Fastrack Durable For Kid's Carpet Layout? (Now Posted Actual Layout Plan)

I keep a tub of FasTrack especially for "carpet central" layouts. IMHO, for running on the floor it is the best choice out there. I have five of the manual 036 switches and they work flawlessly. My 2 yr old granddaughter loves to push her Lionel dummy around a circle of 036 FasTrack,

FasTrack is the ONLY track that is suitable for a child's carpet layout.  The Child may have some difficulty separating the sections, but that will come with practice.  It is durable, he can stand on it and it will be ok.  You won't regret it for a carpet layout.

Have Fun!

Ron

Fast Track is a good choice and pretty much indestructible.  Just beware the newer track has a tendency to warp.

I've used both on a carpet layout that gets picked up and put back down again - a lot.  I posted something similar this AM for another poster but I agree with what's been said so far.  Although my main track is RealTrax, the MTH plastic tabs can break and the sections require more physical force and twisting to put together and pry apart, which is one reason why they break off.  The track sections don't fit together smoothly and require filing and bending for smooth operation.  Multiply these imperfections by being placed on a carpet and on top of a floor that might be uneven.  

Some 10" Lionel straight track sections require that you bend pins to ensure a good contact but that is much easier than fixing the MTH track seams. Overall, it is a much smoother track that can always be relied on for a smooth ride without filing and etc. and even on shag carpet.

Both types of track seem to be equally sturdy when it comes to tripping over it or stepping on it. It happens .  I don't have any Lionel switches yet but have one MTH switch that required filing in order to work.  You could view such adjustments as a teaching moment for your 8 year old. The plastic that sticks out to hold the directional light is vulnerable to getting kicked and bent up, so I like your idea about command control switches for easy setup.

I'm sure your son will have fun what ever "route" you go.

TRRR

Tom,

    FasTrack is great for a kids layout in fact I would, add a new RTR LC or LC+ Train set to what you now own.  These RTR sets come with FasTrack ovals and a simple remote control that the kids love to play with.  We even added a LC Santa Toy Maker Express to our complex DCS/Legacy layout this Christmas.   IMO FasTrack is a great Carpet Central go for it.

PCRR/Dave

FasTrack will be great for your application. The track joints won't handle being stepped on for long. That's the only downside that I see to your situation. Just eyeball the track periodically and catch the bends early. Then you can straighten the problem area. I have toddler grandchildren (4 & 3)and they just couldn't seem to miss the track all of time.

I've left FT on the floor of the living room for over a month, so it's getting stepped on, sat on, kneed on, vacuumed over, and more, and never had any issues.  It's great stuff for kids and carpet.

Now, what I did for my oldest when he was younger was to cut a piece of plywood that'd fit under his twin sized bed and put wheels on the bottom.  I put track on top of that and screwed it down.  It had some trees, a road with crossings and a couple buildings.  He loved it.  He could pull it out from under the bed and tun his train, or push it around the track or drive his Hot Wheels on the road.  Then when he was done, I'd help him push it back under the bed.  If you go that route, you can use any track system you wanted.

EDIT:  I had O36 manual switched on the under the bed layout.  And over the course of time, all the switch stands got broken.  I have since removed them and just flip the point by hand, or let the train do it, and they still work great.  So I'd recommend that you use the manual switches on the floor if he's going to be walking around, and take the switch stands off so that they don't get stepped or fallen on.

It didn't look like the remote switches had switch stands to break off.   He is really enamored with the remote and given I have both Legacy and the original TMCC, I figured he'd have more fun with the remote controlled switches.  He's got a remote controlled boat, a remote controlled dump truck, a remote controlled helicopter - and some of them were very inexpensive.  Everything is remote controlled.  So getting him manual switches seems so -   1950.  LOL  (And even those were "remote" when you wired them.)

I'm both sold and disappointed on the Fastrack at the same time.  I definitely want to get Fastrack now but am concerned about how I'll find "Gen 1 & Gen 2" of the stuff.  I was thinking about minimum O-40 curves and switches so as to give him a chance at a slightly larger variety of engines.  But his room is a huge sized bedroom so I'll have to see if going O-40 over O-36 really won't take up THAT much more room.    (12 to a circle vs 8 I think)  He has a loft bed so he has more floor space than many bedrooms though.  However that rules out the previously mentioned "roll away" plywood layout.  I'm not even sure that everything like the various larger curves and the remote control switches was even originally made in Gen 1 or Gen 2.  I don't know what years that covers.

Fastrack is hands down the best carpet central layout track available.  My 4 years and 2 year old track their trains daily on Fastrack carpet layouts.  Both of them frequently have their toes or whole feet on the track when "stepping over" the mainline to play with accessories on the inside of the loops.  This has not been an issue.  I run heavy tmcc and legacy engines. The track presses down into the carpet some as the train rolls by, but the track holds together well.  Once in a while a piece will get worked apart and need pressed back together.  Even less frequently a center pin will need adjusted to ensure good contact. The track I have is 1st and 2nd generation. 

The kids personal set of track that they can have at without me caring much is well abused. The 4 year old is capable of assembling / disassembling layouts. His biggest problem is some of the track snaps together so tight he cannot get it apart or to click all the way together. Some of the track fits so tight that I have issues getting it apart. For the kids, this leads to track taken apart by pulling at odd angles rather than straight or track run on without being fully together.  The track takes the abuse well.  Sometimes a pin gets bent but they have not broken any of the plastic yet.

I also have 8 remote switches on the main carpet central layout and have had very few issues. The most common being the 2 year using the lantern to switch the track, knocking the lantern off in process and not being able to set it back on the spot. Automatic non-derailing is a plus.   Unlike the manual switches, the switch stand on remote switches are low profile and not so easily broken off.

I'm pretty sure my 4 year old is atypical but I would think an 8 year old should be able to do anything they want with Fastrack without issue.

I think Fastrack would be my choice for a temporary carpet layout. Even though I am a big fan of Atlas track and use it on my layout.

MOPAC01,

    You are correct the the FasTrack Command Control Switches are fantastic, controlled by either the Legacy Cab2 or the TMCC Cab1, they are almost bullet proof.  I have about 18 of them, had to replace an LED in one RH FTCC Switch, and one LH SWITCH sending until went bad after numerous years, all in all the new Lionel low voltage wireless FTCC switches are great, and you can run as many as 99 of them off track power.  The instructions for programming them are in each individual FTCC Switch box, not with the Legacy Cab2 or TMCC Cab1.    I use the manual controllers Track Side for instant Switch Number recognition, for operating the switch with my Cab2.  Each FTCC Switch will be programmed into your Cab2 or Cab1 with it's own individual number for remote control operation.  IMO these Lionel wireless low voltage Command Control Switches are one of the biggest engineering break thru's in our hobby, MTH needs to engineer something similar, with zero wiring also.

PCRR/Dave

Hi Mapac01

Here my two cents, yes Fastrack is a great product for a floor layout but here are some tips.

1) Have it is a bare wooden floor it will be extremely LOUD. I use moving blankets on the floor to bring the noise level down.

2) The new Fastrack likes to walk apart in some cases. Here is a quick fix.

https://ogrforum.com/t...67#50845428062936267

Does anyone have Gen 1, Gen 2 and Gen 3 and could take a photo of them side by side so I could tell them apart?  Trainshow.com is coming to Kansas City this weekend and I could see if I could find Gen 1 and Gen 2 track there if I'm sure I know how to spot the difference.

MOPAC01,

   Pictures will not get the job done, you need to have the FasTrack in hand to actually see the slight differences in the Track.  Although you can easily see the 1st generation black mid rail, no picture required.

PCRR/Dave

OK, does anybody want to send me a sample of all 3 gens?  LOL

MOPAC01,

    Unless you live in the Pittsburgh, Pa area it's already to late to send them, they will no get there in time for this week end.

PCRR/Dave

As a matter of fact from Zelienople originally, but now in Kansas City.  So you're right, they wouldn't get here before the weekend.

Why does there always have to be a snag?  I was all set to go hog wild on FasTrack but now I'm leary of spending the money on inferior "walking apart" and warping gen 3+.

mopac01 posted:

Does anyone have Gen 1, Gen 2 and Gen 3 and could take a photo of them side by side so I could tell them apart?  Trainshow.com is coming to Kansas City this weekend and I could see if I could find Gen 1 and Gen 2 track there if I'm sure I know how to spot the difference.

Dude,

Don't fret about this Gen1, gen2 malarkey. The track all stays together. The recent versions have a flat top rail. Use that.

FT doesn't have O40, they have O48.  As for different gens, I don't know what I have, but I do have a couple different versions.  I'll try to take a photo and maybe someone will be able to say which is which gen.

Moonman,

   Engineering is never malarkey, and if he can pick up the older FT he will be better off in the long run.  However as I said before, the new stuff is usable, and where he is living he may very well have to settle for the latest version of the FT.  Further it would be nice if when he attends the Train show, he knows what he is looking at, as he purchases.

PCRR/Dave

Rob"

I remember using this on my AFX race car track. Same idea just modern version for train tracks.

If it makes you feel better, I have all new Lionel track and it hasn't taken a "walk" on my carpet - and my carpet has a fairly heavy pile.

After setting up my loop and using a lighted caboose to check power and track section connections, I run my heaviest loco over the track.  This "mushes" the track into the carpet and settles it down. Any (very) minor spreading or uneveness is quickly identifed by this method and manually fixed in a jiffy.  Once in place this way, the track stays in place.  

Other than having to bend a few pins - a known problem that's easy to solve and has been mentioned - the only downside is that I have an MTH truss bridge that I sometimes can't use with Lionel track on carpet. The combination of the slight extra height where the track slides into the bridge, the carpet pile, my slanting hardwood floor underneath, and sometimes problematic connecting pins means there's often a short in the sections that pass through the bridge.  So, I don't use it with my Lionel track.  (I have two 30" sections in MTH track and so the bridge works fine with it.)

It'll work and it'll be fun!

Tomlinson Run Railroad

I've measured the space available in my son's room and it comes to a 4'x10' space.  I found a twist on a figure 8 elsewhere in another post in this section of the forum that I thought looked to be a lot of fun.  It allows the train to wind up going both clockwise and counter-clockwise via 2 switches in the middle of the figure 8 and also provides space for 2 future dead end sidings that could be used for operating accessories, a train shed or whatnot.  

I originally worked on creating this using Atlas O track in RR-Track and had no trouble.  But after making this post I'm sold on FasTrack.  I went back to recreate it in RR-Track using FasTrack and it proved quit a bit more difficult to work out given there is no "cut to fit" straight section possible.  I've attached what I came up with.  I was hoping a more experienced layout person could review it to ensure it really will work.  Specifically, my concern is the piece of 1.375" straight w/o roadbed (6-12074) on each straight side of the end-to-end O-36 switches in the center of the modified figure 8.  It's not an absolute perfect fill-in by distance but RR-Track seems to "bless it" as workable.  So I'm guessing there must be enough play in the FasTrack to allow this almost perfect layout to work, correct?  I chose the 1.375" version without roadbed as it appeared butting up to the switch that might be necessary.

If this will work, then it will be "phase 1" of the railroad for his birthday and "phase 2" will add 2 more switches and dead end sidings for Christmas.  

Since no one else has commented, let me say that I see no reason why it wouldn't work. While I don't have any experience with FasTrack, I do with RealTrax and I'd bet FastTrack is even more forgiving. I don't know why you used the track without roadbed, but maybe that's needed with FastTrack and switches or something. In any case, I did an alternate configuration so your son will have some variety using the same track. I also did an expanded configuration, but there might be too many smaller pieces to deal with. Either way, it's food for thought.

Dave,

Thanks for the feedback.  I wasn't sure about the 2 small pieces without roadbed, but things were just looking a little cramped in RR-Track and the Track & Power catalog listing mentions the track without roadbed relative to switches.  I'd appreciate the RR-Track files for what you did if you wouldn't mind.

Thanks for the alternatives.  I appreciate that.  Attached is a screen shot of the original layout I posted the RR-Track file for above.  I've also attached a screen shot and the actual RR-Track file for the expansion I alluded to.  I'm not sure if he would like your expansion or this one better.  Perhaps yours because it allows more "straight through" running.  Mine takes advantage of offsets in the two halves of my figure 8 to allow for rather long sidings.  Although perhaps a bit more prototypical, perhaps an 8 year old wouldn't find them as much fun?  Interestingly, the layout I built with my grandfather's tubular track when I was just a bit older than my son looks quite similar to your expansion.  It was more a straight "cross" inside an oval than your "x" inside an oval but very similar.  However, my expansion is odd in that all 4 switches are left hand rather than the more balanced 2 right and 2 left of yours.  I suppose my set of track might be more limiting for him.

Here you go.

The loop-to-loop arrangement is a great starter scheme which is lots more entertaining than a basic oval, and it needs only two non-derailing switches. This version uses all O36 curves and has no abrupt S-curves (meaning it has some straight track in between left and right curves on all routes, for better appearance and operation). It fits easily within a 4' x 10' space without crowding the edges.

If this was modified for O31 curves you could fit an additional oval around the outside in the same space.

I've built an O27 version of this for a temporary layout and I still get a kick out of it.

Yes, FT is forgiving enough to work where you have the questionable fit.  I do it all the time.

I forgot to extended the loops like ACE did, so here's a new RR-Track file for you. My goal was to minimize the number of different tracks for your son to eventually put it together by himself, so I didn't use the same tracks ACE did.