Everything I have read in the forum indicates that there is a noise problem with FasTrac. What is recommended for sound deadening material?
Fastrak will never be as quite as tubular.
Someone suggested car undercoat material. Others have suggested mounting on carpet, rubber shelf liner or foam. Changing to plastic wheels and running slow helps. No real effective solution exists.
Jim H
Yes, carpet foam helps alot.
With all the chugging - puffing - bells - and steamer whistles – I don’t hear it … LOL . Plus you want some track noise … did you ever stand or be near a real train … alot track noise . Sometimes it is the acoustics of the room also . A hollow room amplifies sound alot . Insulating under the table/plywood helps bucu also. Don’t leave it hollow. Acts like a drum .
Blue or pink foam insulation of 1" or more and the track will hold with screws.
I have a FasTrack layout. The best sound deadener I’ve found is one cotton ball in each ear.
Jim
[tup][tup][tup][tup][8D]
Did anyone ever hear the results about the attempts to put canned foam inside the rails?
BTW, how noisy is the Atlas Track?
No, but I have given serious thought to placing fiberglass insulation under my FasTrack. It can be bought in strips. I’d stuff some under each section. As a matter of fact, I’m going to try it. I have to take up the track to add some feeder wires anyway. I’ll report my results.
Jim, we have heavy cotton batting under the Fastrack on my daughters PE which is sitting directly on top of carpet. Noise is not cut down significantly.
The plastic base of fastrack is a sound box. It’s the same acoustic amplifier found on a guitar or violin. To reduce the noise you need to muffle it’s vibration. Filling it with canned expanding foam may be risky since the chemicals may interact with the plastic. Cutting solid foamboard may work but it tedious. I don’t use it but if I did I’d fill the space with packing peanuts and then screw it down to the board.
I have samples of both Fastrack and Real Traxs, the MTH version. Real Traxs is built from heavier plastic and metal and is slightly quiter. All tracks will produce some noise so you can’t have a totally silent layout.
Count the pieces of track that come with a lionel set now (which is the same as it has always been) sit down with a calculator and figure the cost of that amount of FasTrack. After doin that, do so with tubular track. After doing so you will see a $30 difference. The loop of FasTrack that is shipped with Lionel’s new trains sets is a total value of $46.68 if you bought it separately. The same amount of tubular track is $16.68. THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR THE TUBULAR LOOP WILL ONLY GET YOU THE FOUR STRAIGHT FASTRACK SECTIONS!!! This is my biggest problem with FasTrack.
That’s not good news.
Jim
I don’t mind the noise, actually, it drowns out the whining of my 4 year old. I do plan to put the small bubble wrap under the track when I am about the fasten it to the foam board. I will report.
dennis
Then you should never buy any FasTrack, and refrain from reading any threads about it - case closed.
For those of us who both like and use FasTrack, well, we’ll just keep discussing FasTrack issues without your two cents thrown in.
[;)][:-^][:-^]
That was not very nice, Spank.
We are inclined to agree with you. This is a large carpeted room and layout will be 32’ x 26’. There will be many “noises” to compete with train sound. We have kept carpet padding scraps and perhaps we can put them to good use.
Unfortunately, it’s frustrating when someone always takes negative shots about something he doesn’t like even though it has nothing to do with the thread’s purpose. It’s obvious said person doesn’t like FasTrack and thinks it’s overpriced: however, it’s not necessary for said person to continuously post this in every FasTrack thread he comes across.
Last time I checked, Spanky, THIS AINT YOUR FORUM!! I got just as much right to post here as you do.
Read my response to lionelsoni, then work on perfecting your maturity.