Fastrack question

I am not sure if my 282 is considered to have taller flanges, but it runs fine of AF Fastrack. 

I have no FasTrack but a lot of SHS track which uses the same rail. 100% of the Gilbert, AM and SHS equipment runs perfectly on it. The only issue with FasTrack seems to be the first run of 27"radius curves. They use a mold for the ties and ballast that seems to be high and causes the flanges to rub on the plastic. The rail height micrometers at .138", the same as the old SHS and the new production MTH S track.

I am wondering how Lionel's S gauge Fastrack does. I might buy some to test it. I have not seen too much S gauge track being made.

Does Lionel's S gauge Fastrack do as well as Gargraves S gauge track?

Lee Fritz

RideTheRails posted:

Now that the Fastrack has been on the market for a while, have there been any issues with it running AF equipment that has taller flanges?  It appears that the rail height is different, not as tall as the tinplate track and thus problems could occur.

Thanks,

Steve

We ran a mixture of Fastrack and SHS track on the S gauge club layout for over a year. There were no issues with the postwar flanges contacting the ties, that we could see or hear.

We did determine that fastrack was MUCH NOISIER than the SHS track. The ties on the SHS track are a separate molding, so the entire upper surface of the roadbed was not a vibrating sound board. like fastrack.

Let's hope that MTH gets the SHS style track back in production and in sufficient quantities.

The rail and the joiners seemed to be the same between the two brands to me.

GarGraves S gauge track has a similar rail profile to Gilbert postwar track. I really like Gargraves S gauge track.

Another nice thing about Gargraves S gauge track is that no adapter pins are needed to join the track to A.F. style track. Gargraves makes insulating pins for their track. If you can find them K-Line made S gauge insulating pins that work better with A.F. track sections.

Lee Fritz