Fastrack insulated section question

The real insulated section has three wire jumpers underneath. And the accessory actuating track has one of its outside rails cut on top...you have to look for it. I think you guys were looking at the accessory actuating track. There is also a 1 3/8 piece that has roadbed on both sides with only one wire jumper underneath for the center rail.

Your hobby shop guy is not up on Fastrack.

http://www.lionel.com/Products...neID=&CatalogId=

You need to use the isolated rail half-sections on each end of the section you bought. What you bought was really just an extender piece for the 12029 "Accessory Activator Pack". The entire setup is explained in detail HERE.

It is, of course, much more economical to make your own insulated sections(like the one you bought) by simply removing the strap on the bottom.

It is also possible to completely make your own set/sections, and to include any combination of straights and curves you desire:

You can also skip the pin-pulling step and cut through the rail with a Dremel cut-off wheel.

In this method, replacing the strap(s) underneath(depending on where you make the relief cut) restores the section to a regular, non-insulated function.  No need to dissemble the track, but works on the same principle.

It's pretty easy to modify the Fastrack, we isolated the outside rail for a voltage drop on our Christmas display this year. One of the benefits is it makes you more familiar with the product which came in handy to repair a few new pieces that I discovered the rails weren't seated correctly on causing continuity  issues. One of the disadvantages is this thread just reminded me I forgot to separate the isolated sections when I packed the track away. Hope I remember next year when I unpack and rebuild for Christmas.

I have just started laying Fastrack for my new layout.  Some of the Fastrack is from my last layout from about 2006.  I had made insulated sections and cuts in the rails for various purposes on the old layout.  On the bottom of each piece of Fastrack that I modified, I stuck a piece of masking tape and wrote what modification(s) I had made to that piece.  As I pull the old Fastrack pieces out of a box to use on the new layout, the first thing I do is look at the underside to see if I put a note on it. 

I have not had a permanent layout since 2006, but I do put trains around the Christmas tree each year.  That Fastrack (including 2 switches) is packed away after Christmas and doesn't get touched the rest of the year.  So, no surprise pieces of track show up at Christmas time.  

The 5" Block Section 6-12060 has the cut rails and jumpers to use the outside rail or the center rail. Then you only have to remove the common straps on the bottom of the tracks in between for an outside rail section with some length.

Anyway, a few ways to get this done with FasTrack.

If you are using TMCC or Legacy control, there is a small capacitor that should be used to keep the isolated rail connected for signal. Start at 20:01 TMCC signal Basics.

The capacitor is not needed in this case.

If there's nothing on the track with the isolated rail, the signal is not needed.

If there's something on the track with the isolated rail, the axles will shunt/short the capacitor anyway, rendering it useless.

How would you know? He did not state if he was using legacy or TMCC.

He didn't say, & you said "if", and it doesn't make a difference.

In any case, TMCC, conventional, DCS, Bluetooth, WiFi, clockwork, Legacy, or Wizardry, the capacitor is not needed.  If there's nothing on the track with the isolated rail, the signal is just not needed.

If there is something on the track with the isolated rail, the axles, instead of the cross ties, will shunt/short the capacitor anyway, rendering it useless/redundant/not needed. I'm not quite sure why Reagan spends so much effort on presenting this scheme.