Mounting Lionel Fastrack

#4 x 3/4" flat head Phillips. Not easy to find, so just get a few small packs at a home store. You don't need to screw every track down to get running.

 

I get mine from Fastenal by mail order or perhaps a store is local to you. Then you can purchase quantity at a reasonable price. The black oxide coated version is usually not available locally. I get the sheet metal screw.

I would highly recommend NOT screwing the fastrack down directly to the plywood. Pick some thing soft to cover the plywood and get longer #4 screws accordingly.

 

I used 1/2 pink foam sheets, some use 1"or2", some use homasaote, carpeting etc. If you do a fastrack search you will find plenty of old threads.

 

Fastrack mounted directly to plywood is deafening.

 

I used 1&1/4" #4 screws to go through the 1/2" pink foam, and gently snugged the track down, just until the plastic roadfbed is touching the layout surface.

 

Overtightening the screws will put dips in the track and distort it.

I'd also suggest the foam under it, or something like indoor/outdoor carpet.  Also, secure only a handful of the sections on curves with the screws, and don't tighten them down as they transmit the sound to the plywood.  My experience is if you pin the curves, you won't have any issues with the track separating.

 

It depends on what's between the plywood and the track.  On my layout with green felt, there are 4 or 5 screws on the whole layout.  Lightly screwed in place, with no pressure on the track as cited above.

 

On my modular layout, I use ty-wraps to secure the track.  One goes thru a hole drilled in the plywood, a second tywrap cinches the first loosely from underneath.  The track can actually move about 1/16". Works perfectly, even transporting the modules.

I think I just used some drywall screws my dad had in the hardware bin at home when I built a small loop years ago.  It was down tight (Almost too tight in some places, but that didn't bother my 0-6-0 I built it for.  The Big Boy on the other hand didn't like it.) and yes it was loud.  That was before I knew anything so I chalked it up to newbie experience points.

Not drywall screws.  # 4 screws fit perfectly in the fastrack holes.  And as mentioned, they are needed primarily in the corners.

I'd forget about screws altogether.  Fastrack isn't going anywhere....just lay it down and run trains.

-Greg

I have to respectfully disagree, pinning the corners is a good idea to keep the sections from separating.

I have a 12' x 24' Fastrack layout.  3/4" plywood with 1 1/2" pink foam on top and Fastrack on this.  Fastrack is not fastened down with anything, layout is 4 years old and sections have not separated.

Same here with a slightly larger layout nothing fastened down.

 

Ken M

I have 3/4" inch plywood with 3/4" pink foam on top and then Fastrack. I use the #4 flat head Phillips screws. The foam is great for dampening the sound. 

Trim screws in the drywall screw isle.  These fit perfect and have countersunk heads.  They may be a little long, I found them in two lengths.  I have my 3/4 plywood covered with 1" foam and thicker up to 6".  The screws help hold the track in place.  I don't have a noise problem.  I don't run my trains faster then 30 smph.

we used indoor outdoor carpet and screwed down some of the Fas-Track sections to keep them from separating and it works great!!

VB,

   I use either used sound suppression ceiling tile or indoor/outdoor carpet under my multi level FasTrack Layouts, to deaden the sound when running more than one train. 

Further I always screw my FT down, every other tack.   Carr McMasters on the webb has all the screws you need for FasTrack and everything else, I use  PH FL HD Wood SC Z/P 100 EA #4x3/4 and #4x125PFW1P 100EA,  inexpensive, 90% re-usable and they work well.  They also work well with my inner oval of MTH RealTrax

PCRR/Dave

 

Thanks guys for all of the help. I will take it all to heart.  This is a great place to find out answers and great people to respond to them.  Again,   THANK YOU.

I did an experiment a while back and found that despite what some may claim, solid foam has only a minimal effect on reducing noise. People might claim otherwise but I actually used a decibel meter in my experiments and the difference was minimal. All the foam did was change the tone of the noise (admittedly, this itself was an improvement).  If you think about it, it makes sense that pink foam wouldn't work. Sound reflects off smooth, solid surfaces and pink foam is very smooth and quite solid. Carpet/fake grass is a much better way to go and your best bet for silencing FasTrack. You can also fill the cavities in the FasTrack but this is pretty time consuming and still doesn't address the hollow rails of FasTrack. If noise is a real concern go with Atlas. 

 

Finally, if all you want to do is keep the tracks from wiggling apart - a real problem with some FasTrack (especially the O31 curves) - a far easier and cheaper solution is round wooden toothpicks. I did this on my layout and it keeps the track from wiggling apart over time.