How many have Lionel Fastrack?

Just threw a 072  circle out!

Nothing wrong with Fastrack.  I had a very specific reason I used it on my layout when I built it a decade ago.  Would I choose a different system now? Probably, but it can look good when ballasted.  Some even weather it which makes it look even better.  It will be nosier than solid rail, that's just a fact, but it is not as extreme as everyone makes it out to be.  My layout has never had a single electrical issue with Fastrack (there are some steps during assembly to make sure connections are tight).

It can be a lot less expensive too if budget is a concern.

Have been using Fastrack since about 2007, when I purchased most of what I currently have. No issues. Mark

Switched to it 9 months ago after 2 years of mainly realtrax. Main/major impetus was I decided I was going to upgrade my curves from o42. Could’ve continued with realtrax until I researched more into track geometry. layout is 17’ long but only 8-9’ wide and I wanted to maintain the straight sections on the 8’ ends of my outer loop— I found with Lionel I could was do a 72-60-60-half 36( which turned into 72-60-60-60) in each corner and could keep 15” of straight.

I also really liked the appeal of Lionel’s command control wireless switches. So I bought a pair the wireless command o72 left turnouts to connect to my inner loop- that was after buying used versions on a site and finding out they were remote versions. Still kept those 2 and one leads into my yard area- controlled via ASC.

Notice I only mentioned left hand turnouts to the inner loop- that’s because after purchasing four o72 LH switches, didn’t feel like spending the money at that time to get RH ones. Thus, My layout still has a pair of RH o42 realtrax controlled by my recently York acquired SC-2.

Is it the best track system- no. Can you make a nice layout with it? Yes. It’s also very easy to use IMO.

My biggest gripe with fastrack is the “terminal sections” that come with either 18awg or 22awg wire which is not a large enough gauge . Yes- you can take this off and buy your own connectors-for  which Lionel provides the specs- but I’ve had a hard time finding them and don’t think that they work with 14-16awg regardless. Thus I’ve often soldered to the tabs on the bottom of my fastrack  

hope that helps

@Dennis Rempel posted:

As I watch YouTube videos more than I thought have Fastrack

14,435,546 to be exact.  😎

This is a nice thread.  I am really enjoying it, especially the tips and the layout examples.

John 

I have it on my 12x16..94" outter loop 72" inner loop with a upper 36" ..I like it.. as far as noise goes I dont Hi-ball around so the trains arent thundering around so its not really bad at all the Locos chugging around make all the racket!!..Im going to add an Elevated loop but going to use Gargraves

@H1000 posted:

Ted, did you mean to say 15 or 20 years? Fastrack came out in 2002 or 2003. Initially with a black center rail for a short while and then switch to silver not long after.

Been using fastrack since it came out 20 years ago. It still works even though I’ve beaten the crap out of it! Lol!

@Yellowstone Special posted:

Wow! I've never seen Fastrack, or any track, rust like that before. You must live in the Amazon rain forest. 😉

My old Fastrack layout had to be torn down six years ago for me to have a hospital bed at home for me and it had to be stored in my unheated garage here in Upstate Western New York State. I had a lot that had to be thrown away because of excessive rust and the rest of it the metal tarnished. Cheap Chinese Scrap Tin Metal in my opinion but Lionel's charging a Premium Price for it. I cleaned it up the best I could, rebuilding a new layout with it but having to run track feeders every six pieces of Fastrack and jumper hot and common (and isolated rail where needed) from one piece of track to the next in each section off the metal tabs that hold the track to the plastic roadbed. Otherwise it won't conduct enough electricity to avoid having dead spots, also have found issues with some pieces of Fastrack that won't allow solder to stick to the tabs even after hitting them up with a Dremel Cutting Disc, and Fastrack Switches that won't carry power through the switch without running wires inside it and Soldering to each tab for each rail. I wish I could afford to start over, if I knew then what I know now I would definitely go Gargraves Track and Ross Switches. But with the way inflation on everything is kicking our butts, being permanently disabled earlier than I had hoped, medical bills, on a lot of prescriptions and over the counter meds to keep me alive and a Pension and SSD not going as far as it used to, I'm stuck trying to make this work to have a layout of my own again. A lot of the regular Fastrack came with their Starter Sets. I have a little bit of MTH RealTrax 31 curves where the O-36 Fastrack curves wouldn't fit and that survived the 6 years in. garage with no problems at all so even that is better than Fastrack in my opinion, and conducts electricity better through it, but to be on the safe side, since I'm doing jumper wires for the rest of the Fastrack layout I did the Realtrax also.

Left over from sets, I use fasttrack around the tree Christmas time but not on my layout. I added newer pieces only to find it does not so easily fit together. It's too expensive and causes problems with dead spots.

Had a great layout for about 5 years with nothing but FasTrack and there was only one spot that gave me trouble and turned out to be a problem with the benchwork more than the track. The switches were bullet proof. Tore it all down and bought into the notion that there is a more reliable and quieter track so rebuild will be with a different brand. After seeing so many nice FasTrack layouts on this thread and looking back at our own, I now wonder why I felt compelled to look for something better. I was really impressed with what folks shared, especially those who have added ballast for more realism. Awesome stuff.

I use it for floor layouts, but if/when I build an actual layout, I’ll likely use either tubular or Gargraves.  Fastrack is pricey, loud and I’ve had some electrical issues with it.

I have been using Fastrack for several years and have had real good luck with it.  I especially like the way it hooks together; it doesn't require as many screws to hold the curves in place.  That was important to me using it on the helix. (Not pictured).

This is my small Marx layout just 3 circles.

Doug

Wow Gary P., I had no idea and am sorry your Fastrack didn’t hold up very well. Good luck moving forward and best wishes. 👍