Is lionel making 0-96 curves fastrack ?

Yes, 32 to a circle.  Get out your BIG checkbook... it will be about $200.00 for a full circle with tax and/or shipping.

Full discussion HERE.

YES...  look for Nassau Charlie's recent post "Lionel's Expansion of Fasttrack Line"

$200 a circle is expensive, but then a full circle is 25 feet - a long way around so to speak!   So its not that expensive compared to other Fastrack.  Regardless, if you need it this is great news.  When I converted to Atlas, I recall how pleased I was that I could get much larger diameters than 72" and 84".  When I had Fastrack, to get big wide curves I had alternated short straights in between 72" curve sections to get 90 and 96, etc, etc.  It worked but wasn't esthetically as pleasing.  

Looks like it will be 32 pieces per circle.

http://www.lionel.com/Products/Finder/ProductDetail.cfm?ProductNumber=6-81250&expandBranch=0&Keywords=6%2D81&CategoryID=0&RailLineID=&CatalogId=

That means 32 joints for the circle. Just as a comparison, the Atlas Ø99 and Ø108 curves take 16 sections for a full circle, so each section must be about twice as long as the Fastrack.

Alex

As a Fastrak user, I wish I had the room to run O96 curves.  I thought about O84, but cost and again, lack of space put an end to that Idea.  O72 is my standard.  Lionel needed to add O96 with the large scale products they have selling.  The auto rack cars look terrible on O72 curves.

They need a #4 or #5 turnout in Fastrack too.

8 feet for a complete turn, correct?

Gentlemen,

   096 FasTrack is great stuff, $200.00 and up depending on the taxes in each different state.  As Rob said get out your big wallet, but man if I had the room I would own it in a heart beat, would love to see my big original Williams Yellow & Gray, City of San Fran speeding down that 096 FasTrack.  Sure wish I had the space for it!  With 4, 072 FT CC switches, you are talking about some serious room for setting up.

PCRR/Dave

Yes, but assuming the "96" is measured as c-t-c, you would likely need an additional 6-8 inches to allow for the roadbed and some overhang.

Getting off topic just a bit, a local train shop told me that there is currently a track shortage of FasTrack. Don't know if there is any truth to this or not. Just thought that I'd pass this along for comments and discussion.

tr18,

   Absolutely correct this is why I say you need some serious room to set the 096 FT up correctly, especially with switches and a cross over of any kind.  Room lots and lots of room!

PCRR/Dave

FWIW, a 096 circle of tinplate Gargraves with plastic ties is less than $100. A full circle of 0138 with stainless rails and wood ties like I'm installing in the attic is less than $150. Pretty good deal in my book.

Gilly

Personally, I have always felt that Fastrack was a HORRIBLE value for the buck. This conversation just reinforces that opinion.

I can make that same 8' circle with Gargraves flex for about $54. That's 9 sections at $6 per. Yes, it takes a little more work bending and cutting, but at 25% of the cost of Fastrack...

It's your money.

Track cost for this entire helix is about $500. That's 6 full circles and 3 more because half of it is double track.

Tell me, do the engineers and firemen in your locos get dizzy going through that? 

Wow!

Lee, haven't you seen my video? I know I get a little dizzy watching it.