Anyone know when the Lionel Fastrack 031 switches will be available?
Will the dealers have them at York?
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Originally Posted by ronald1:
Anyone know when the Lionel Fastrack 031 switches will be available?
Will the dealers have them at York?
I know it should be taken with a grain of salt, but what does Lionel's shipping schedule indicate? 
The recent series of strong Coronal Mass Ejections has caused a lot of magnetic disturbance. This disrupts communication and navigation systems. You can imagine how that would complicate things.
Even if they arrived in California, they are most likely sitting on the ship due to the longshoremen slow down over a new contract.
I don't think you'll get a straight answer from anyone. Lionel wants them more than you so they can sell them and generate a profit.
Lionel ship date is still Nov.14. Not good.
Mass confusion at Lionel, they're still trying to redesign the Fastrack 0-31 track to fit inside their O-36 track because too many track layout builders are combining Fastrack Transition Track with MTH Realtrax Adapter Track and using Realtrax O-31 curves to fit inside the Lionel Fastrack O-36 curves. Until they fiqure out how to redesign the Fastrack O-31 curves to work inside the Fastrack O-36 curves they'll never get it figured out how to design the O-31 switches to be able to mate up with their O-36 switches to fit and work. Since they're still listing last Nov 2014 for their shipping schedule on them you might as well give up expecting them anytime soon as all. This is just my opinion, I have no inside information on this.
I appreciate your thoughts on this, Gary. The only thing that makes me think that the switches are either in production or in transit is the fact that I don't think Lionel would have catalogued the switches if they had not already been designed. Anything is possible, though. Since I am a senior, I just hope they make the switches available before God throws the switch on me!
Best regards,
Ron
Originally Posted by Gary P:
Mass confusion at Lionel, they're still trying to redesign the Fastrack 0-31 track to fit inside their O-36 track because too many track layout builders are combining Fastrack Transition Track with MTH Realtrax Adapter Track and using Realtrax O-31 curves to fit inside the Lionel Fastrack O-36 curves. Until they fiqure out how to redesign the Fastrack O-31 curves to work inside the Fastrack O-36 curves they'll never get it figured out how to design the O-31 switches to be able to mate up with their O-36 switches to fit and work. Since they're still listing last Nov 2014 for their shipping schedule on them you might as well give up expecting them anytime soon as all. This is just my opinion, I have no inside information on this.
The latest info according to the 3-27-2015 shipping list is that the 031 Fastrack switches are expected in Oct 2015.
Balto,
That would be alright with me, I want them for next years Christmas layout, however I am not holding my breath, my MOW Legacy Crane Car is not here yet either.
PCRR/Dave
Originally Posted by Gary P:
Mass confusion at Lionel, they're still trying to redesign the Fastrack 0-31 track to fit inside their O-36 track because too many track layout builders are combining Fastrack Transition Track with MTH Realtrax Adapter Track and using Realtrax O-31 curves to fit inside the Lionel Fastrack O-36 curves. Until they fiqure out how to redesign the Fastrack O-31 curves to work inside the Fastrack O-36 curves they'll never get it figured out how to design the O-31 switches to be able to mate up with their O-36 switches to fit and work. Since they're still listing last Nov 2014 for their shipping schedule on them you might as well give up expecting them anytime soon as all. This is just my opinion, I have no inside information on this.
031 was not designed to fit inside of 036. if you notice, the curves are in 12" diameter increments (036,048,060,072,084,096)to provide a 6" center-rail spacing.
Originally Posted by Gary P:
Mass confusion at Lionel. They're still trying to redesign Fastrack 0-31 track to fit inside their O-36 track. Until they do, they'll never figure out how to design the O-31 switches to mate with the O-36 switches. Since they're still listing Nov 2014 for them on the shipping schedule you may as well give up expecting them anytime soon. This is just my opinion. I have no inside information on this.
Gary, you said quite a bit there, then said its only your opinion & that you "have no inside information on this." 
Originally Posted by Gary P:
Until they fiqure out how to redesign the Fastrack O-31 curves to work inside the Fastrack O-36 curves they'll never get it figured out how to design the O-31 switches to be able to mate up with their O-36 switches to fit and work.
The current fastrack line is in 12" increments. 0-36,0-48,O-60 and O-72. They all work together on 6" centers. O-31 doesn't work with this equation.
Thanks, Balto, Lionel updated their shipment schedule two days ago; I've attached a copy of it to this note. Maybe I will be able to get them at next spring's York Meet! (Assuming I can get a ride from the nursing home) 
Best regards,
Ronald1
Originally Posted by Balto:
The latest info according to the 3-27-2015 shipping list is that the 031 Fastrack switches are expected in Oct 2015.
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And yet another reason why they should continue to make TUBULAR O GAUGE!!!!
Rick O,
Your engineering knowledge is absolutely correct, in reality I want to transition in and out of the new 031 FT CC Switches, for use with my inside RealTrax oval, so I can operate these switches from my Cab2, with the rest of my FT CC switches. I want to design a 3rd level in this manner, for my next years Christmas layout, I was actually real surprised Lionel was producing 031 FT CC switches because in reality Lionel's FT engineering/ track design does not match up with 031 switches of any kind. It will be real nice to have FT CC 031 switches for my RealTrax inner oval however.
I do wish they would deliver them in the near future, I have Railroad to design & run here!
PCRR/Dave
Thank you!
Just a note to let all of you know how much I appreciate the time you took to respond to my question. I got an answer, and a whole lot of other useful information as well.
Best regards,
Ron
