Plastering over Fastrack for Fuel Depot

Never seen it done with Fastrack. Maybe with foamboard, cut to fit against the center rail with flangeways inside the running rails, and tightly butted against their outer edges.

If I had to build such an installation, I'd look at using a Fastrack-to-to-tubular adapter immediately followed by a tubular-to-SuperStreets adapter and use that system for the pavement-embedded rails.

---PCJ

Not on Fastrack (3-rail tubular instead), and not at a fueling station (road crossing instead), but I used essentially the same technique as RailRide's suggested approach (but using thin plywood instead of foamboard) on my layout:

I see no reason you can't use the same technique to modify just about any "street level" location, with just about any track. Be aware that getting sufficient clearance for the rolling stock flanges can be more than a bit fiddly, and is critical for smooth operation! Good luck!

@TrainWatcher I have used a concrete & mortar repair product from Home Depot over Lionel Fastrack to create 3 different types of grade crossings that might have some application for your fuel depot.

1. A concrete crossing with guard rails cut and crimped from rails cannibalized from other straight and curved Fastrack sections:

2. A rutted old dirt and wood crossing. After the mortar repair dried, I used a rat tail file to gouge out tire ruts. I didn't bother to patch that crack that developed in the mortar because maybe the formerly muddy dirt cracked due to the dry spell in these parts lately.

2.

3. A freshly laid-down asphalt and wood crossing that leads into an older paved parking lot. For this I painted the dried mortar repair with semi-gloss black, then dabbed Gloss black with a sponge in spots to make it look fresh. And that apparently worked because the asphalt is still warm even as I type this months later!

I don't see the product I bought on Home Depot's site, but there are many other products that could be used in addition to the plaster you mentioned. My biggest problem with the concrete grade crossing was when I discovered the first time I tried this that, even though I thought the mortar was level or a little lower than the center rail, the pickup roller made contact. It was very hard for me to sand/file down the mortar repair so it didn't make contact with the pickup roller. In my second attempt (first photo above) I used a putty knife to press the mortar repair below the center rail.

The suggestions of  @RailRide and @Steve Tyler also look very good.

John Trains,

Thank you. That was the example I was looking for!

Great job, looks fantastic.

@TrainWatcher posted:

John Trains,

Thank you. That was the example I was looking for!

Great job, looks fantastic.

@TrainWatcher Glad you liked it. I forgot to mention this safety tip: The damp mortar repair caused the adjacent Fastrack rails to rust. I used very fine sandpaper to clean them and haven't seen any more corrosion, but I think that sandpaper is supposed to be a big no-no on tracks.

A hacksaw blade worked well to cut expansion gaps in the concrete.

John