for trying to avoid raising the price still more, but I wonder if it has to be as high as it is to begin with. I would think that sticker shock deters many would-be empire builders.

Meanwhile, the binder clips, which people used to hoard in their desk drawers, and hide from coworkers and classmates, like they were made of gold or something, can be had for less than $0.04 apiece....

Chris Underwood posted:

So this explains a lot.  I need to pick up some binder clips.  Does the tighter fit improve the electrical connection properties as this seems to also be a problem with my FT.

Chris 

Mike Reagan did a video on the Lionel site about improving the electrical contact on the center rail. Sorry, I don't have a link to it, but it's on the support page which you can search at Lionel's website.

I'd do the Mike Reagan fix as well, and also give a little squeeze to the outside rail sockets.  With that and keeping it together, you should be good to go for a long time.

Thanks guy's.   I can't wait to try these 2 fixes.  I was about to dump the FT for something else.  

Here is the link to the video.  https://www.lionelsupport.com/....cfm?documentID=6968

Chris

Last year I did the Mike Reagan "fix" and squeezed the outer rail sockets for my Christmas setup, I didn't have any issues with power, and the 75 feet of track just had two power drops.  Next year I'll be using the clips to solve the remaining issue of the curves working themselves apart.

I just bought the clips, a bunch of them

Brent

gunrunnerjohn posted:

The small binder clips work great, I use them on mine.  I found a gross of them on eBay for around $5, they're now $5.60 for the gross, item: 271757094696

Clip them right in the center and fold the ears flat up against the base, job done.

Thanks for the tip, GRJ. As always, your suggestion once more provided a solution that hit the proverbial nail right square on the head. Yesterday I received the clips you suggested (sold b y Costco via ebay) and they are perfect fit for the job - for both O and S gauge Fastrack.

GRJ to the rescue again! You are the man!!!

ACDX Rob is the guy that first suggested these, and he was spot on.  I just "modified" the suggestion slightly, I like the smaller size as they sit flat on any kind of floor.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

ACDX Rob is the guy that first suggested these, and he was spot on.  I just "modified" the suggestion slightly, I like the smaller size as they sit flat on any kind of floor.

Then kudos too for ACDX Rob and your suggestion for the size of those clips that lay flattest on the smoothest, flattest flooring was imperative and paramount to me.

OK, I'll take 1/2 the credit.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

I use the smaller 15mm ones, they seem to fit flatter under the Fastrack.  I tried the larger ones, but they didn't fully seat flush.  These work perfectly for me.  eBay item: 271757094696, cheap for a gross.

Boy John, that sure beats my dumb-*** scotch tape!

I suspect this is just a bit more convenient.  It really made the Christmas layout work better, I didn't have to keep pushing track sections together.

So many times these days ..... when something changes, it is for the worse .... not better.

Ace posted:

.......  I do not have any issues with tubular track coming apart on carpet on my large room-perimeter floor layout, but I am careful to crimp the rail ends just so for a tight fit.

I'm sure you know that there are clips for tubular track.

Jim

I used the binder clip fix and the outer loop rail pinch with 90 degree needle nose. works perfect on my large Christmas tree double loop. another trick is to use a power drop ever 10 or so tracks ( I use 5 drops ).

The fastrack connectivity issue seems to be with newer straight track only.

just a thought?

Michael.

Hu, My fas-track is all over the place on this. The track from 2014 is fine, the 2016 is a bit lose, and 2016 is back to being tight.

I have always liked the black center rail but never have been able to buy any. I have stuff I bought in 2005 straight at the lionel store in chesterfield Michigan along with some cars and engines I picked up at a tent sale back then. and then I have some track I bought this year and me I don't see a difference other than the 031 gaps drive me nuts but then again mine is all screwed down

gunrunnerjohn posted:

I use the smaller 15mm ones, they seem to fit flatter under the Fastrack.  I tried the larger ones, but they didn't fully seat flush.  These work perfectly for me.  eBay item: 271757094696, cheap for a gross...

 

Great teamwork for an excellent "fix".  My son was just asking me over the weekend as to suggestions for which track to use for a floor layout, trying to decide between RealTrax and Fastrack.

Picking between Realtrax and Fastrack is easy, at least for me, it's Fastrack by a mile!  It's certainly not perfect, but you'll be way happier with your choice than with Realtrax!

My whole layout (28 X 14) is 2nd generation Fastrack and even with some limitations on a layout this size, Fastrack was great to work with.  The current stuff is harder to snap together and seems to be just a little "off".  I do not have to, but I would not use the current version of Fastrack if I were starting this layout today.