FasTrack PART III: Making BLOCKS

Classic Toy Trains Forum
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As anyone who is following my series here on FasTrack knows, I want to totally convert to it. What a terrible mistake it would be to convert to the new track only to find that Lionel hasn’t thought of everything.

So far, it looks like 2004 is going bring a lot of cool FasTrack! Just look in the new catalog! But here’s a question: What about making blocks? With the tubular track, you just replace the CENTER pin with a plastic (fiber) pin. I have not seen plastic pins for FasTrack, only insulated sections. As you guys know, the insulated sections are great for activating accessories and have the outer rails isolated. Will Lionel make plastic pins for the CENTER rail?

Even with Command Control engines (each having different ID numbers), you may still want to control different blocks. For example, I have passenger cars on a siding that do NOT have on/off switches for their interior lighting. So without a separate block control, the lights would come on the cars everytime I turned on the layout’s power. Just another thought here…

ATJ

2

I’ve examined the pins, and they are really in there, however they can be removed with some effort. In order to do this you will have to bend the tabs that hold the rail, to allow the square peg on the bottom of the pin to be pulled out. If you choose to remove the pins, you will have to do so on two sections, one end on both to create a single gap.

Another possible solution would be to cut the center rail near the center of the section, this would leave a feeder tab on each half.

I still say that this system is for beginners only, as any fancy wiring is very difficult. I am starting to get the impression that this system has serious drawbacks and flaws that the designers never considered.

I don’t think that MTH’s Realtrax system has any of these features either and it has been on the market a lot longer. Let’s face the facts here, integral roadbed track is pretty, but it has serious limitations and is not for everyone.

If you are not a beginner with respect to operation and wiring, you will find it cheaper and easier to use seperate roadbed, and a standard style of track.

3

Thanks for checking into the track throughly. I hadn’t had time to do so yet today. No, I am not a beginner. I have a well established 21’ X 19’ layout with an 072 mainline with vinylbed under it all. I just wanted to convert to FasTrack because of all the great stuff coming out for it. Take a look at the new catalog! Wyes, 22 1/2" crosssovers, and remote switches that look ALMOST like Gargraves or Ross. This is all coming out in late 2004 and probably most will not show up until 2005.

I agree it looks like the new stuff is for beginners. But, there is so much more you can do with it than tubular. Like make a wonderful LOOKING freight yard. My current one is CLUNKY-LOOKING.

I will continue to “bother” Lionel about my concerns. If they can make a 1 3/8 adapter for going from FasTrack to O tubular, maybe they can make a 1 3/8 section that has the plastic center rail?

ATJ

4

Jack, I understand that you aren’t a beginner, from your other posts, and the kind of questions that you are asking. This question is one that I hadn’t really thought about, and it is an excellent one!!!

It seems pretty clear to me that there can be no such thing as a fiber pin for this system, and Lionel’s designers have gone to great lengths to make sure that you don’t “lose” any steel pins.

In order to do the kind of things that you want to do, you will need to go to a lot of trouble. Much more than with regular track or Gargraves.

Don’t be seduced by its “sexy” appearence, because behind those pretty looks the devil lurks. The devil is in the details, and you are beginning to expose them. I am not trying to talk you out of buying this product, I don’t have any stake in your decision one way or the other. What I want is for you to be happy playing with your trains, and not frustrated with your track.

I did look at the catalog, but the selection doesn’t impress me, since I have a large quantity of those types of items already. I’m not sure if you know, but I have been a Gargraves user for the last 12 years, and like you said yourself, can get those things now.

I find the cost for the Fastrack system to be outrageous!! A single 10" section of track costs the same as a 37" section of Gargraves. Switches are about the same price as Ross, and we should leave Gargraves switches out of the picture, for reasons that I won’t go into here.

I’m starting to get the impression that you think that it is difficult to work with Gargraves track, and because it needs to be cut when you bend it. I hear you say that you want the look, but not why Gargraves doesn’t work for you, and again I’m not trying sell you on doing what I do. I would be more than happy to help you learn some of the techniques to master it’s use, if in the end that was your choice.

Below is a photo of a section of Fastrack. The bottom of the track is most interestin

5

Well BB, I do understand what you’re saying about Gargraves and Ross. But I am a Lionel purist. I own nothing but Lionel. Say what you will about that, but that’s me.

I do think that a 1 3/8 section can be made with a fiber center pin. That would do the trick. I will let you know what I find out from the “Bracy boys.”

As my layout has hundreds of dollars worth of Lionel track on it, I probably am just going to stick with what I have now. I am not a prototype modeler and enjoy the toy train side to Lionel. I just thought that if I could change to another Lionel product I would. We’ll all just have to wait and see. As for the money part of it, that is thankfully not an issue. If I like it, I have the money to buy it.

6

Thanks Jack, that explains a lot. I actually used to be just that way myself, never bought anything that wasn’t made by Lionel. Then came the mall display, you can find out a little more in my profile, and everything changed.

Now I have switched to scale, and Lionel is no longer the focus. I really don’t even consider myself a collector anymore, and have shifted to operation, like you would commonly see in HO. I still buy Lionel, but far from exclusively these days.

Money wasn’t an issue for me until recently, but this too shall pass. On the other hand I like to be as frugal as possible, and have never gone in for the high ticket items, and look for value where ever I can find it.

By the way, I like your idea of how Lionel should deal with the entire fiber pin issue, but we’ll all have to just wait and see.