Gargraves floor layout

How big is the layout? Have you considered something like carpet padding painted white? You might be able to get remnants free or cheap to test.

Try running the train slower. The slower it runs the quieter it'll be.

I've not done it but it might be worth the experiment: that medium-density interlocking 2'X2' exercise matting might help.

geysergazer posted:

Try running the train slower. The slower it runs the quieter it'll be.

I've not done it but it might be worth the experiment: that medium-density interlocking 2'X2' exercise matting might help.

I did use the exercise mats on my floor layout.  The noise, in my opinion, is inherent to the fastrack itself. Of course my floor setup has 3 trains running so noise is expected. It’s about 10x16 lots of fun for the grandkids

Oh, we ran it slow, but then it's so slow that it's not as enjoyable

Ya, I get that.  The Plywood Empire Route is a switching pike where the slower the better and so, noise? Naaah. 

The only real way to quiet Fastrack is fill the cavities with sound deadening material.  I remember years ago that Lee Willis filled them with construction spray foam, he said it made a huge difference.

Well one thing...some run model trains at scale 120 MPH. But also too...wonder if real trains aren’t 48 times louder than model trains on Fastrack going the equivalent scale speed. Maybe everything is just what it should be...

You may want to try Atlas track. Solid rail much quieter 

cjack posted:

Well one thing...some run model trains at scale 120 MPH. But also too...wonder if real trains aren’t 48 times louder than model trains on Fastrack going the equivalent scale speed. Maybe everything is just what it should be...

I believe we're at a scale 35, definitely NOT 120

Carpet with padding makes a huge difference. Half of my Attic layout is direct mounted to plywood (gargraves) and the other half is on padded carpet.  I never knew O gauge could be so quiet.

Maybe put the Christmas tree and layout on an Oriental rug with padding?

Hi NUC TUBER,

Yes, Fastrak is loud. I normally run Atlas O track for my Xmas layout. Over the years I ran one 1 loop of track, sometimes 2. Now with Grandkids, more is better, & by the way, noise doesn't usually affect them. I never run on bare wood floors, too noisy. 3 years ago I ran the outer loop with Atlas, the inner loop with Fastrack on a carpet. Still, the Fastrack was almost twice as noisy. I'm not knocking Fastrack, its a nice system, easy to set up & looks nice. If you're having guests over for the holidays & you want to run the trains, you do want the noise level as low as possible so people can enjoy & hear each others conversations. Running slow is a partial solution, but with O gauge trains, track with plastic roadbed is inherent to high noise levels if just used out of the box.

Do you have carpeting in any room for a test? Lay the track there & listen for an improvement. In over 30 years & at least a dozen different Christmas layouts, running any track system on a dense carpet will cut down the noise level considerably. The exercise mats look like a good solution, & would be perfect if covered with white felt available at most craft stores at 72" width to the length you need.

Like I said, I've had many Xmas layouts. The most elaborate was only 5x8 but so heavy it stayed up in our living room till the following Xmas! After the second Xmas, off to the dump.

I've attached an image of last years layout & this years is the same. I believe its 80"x65". The carpet cost $160 because I needed to purchase 12'x6' minimum. Even though the color is "Snow White", its still noticeably grayer than the felt surrounding the tree stand & for me not the perfect solution. The best part is, I roll it up & store it in the attic. It's 3 to 4 times more expensive than the exercise mats & felt though.

I think the spray foam idea could work since it fills that echo chamber roadbed. I'm going to experiment with the floor mats & felt after the holidays. The mats are much lighter & cheaper than the carpet & store easier with the felt, & may be the best solution of all.

I certainly will be interested in your solution.

Joe

Fasttrac is hollow, an echo chamber, poor design???

The FasTrack is too loud. 

I didn't start in time for this season, but, I will be doing the same for the Christmas floor loop next year. I am going to take the time to cut plywood sections track width in the shape of the loop, use Midwest Cork and Gargraves or Ross. 

Then, I can store small sections of the track layout on ply and quickly set them up on the floor. These can go top of the white felt that I put down on the hardwood floor.

You may be able to quickly substitute tubular (042 in place of FasTrack O36) on cork for this season and use mini binder clips or cable ties to keep the joints tight. Got a train store that is near you?

A piece of gray rubber backed indoor/outdoor carpet under the whole tree/ layout area would cut about 15 db off of the FasTrack noise, but, it would still be irritating - just a band aid idea for this close to the day.

I set up a floor layout with Gargraves/Ross track but it was on a MDF/ Plywood base.  My reasoning behind the decision was to pre make the layout at work and set it up on Christmas Eve. Since the layout was the perimeter of living rm it was a fair amount of work but worked out well. 

I had a dowel at each joint in the plywood. The track then spanned the plywood joint. A screw on each side of the joint in the track ties held the joint together. I did not use flex track at joints.  Tracks screwed down minimally, generally 2 screws per pc. 

I did the same thing for a standard gauge layout, but used knock down furniture  couplers at each joint. 

Link to that post 

https://ogrforum.com/...tandard-gauge-layout

Thank you Moonman and WMCWood, for answering the question, that I asked.

You two've given me some ideas/things to think about

Most of the 400' of track I have in my attic plywood layout is Gargraves. I never found it to be too loud and when I mounted it on foam track bedding, it got real quiet. The only noisy part is when the trains run across the 022 switches. I think Gargraves could be a good bet for your purposes. My $.02.