Problem with track on Christmas layout

Certainly connecting the FT track pieces together by soldering wires underneath from piece to piece should solve any issues (even with missing pins), but it is long and tedious work and you'd have unsolder a few sections when you take it down for the season.

As you've discovered, FT is not conducive to being repeatedly taken apart and put back together, but here are a number of ways to make it work better .....

Need advice on fastrack connection issues | O Gauge Railroading On Line Forum (ogaugerr.com)

Try traditional O gauge. You can cut it, take it apart, and it’s very durable.

Maybe another option ...

Because you intend to assemble and disassemble your Christmas layout annually, I suggest that you permanently attach the tracks to the sections of the "platforms." At each platform joint, set-back the track 2.5 inches from the seam - then install a 5-inch straight piece of FasTrack across all seams to join the tracks on "platforms" into one layout.  Easier to put together and take apart. Most of the track pieces will remain in place on the "platforms" in storage until next year. Stash the 5-inch sections with the trains for re-use next year.

You're right. FasTrack can sometimes be difficult to snap together and to unsnap.

Carry on, regardless ...

Mike Mottler    LCCA 12394

For the reasons you mentioned is the reason I have no switches on my layout. It may sound kind of boring to have no switches but if you want trouble free operating ditch the switches. It's the reason Lionel had no to very few switches on their showroom layouts. They needed the trains to operate with no problems for hours and hours.

You may not need to solder Fastrack.  You can use friction fit spade connectors to the rails under the plastic roadbed and connect sections using these connectors and wire.  Will bypass any problems with the rail joiner pins. 

https://ogrforum.com/...nectors-for-fastrack

I think permanently attaching track and switches to Styrofoam would be difficult at best; screws will not hold and adhesive  would be, in my opinion,  an iffy solution.

Thanks for the reply.

@Landsteiner posted:

You may not need to solder Fastrack.  You can use friction fit spade connectors to the rails under the plastic roadbed and connect sections using these connectors and wire.  Will bypass any problems with the rail joiner pins.

https://ogrforum.com/...nectors-for-fastrack

Good idea, but I would typically solder the wires to the connectors for a positive connection anyway, so I might as well just solder directly to the rail tabs and, secondly, if you use the connector tabs to electrically join track pieces together, I think you would then lose the places to connect your power drops.   

At any rate, these are them ....

Thanks to all who responded.   But my problem is not electrical; it's the track connection blades.  I have been unable to fully seat some track sections leaving a gap that could very well result in derailment.   Ever since I switched to FastTrack I have had difficulty both in assembly and disassembly.   There is no sign of corrosion; storage is kept in a dry, cool location.  My attempt to close the gap with pliers resulted in broken connection blades.

@Richie C. posted:

Certainly connecting the FT track pieces together by soldering wires underneath from piece to piece should solve any issues (even with missing pins), but it is long and tedious work and you'd have unsolder a few sections when you take it down for the season.

As you've discovered, FT is not conducive to being repeatedly taken apart and put back together, but here are a number of ways to make it work better .....

Need advice on fastrack connection issues | O Gauge Railroading On Line Forum (ogaugerr.com)

He could solder jumpers between the pieces, cut the jumper and have male/female plugs. This way when he takes it down he simply unplugs the connectors to be able to store the track.

@BILL HUDSON posted:

Thanks to all who responded.   But my problem is not electrical; it's the track connection blades.  I have been unable to fully seat some track sections leaving a gap that could very well result in derailment.   Ever since I switched to FastTrack I have had difficulty both in assembly and disassembly.   There is no sign of corrosion; storage is kept in a dry, cool location.  My attempt to close the gap with pliers resulted in broken connection blades.

Have you checked out Menards track? I haven't seen it but have heard it is pretty strong. Combine that with traditional O switches, and it should work right. I have only briefly used fast track, but from what I recall if the pins won't seat right it means either the pins are bent, or the track is crimped not allowing the pin to seat. If you are not relying on the pin to conduct power, remove the offending pin and if the other 2 are seated it should work okay, allow the rail ends to be butted together and not leave a gap.

Are you sure the issue is with the rails not allowing the blades to seat fully ? If so, you can insert a flat bladed screwdriver of the appropriate size into the hollow rails and open them up  a little so the blades fit in better. I have well over 200' feet of FT on my layout and the connections are not all perfect; some have a small gaps at the rail connections that might cause premature traction tire wear, but none large enough to ever cause a derailment and, certainly, the gaps do not interfere with electrical current passing from one piece to another. You can still have good electrical connectivity even with less than perfect joints.

Be aware that the FT pieces have small plastic pins in the underneath roadbed at the end of each piece which interconnect with slots on the next connecting piece of track. If those are not closed properly, the track pieces will not connect correctly. If those pins or slots are worn or misaligned, they may prevent the pieces from connecting together properly. If that's the case, try squeezing together with some large pliers or channel locks or you can cut the pins off with a Dremel and simply connect the track pieces using the friction of the blades in the rails and add a small binder clip to hold the pieces together.

I have been doing some contemplating re track brands and am wondering what would work the best in regard to annual assembly/disassembly and could hook up to my Lionel FastTrack switches (Legacy controlled).  I just looked at the description of MTH RealTrax, some of which appear to  have solid rails.  Description appears to me to be quite rugged.  I have a leftover piece of Atlas track I used on my permanent layout,  which I laid it next to a piece  of FastTrack.   The Atlas section, with no built-in ballast,  was way too low and would require significant shims .  Not in the mood to do that.

Comments on suitable track would be appreciated