I just recently have gotten into trains and I purchased a new set that came with FasTrack. I have no experience with tubular but I really like the FasTrack. Like Earl said the trains run smoothly and I have yet had a derailment. I have 4 remote switches on my layout and they work flawlessly. I have seen photos on the weekend photo section of Fastrack on a layout that was airbrushed and ballasted on the edges to get rid of the straight edges on the track and it looked spectacular. I have homosote over plywood with green indoor outdoor carpet on my layout and I do not think the sound from the train on the FasTrack is really loud at all. For me I like the looks of the FasTrack and the ease of putting it together along with the reliabilty.
I forgot to mention that long term exposure to FasTrack gives you koodies.
[#ditto]
well i can say that tubular is way cheap…i just picked up 151 pieces off ebay for 50 shipped…that includes 6 remote switches and 2 bridges …i think i will always use this track…i may add tiles but i really like the tubular
I was going to go “O” gauge track, but I’m going to go with 027 track. One reason, its over a dollar cheaper, and it comes with a uncoupling track section, so i dont have to pay an extra $30 on a operating track section.
[#ditto][#ditto]
you can find good deals on ebay for track…just a thought
Magicman710, I agree in that O27 has a nice profile in comparison to Standard O. My layout is roughly the same length width as yours. I do have a section that is 3 levels, but overall, it is a reasonable layout. Having said that, I used Fastrack for it and am pleased. It does have some issues regarding noise, but that can be somewhat negated with careful planning. The tight tolerances also can be negated by careful planning or just sitting down with some pieces and working it out. For my layout, it cost me around $2500 in track alone. I am sure I could have done this for about 1/5th the cost using O27.
I also live in Georgia, where abouts are you? We have a few of us scattered throughout the state. Good hobby shops are hard to come by down here.
Dennis
I heard that too !! Then you have to get the Bugaboo out !! [(-D]
Good heavens gang - most of you are old enough to know it is “cooties” and yes it is a major risk [:O]
How’s it goin Dennis! Good to see somebody from the (in my opinion) the heart of dixie! I live In a suburb about 10 miles south of Savannah. And, to stay on topic, hobby shops are hard to find! There is one in Savannah, called Bull Street Station, and its a HO scale person’s dream, with hundreds of ho scale parts, cars, and locomotives, but only lionel TRACK. No accessories, engines, or cars. There was one in statesboro, a hobbytown usa, but it closed a few months ago. I order all my lionel on the internet, and I believe the biggest lionel dealer thats closest to me is some place in Augusta. See yall later!!!
Born in Georgia, and love CSX!
Benedict Arnold! [:D]
I have just got done figuring that it will const me about $800 in track alone to build my layout with 027. Not that bad to me. And with changing my track to 1 mainline with a yard in fastrack would be $1170.00 But I made a limit for myself not to spend more than $1000 on track. But what I am wondering is what would Lionel Corporation’s engineers and what Cowin would have thought if they saw fastrack. Who knows, they might have loved it, or may have hated it. But I dont think they had a problem with 027! 027, here I come![swg]
wow…i dont know how big your layout is gonna be or how many pieces youll be needing…
but i bought in three seperte auctions 300 pieces of used but excellant condition track…i have a 16x 6 layout in progress…and i only spent 75 shipped for track…including 10 remote switches…i dont mind used…as long as its in good shape…
just a thought…new is great but cheap is better, atleast for me anyways…
I thought I would also mention the famous Lionel Super O track,but I hear the clattering way from here in Minnesota, I think that clattering might be Frank or Chuck loading their shotguns, So I am going to make a run for it…catch ya later…BDT
ah Super O - The second most venerable track system ever made . . .
Lionel should have redesigned super “O” (since the tooling for it was destroyed in the 80s) before coming out with FasTrack. But still, I want to know why FasTrack is so expensive! With a $4 retail price on a 10in. straight is ridiculous. If lionel really meant it for the starter-intermediate market, it would seem that they would have a lower price than tubular, since most people dont want to spend hundreds of dollars of track, and more hundreds on accessories, engines, ect. The price is just ridiculous.
Grayson - an uncommon name.
Well I’ll post pictures of my layout, which somebody suggested on another of one of my forums, when I’m ABSOULUTELY through with my layout, which will probably be early next year. I hope people will remember me still by then, well if I post enough I’m sure I’ll beome well known.[swg] My layout will be, like said, 10 ft. x 20-25ft. with 2 mainlines and a yard. It will be the type where its just and outline of board 3 ft. wide in all places except the yard, wich will be 5 ft. wide. The yard will be on the end of the layout(10ft. long), with 5 yard lines. I’m not sure if this is enough track or to little, but we will see.
How much track I’m getting:
30- 027 straight sections, 24- 027 radius cured sections, 24- 042 radius curves, 16- 054 radius curves, 32- extra long 027 straight sections, 3- 027 manual switches, 4- 027 remote switches, 5- 042 remote switches, 3- 027 uncoupling track, 4- 027 operating track. Total:$800
Grayson
Grayson, I noticed your plan called for 027 switches and 027 radius curves…As long as you are in the planning stages, you may want to do yourself a huge favor and increase the smallest radius to at least 031 radius curves and switches…allot of locomotives and passenger cars need a 031 minimum radius for proper operation…
You might want to check your “wish list” as far as future rolling stock purchases go, and make sure that your layout is built to handle them without problems…
Keep us posted on the progress,BDT
Do you mean O gauge switches?
I guess your right, I might just change to O gauge track.