What track system?

I respectfully disagree that Fastrack and RealTrax can't be used:

 

Fastrack:

 

 

RealTrax:

 

I use Atlas.

 

 

I wish I used Scaletrax.

 

Both are hard to obtain at present, but that's a short term issue.

 

 

Jonathan-

 

its not its appearance that makes it unusable but rather the rail heads.  The scale wheeled locomotives will not run on these track systems.  

 

At this point it seems the only two options for scale wheeled running is ScaleTrax or Atlas O

Beet me to it Mr. Backer!

 

For what it's worth, I have all my Atlas turnouts modified, in order to operate many 2-Rail SCALE wheel equipped pieces of freight rolling stock. I haven't yet found the right late 1940s thru mid 1950s diesel unit with SCALE wheels, to purchase but, the newly announced Sunset/3rd Rail EMD SD7 demonstrator in now on the list.

Sorry, but you are both incorrect. Scale wheels will work on FasTrack. I did some testing and my scale wheeled K4 negotiates O48 turnouts just fine with zero modifications. Sometimes a car will pick a point, but some work with a file will usually cure that. It can be done.

 

Having said that, I don't understand the fascination with running scale wheels on 3 rail track. You still have oversized, out of gauge 3 rail track that you are running on. Fixed pilots and scale couplers I get, but why not just use 3 rail flanges for the ease of use?

 

If you are going to go to that extent then why not just go fully to 2 rail? You don't have scale wheels on Lionel models. So if you don't care about Lionel then why not just go full 2R? Most people doing 3RS make the compromise because they don't want to give up the variety in 3 rail (I.E. LIONEL). So if you are running Lionel with 3R wheels, why not make that the common denominator and use 3R wheels everywhere? Then you can run any model on any track system...

 

Nobody is going to get kicked out of the 3RS club for using 3R wheels... 

 

Will, something to think about:  I ran a lot of scale wheeled trains over Fastrack.  This included MTH scale wheeled steam and diesel plus a lot of rolling stock with NWSL and Atlas wheels.   What I found was that wheels with a profile close to the NWSL 172 worked the best. This would be the MTH, Atlas and obviously NWSL 172 wheels.  When I tried smaller profiles like NWSL 145 and even 115, that is when I ran into trouble with wheels picking points and even creeping over the top of the railheads.

Just for grins here are some photos of Atlas track stock, and replacing the center rail with the inverted T of ScaleTrax.  Now just picture ScaleTrax outer rails instead and we'd have a really nice-looking track system

Those plastic ties don't look very scale to me.  What dimentions do they scale out to?

Why? Wouldn't the outer rails still be "too big" since the Atlas rails are "too big" anyway? From what I've seen the MTH ScaleTrax" has much better looking rails overall.

Hi Hot Water.  I like ScaleTrax but the tie spacing still bothers me even after using it successfully for several years now. It gives the track a 'too light' appearance and the tie plates are way too big - Atlas plates are much better. I'm just visualizing having a combination of Atlas' ties using all ScaleTrax rails - a blending of the two. Probably easier to accomplish than retooling ScaleTrax molds and tools to move their ties closer together wouldn't you think?

 

The ScaleTrax rails are still too large to be 'scale' but are the smallest available in any 3 rail system so far...

There are a few reasons...

 

I am still part of an O Scale 2 Rail club and MTH allows me to run my 3/2 Fixed Pilot Scale locomotives there or at home on my much smaller layout.  I also love Lionel Steamers which I want to run at home on O72 curves.

 

Why compromise to having a track system that "usually" works when I can just get the ones that always work?

Hi Will. I see. That makes a more sense. I thought you were just talking about your home layout. If you still run 2 rail at the club and both at home I would suggest ScaleTrax. The turnouts have a nice ramp feature in the frog that work the best when using both Hi-rail and Scale wheels together in my experience.

 

The point I was making before was that any track system can be used for 3RS purposes if you try. In fact when this 3RS forum was started it was made very clear by some very vocal members that 3RS was only about the trains and had nothing to do with track. There was already a category for track and scenery known as Hi-Rail. Personally I think they go hand in hand.

This is a great topic for me as I find myself in the exact same position as Will.  I have tossed around the idea of two rail and have even gone so far as to buy a couple 2 rail turnouts and flex track to gain a little experience with 2 rail.  When I eventually start the new layout at my home (13'w x 45' area) I have to make the decision on track. I was stuck between Atlas O and MTH Scaletrax. I've tossed around the idea of hand laying 2 rail track, but I'm not certain if I want to be limited to running just MTH and leave Lionel behind. Such a crazy tough decision. 

 

Does anyone know if MTH will get back on track (pun intended) with the production of Scaletrax?  I saw the statement from Atlas regarding their stock on track, but was wondering if MTH will be increasing stock soon.  I have time as I am still working on a 3 rail layout that I started at my folks home years ago.  Either way, I need to make a decision and stick with it.  

BTW, here is a pic of a section of my layout showing both 2 and 3 rail just about side by side. 

 

 

 

 

if I knew fifteen years ago what I know now, that most of my engines would/have been produced in 2rail I would of dropped the center rail from day one.

 

 

If I was starting today I would use the following........

GarGraves

http://www.gargraves.com/sectionaltrack.html

Ross Custom Switches

http://www.rossswitches.com/

On a cork roadbed….. with gray ballast. Weather the rails & ties.

Yeah, I would consider those too Gary. I currently have Atlas O with Ross switches.  The 2 rail seem to have a little trouble going through the switches especially the larger crossover switch I have. Who knows maybe by the time I'm ready to do the next layout there will be a wide variety of available product to choose from. 

Discussing what type of track to use seems to be a lot like discussing politics. I've noticed this everywhere I've been part of this discussion before. It's really a matter of personal preference.
Maybe the best solution is to visit a train meet or buy a section of a few types and see what tickles your fancy the most. I get picked on for it quite a bit, but personally I'm a big fan of fastrack, I love the ease of use with it and my legacy system.
I'll admit though, fastrack doesn't look as "real" as some other track types out there but I like it, it works for me. It's all a matter of what'll work best for you.