Sectional track options for a non-permanent use (around Christmas tree or the like)?

IMHO it's really hard to beat old-school tubular track for temporary installations. First, it's cheap, ranging from as low as fifty cents or so per section for used track, to about two bucks for modern repro, and is widely available. Mechanical and electrical issues are well-known and suitable for tinkering by any "garage mechanic"-level craftsman. Sure, it falls short on the realism scale . . . but we're not talking about use on a highly realistic landscaped layout here, but rather just around the Christmas tree!

With that said, Lionel FasTrack (which you've already pretty much eliminated as having a skirt) is somewhat notorious on-line for having durability issues if disassembled and reassembled multiple times. I've not heard of specific issues with using any of the various tracks on carpet, etc., but I suspect you'd have more fouling of the rolling stock with *any* track placed directly on the carpet, from fibers and other schmutz on the floor being sucked up into the rolling stock.

Others may have first-hand experience (or cautions!) to offer, but I'd say if you have the budget for it, just go with the track that looks best to you. Good luck!

@Steve Tyler posted:

IMHO it's really hard to beat old-school tubular track for temporary installations. First, it's cheap, ranging from as low as fifty cents or so per section for used track, to about two bucks for modern repro, and is widely available. Mechanical and electrical issues are well-known and suitable for tinkering by any "garage mechanic"-level craftsman. Sure, it falls short on the realism scale . . . but we're not talking about use on a highly realistic landscaped layout here, but rather just around the Christmas tree!

With that said, Lionel FasTrack (which you've already pretty much eliminated as having a skirt) is somewhat notorious on-line for having durability issues if disassembled and reassembled multiple times. I've not heard of specific issues with using any of the various tracks on carpet, etc., but I suspect you'd have more fouling of the rolling stock with *any* track placed directly on the carpet, from fibers and other schmutz on the floor being sucked up into the rolling stock.

Others may have first-hand experience (or cautions!) to offer, but I'd say if you have the budget for it, just go with the track that looks best to you. Good luck!

I don’t mind tubular track, and considered it, but that’s mostly owed to nostalgia I suppose. To be honest, I always liked the look of more realistic track around a tree, like with G scale track, but I already have a bit of o scale stuff so I’m not investing in a different scale.

The oval can only be 31” or 36” diameter with a ~4' of straight, so the cost shouldn’t get too out of control.

I’d likely lay it on a dedicated rug or something with tighter fabric and less fuzz. I also don’t have pets so, no pet fur to worry about.

I use Fastrack for our Christmas layout.  Our living room has hardwood floors. I have a few white shag rugs that I put on the floor (instant snow ) and then just set the Fastrack on it.  It is about 5' x 12' with 4 switches.  I feel that the plastic roadbed keeps the track up higher and is wider than tubular, and I have never had a problem with carpet fibers clogging engines or rolling stock.  I have been using Fastrack for our Christmas layout for about 10 years and haven't broken any tabs off the track in all those years.

If you want to go tubular, I would recommend Menards.  I use their tubular on my display shelves, and I have seen several positive posts about it on the OGR forum.  And, it is very reasonably priced.

My Christmas layout has both Gargraves and Atlas with Ross and Atlas switches.  I like both but Atlas is a bit easier to deal with for a non-permanent layout.  IMHO, the way the Atlas track links together is better suited for a non-permanent setup.  The Atlas loop is also quieter than the Gargraves. 

I am like you where I don't care for plastic roadbed.  Don't get me wrong, Fastrack is mostly rock solid for operating and is very "temp" setup friendly.  My main issue with it is sound.  The hollow roadbed makes more noise and in my case, the Christmas setup is only feet from where we watch TV.  My wife always complained about the noise from my original Fastrack setup but can live with Gargraves and Atlas. 

If cost is a main consideration, tubular would be the best compromise IMHO.

Tony

Coming in from left field is my suggestion for the Lionel Christmas LED Fastrack.   It is as far from prototypical as you can get and still be on planet earth. But it sure makes a favorable impression in the best possible way especially with a Christmas themed train.

I used to use FastTrack for my Christmas loop.  Replaced it with tubular track because it kept coming apart.

K-Line made Super Snap track.  It's the same radius as O31 tubular track and appears to be compatible.  There's compatible switches.

@av2019 posted:

How well does something like Ross hold up when taken apart and reassembled every year? Is it also fine to have it lay directly on the floor without concern? Or is it the kind of track that’s only suitable to being permanently fixed. My only experience with o scale track is old tubular stuff.

I think Ross track would hold up well. I’ve taken Ross and Gargraves apart many times and still feels firm when reinstalling. On a bare floor though I’m not sure how you would keep the track from sliding around. You may want to take a closer look at the roadbed that Ross offers.

@romiller49 posted:

I think Ross track would hold up well. I’ve taken Ross and Gargraves apart many times and still feels firm when reinstalling. On a bare floor though I’m not sure how you would keep the track from sliding around. You may want to take a closer look at the roadbed that Ross offers.

I'll keep that in mind, it won't be on a hard surface so perhaps there would be enough friction to keep it from sliding around.

Glad to know Ross track would likely work for this application. At least from photos it looks nice, and having actual wood ties adds a nice little touch even if it wouldn't be obvious at a glance. It's not cheap but I'm surprised it can be made for cost comparable to stuff like fastrack, I'd figure material costs and being lower volume than the big companies would make it significantly higher.

@Former Member posted:

Coming in from left field is my suggestion for the Lionel Christmas LED Fastrack.   It is as far from prototypical as you can get and still be on planet earth. But it sure makes a favorable impression in the best possible way especially with a Christmas themed train.

I also use some of the Christmas LED fastrack on our layout.  I put groups of 2 straights at various places on the layout.  Our layout uses O-48 curves so I can't use the LED curves....I wish Lionel would make LED curves in additional sizes.

I have been using the same FasTrack on my Christmas layout around the tree for the past 17 years.  It has held up great and does not come apart during use.  My thick carpet soaks up the sound very well.

Ron

@VinceL posted:

I also use some of the Christmas LED fastrack on our layout.  I put groups of 2 straights at various places on the layout.  Our layout uses O-48 curves so I can't use the LED curves....I wish Lionel would make LED curves in additional sizes.

Having recently contacted Lionel about just that topic of wider curves; so far only crickets and not Jiminy

@Former Member posted:

Having recently contacted Lionel about just that topic of wider curves; so far only crickets and not Jiminy

If you do hear back from them, please also mention the need for Christmas LED FasTrack half-straights!~)

Consider used O Gauge tubular track for the reasons I just mentioned on my post 2 minutes ago in another thread, If I had to do it over again. Arnold

FWIW, I have used FastTrack directly on hardwood floors.  I did not find it to be too noisy and it generally stays put.

For temporary elevated tracks around the tree, I screw tubular track directly into piers I made myself out of short chops of 1x4s and 2x4s glued and screwed together.  I then spray painted them with Rustoluem textured paint (I tried various ones but to me the mottled dark gray looked the best).  That makes for a pretty passable set of bridge piers that are beefy enough to support any heavy equipment you may run (just make sure you locate the joint between sectional pieces on top of the pier so the thing doesn't sag).  When it's January, simply zip the screws out and everything goes back in the box until next year.

I like Atlas track because it can also be setup in the back yard when it is not serving duty around the Christmas tree.

Now on the issue of taking track apart and putting it back together many times... It is necessary at some point to use pliers either to squeeze the "tube" in tubular track or the connectors for "T" rails. The object is to have a great connection and to minimize the work. For this I use a very sparing amount of NO-OX-ID "A SPECIAL". I use this on my track to get track that needs cleaning less often (you can read about it on other posts). But I also use it on my track connectors for improved electrical connections and easier connecting and disconnecting. It is a grease that must be removed from rails after a 24 hour chemical reaction, but for the connectors I leave the grease on. (It is OK with me if you do not like the grease that I use, but whatever you do, don't use a grease other than one that is designed for electrical transmission!)

IMHO, Lionel's Fastrack isn't "too loud" as some hobbyists complain.  My annual under-the-Christmas-tree layout is Fastrack and is installed on the carpet, which helps diminish the modest-level noise. After all, toy trains (like real trains) aren't supposed to be quiet. Meanwhile, my l15x19-feet L-shaped home layout has Lionel tubular track because I like the retro look. To each his/her own when it comes to track preference.

I haven't had any problems with "loose" connector pins in Fastrack.  Even if so, a gentle squeeze on the rails with pliers would tightening it up.

My track plan is attached for reference. Santa knows Christmas and toy trains go together like hot chocolate and cookies.

Mike Mottler    LCCA 12394

I've used 027 tubular with good results since it's only run sporadically. The grandkids play with it a few times and away it goes for another year. I formerly used ty-wraps on sections that wouldn't stay together but graduated into using just few tiny screws, since another mark in our well-worn soft pine floor would scarcely be noticed. I know that's not for everyone!

Not to discount having gorgeous track. That's a truly great thing for those of us who thrive on such details. I would certainly notice, but IMHO, the "look" changes enough once presents are added and  the "wow factor" is that you even have a running train.

I thought it was time for this thread to have a video, even a crappy one! LOL

Note to Arnold: I love your track, which I saw in one of your threads. If I had that, I'd be using it too.

I have some spare Atlas track on hand so I'm going to see what I can make with it this year under the tree. But my back up plan is tubular. Atlas can be taken apart if you're gentle. I think it would hold up. It has plastic clips built into the ties. Those clips can break but it's usually because you're mishandling the track.

My plan is actually to screw which ever track I go with to a piece of plywood that fits in the space the tree goes in the living room. Then I intend to just leave it on the wood and store the piece in the basement. It's a small area, maybe 4'x5'.

@BillYo414 posted:

My plan is actually to screw which ever track I go with to a piece of plywood that fits in the space the tree goes in the living room. Then I intend to just leave it on the wood and store the piece in the basement. It's a small area, maybe 4'x5'.

I did something similar when I did a 'round-the-tree layout, which had to fit in a roughly six by five and a half foot space, with a tree in the middle. I ended up making it in two pieces of OSB that slide together, with track pinned down on each side and extending over the join (it required a bit of fiddling to fit together each year, but it was always manageable). I chose to elevate the platform on horizontal 2X4's, which raised the platform enough to permit wiring to run under the layout. At the end of the season, the two sections could be slid apart and stored vertically until needed again. After the kids aged out, and my wife complained about the noise, I mothballed the layout.

When the grandkids came along several decades later, in 2019 I dusted off the old layout, set it up on sawhorses, and made it the basis for my most recent efforts. It can be seen (center hole included!) in the first minute or so of this video (incidentally, the round-the-tree loop shown in the link below and appearing later in the video is in the same location as the trees and the first layout around them, only elevated with the tree to table-top level):

I later filled in the hole, and eventually replaced it with my new and slightly larger (8X8) layout, but it's still in service as a test bed for my current projects:

So, be careful what you start with -- you may be stuck with it for longer than you expected!

I've always used fastrack but intend to break out my grandfather's tubular for Christmas this year. I think fastrack is incredibly durable and have never had a connection physically break or any conductivity issue with a single drop in an 8' oval. That being said, tubular and tinplate nostalgia is hard to beat for Christmas, IMO!

One more thing to note regarding the track blackened center rail. Some users on the forum ended up having to remove the black coating from the top of the 3rd rail to improve conductivity. I have no experience directly, just a thought. Good luck with whatever you decide.

In the past I used MTH scale trax but it was much too noisy on my hardwood floors, even when I used the mth rubber feet beneath each section.  I switched to Menards tubular a couple of years ago and am very pleased with the results.  It’s much quieter and I like the traditional look for ‘round the tree.  I use rubber bands around the tie ends for adjoining pieces to make sure they don’t pull apart.  Works great

@PRRick posted:

One more thing to note regarding the track blackened center rail. Some users on the forum ended up having to remove the black coating from the top of the 3rd rail to improve conductivity. I have no experience directly, just a thought. Good luck with whatever you decide.

I ended up hitting mine with some electrical contact cleaner and a Scotch Brite pad. It look some of the black off without taking all of it off and it fixed the issue. Just my two cents for anybody having trouble that finds this thread!

Good information Bill, thanks!

K-Line Shadow Rail or SnapTrack but good luck finding it.