Future of ScaleTrax

Just for more grins I took some gray outdoor carpet I had, cut it in to 1/2" strips and laid them between my rails on one loop. Darkened the center rail with a big marker pen(which worked pretty good) and will wait until daylight tomorrow to see the results. Doesn't look bad though. Nice thing about the carpet-you just lay it right around the curves. Plus you could glue ballast to the top or paint ties on it. On the outside, glue a strip to hide the metal ties-glue or tack the edge down. Some ballast and weeds and you are done.

Great idea, post some pictures when you can

Will work on it, I have a couple more ideas to think about, too. Right now it is sort of patched together. Plus my ability to download photos is limited by my lack of computer ability.  Always fun to try something different to see if it works-with both feet on the ground !!

I went in to the attic and found a heavier piece of dark brown indoor-outdoor carpet. Cut it in just thin enough strips to go between the rails and it pops in to place. Actually looks pretty good, I think, but I am not a rivet counter.

What is missing from the ScaleTrax product line?

 

Andrew

There are currently no WYE's of any size, no curved turnouts of any size, no slip switches, and no 3-ways. The #4s and #6s have been extremely scarce for a couple years now as well. So pretty much only O-31, O-54, or O-72 turnouts are available.

Also Missing - Larger diameter fixed curves - 088, 096 etc

Nothing flex can't fix.

 

I would rip it all out and mail it back to MTH.  Or if I were Ross or Gargraves, I would give you a discount on any purchase per pound of scaletrax. 

Thank you all for this thread.  I have been away from the OGR Forum for several years & was out of date with the track situation.   I recently visited two local hobby shops & looked at their track selections.  Both the HO shop & O-gauge shop carry Lionel FasTrack (but no longer carry Atlas-O track).  Neither has ever carried MTH ScaleTrax.  The O-Gauge shop Also carries Gargraves & Ross track (but no longer carries MTH RealTrax).  

 

I have RealTrax that I used for the Carpet Central around the X-mas tree, but do to connectivity issues stopped setting up the Carpet Central at X-mas.  I also have some Atlas-O straight & curved pieces that I have collected for my eventual layout, but have not bought any more in at lest a decade.  

 

After reading your thread, I conclude that I should probably use the GG/Ross track for my layout and maybe FasTrack for Carpet Central around the X-mas tree (our granddaughter will be 5 months in Dec-2015, so my wife wants me to set up the CC around the tree).  

 

What do you all recommend for Carpet Central around the X-mas tree ? 

 

Thanks in advance !

Without a doubt, Fastrack, especially since you can get it in 0-31 now.  There is a good design out there using a crossover piece to create a double loop around the tree that does not take up loads of space. 

From another thread on OGR:

 

WOW !  Thank you, Montclair.  

 

I will invest in some FasTrack for Carpet Central.  

 

Back in the late 1990s & early 2000s, I had similar thoughts to many of you when the various O-gauge manufacturers introduced their own track systems from MTH (RealTrax + ScaleTrax)), Lionel (FasTrack in addition to tubular), Atlas-O (3-rail & 2-Rail Ni-Ag and 3-rail steel), K-Line, etc.  None of them had a complete system at introduction and the O-gauge hobby did not seem large enough to support multiple complete track systems.  It is too bad that the manufacturers did not pool their resources for a few common track systems (tubular, pre-ballasted, & detailed) that they all could sell.  The plethora of track systems is confusing & frustrating to newcomers & existing O-gaugers.   This situation makes the hobby seem too "realistic" in the sense that track choice becomes as "enjoyable & fun" as going to work, filling out IRS tax forms, or having a root canal.  

 

Based on your inputs, I will probably go with GG/Ross for my layout & FasTrack for Carpet Central.  

 

Thank you all !

 

 

Yes, sounds interesting, would also like to see pics !

Here's a photo of scaletrax showing how the low profile and smaller more prototypical size really shows off our equipment making it appear more massive.

In the cold light of the dawn, the cheap, thinner gray carpet looks better.  The other is a bit too neat looking for ballast. the local discount store is where I bought the gray carpet so tomorrow I plan to buy enough to cut in to strips and do some of my track. Not sure about painting ties on it-might try some.  I like to experiment plus when I figure how to post pictures, I will.  The scaletrax photo looks good.

CBQ-Bill....sure describes my feelings and frustration about track systems (and that is not the only area concerning incompatible systems)....some vanishing and incomplete...never had that problem in HO...Atlas had track, all the trains ran on it..end of story.  Now, in threee rail, not even Atlas has track, a lot is not compatible with what comes in beginners' sets (and we want to get more people in this hobby?)  There is a thread running about stupid questions asked of displayers at shows...someone had a board with a comparison of the SIZES/scales of track to explain it to the train challenged.  I think I need a board that shows just ALL the O three rail track system samples, to me.

 

I understand that you can't please everyone.  I really do.  And I think I will give it a little longer before I move on.  The scale bug has bitten and there's really no turning back.  Going back to the large tubular type track just isn't what I'm interested in. To each his own.....I know.  It's like saying "go back to HO".........never!! I won't hold my breath, but if no good news comes from York regarding Scaletrax or a miracle saving grace from another producer, then I think I just might invest in another hobby. I have one too many anyway.  

Good luck.

Exactly.  Most of the guys who would choose ScaleTrax probably wouldn't be all that averse to using flex track for nice, broad radii curves.  Nothing beats the look of a train traveling through a broad S-curve... the kind that only flex track can produce.

 

That's why it was such a terrible faux pas that MTH couldn't produce wye's, curved turnouts, slips, double-crossovers, and yard turnouts like a 3-way or 4-way offered by Ross.  A full line of numbered turnouts wouldn't have hurt either.  Tooling exists for #4's and #6's, but no #8's or #10's.  At this point, most ScaleTrax fans would just be happy to get their hands on those #4's and #6's! 

 

A lot to ask for... yes.  But if you're gonna bill your system as the most realistic out there, then you gotta ante up with at least SOME of the specialty trackwork.  Although the "scale crowd" appears to be growing each year, I still get the impression that nobody's rushing their way to hand-laying track and building custom turnouts (yet). 

 

David 

I love the look of it, but your options are limited, you get more turnout options in RealTrax or FastTrack. If this were N scale or HO you may be able to get by with #4's and 6's an maybe make a wye because you can adapt the in space to fit that but being that O scale takes up so much real estate a guy needs all the options he can get.

About the smallest wye you can build using left or righ-hand turnouts is what I refer to as a "pinwheel wye" -- basically three 60-degree arcs. I've designed them with #6 turnouts and broader curves and even did a Free-Mo version with 72 inch radius (O-144) as a series of design studies.

 

 

I have a new 072 scaletrack switch buried somewhere, I will give a quick look, if folks are looking for one, I will sell it, I am going most Gargrave on the new layout.

I briefly looked at the GG & Ross websites.  I Like the idea of their sectional track.

 

What are the advantages & disadvantages of the following:

 

1. Plastic Ties vs Wood Ties ?

2. Are plastic ties only available in black ?

3. Are wood ties only available in brown ?

4. Stainless Steel Rails vs Tin-Pated Steel Rails ?

5. Center Rail Black vs All Rails Shiny ?  

6. Does the black center rail cause connectivity issues ?

7. GG vs Ross switches / turnouts ?

 

Thanks in advance !

 

C.Sam - I initially thought that your photo of BNSF 4293 was a prototype photo.  Very realistic layout !

Montclaire, do you know if there is a diagram for this one on the Forum?    Very nice!

 

RadioRon,

 

  If no one else comes up with one before tomorrow morning, I draw it in RR track and post a screen shot. (Have a show tonight or I'd do it now if I were home).

 

From the looks of it, it looks to be a 45degree crossover with O36 on the outer loop and O31 on the inner loops.   Looks like a 10" straight going into tunnel.  Most likely a 4.5 or 5" (maybe even some .175 fitters) on the opposite side.  On the back side looks like 10 and 5.

 

Again just guesses based on memory from building loops with crossovers.

I am also using FasTrack for the Carpet Central at Christmas. 

 

Escape Rocks, I noticed the track in the foreground has a blackened center rail.  Did you do that or is that very early production FasTrack when Lionel Blackened the center rail? 

 

By the way, like the setup under the tree.

I am going to wait and see if MTH delivers the promised #4 and #6 turnouts in November.  I like the looks of the ScaleTrax system.  I have many miles of track in both flex/rigid 30" long straight sections and sectional curves/straights.  Have all the turnouts I need except for the #4 and #6 turnouts.  I have a lot invested so far in ScaleTrax.  If necessary though, I will switch track systems.  Time will tell.  I have attached a copy of my layout plan.

 

I have completed the 8 ft module located at 6 o'clock.  It's the module with the grain facility.  I'm getting ready to start the turn module to the right of the 8 ft module very soon.  After that module I'll need the #4s and #6s to keep going.

 

I have a diagram in an old OGR or CTT somewhere, I'll start looking...

Ok, Dec 2012 issue of CTT, in Fastrack. Credit to James L Fry, rough dimensions 4'6" deep by 6' wide.

1 - 45' crossing
16 - O-36 curves
4 - 10 inch straights
2 - 5 inch straights
1 - 4.5 inch straight
3 - 1.75 inch straights
3 - 1.375 inch straights

From the crossing, inside loop, clockwise:  2 - 1.375 str, 7 curves, 1 - 1.75 str. 

Exiting the crossing, forming the outside loop, clockwise:  1 - 1.75 str, 1 curve, 1 - 3.75 str, 1 - 4.5 str, 2 curves, 1 - 10 str, 1 - 5 str, 2 curves, 3 - 10 strs, 2 curves, 1 - 5 str, 2 curves, 1 - 1.75 str. 

If anyone does a schematic for all O-31 Fastrack or O-27 tubular please post.  Tks

For those of you going to York, Please talk to Mike about your concerns regarding ScaleTrax. Hopefully, he has some answers for you. Tell him, what you would like to see built. Be sure, to ask him for dates regarding delivery. Get all the information you can from him.