A friend just purchased a Polar Express set for his daughter. He has up to 4x8 available for a 1st layout. He would like a setup that goes around 3/4-1x then reverses direction, using a crossing. Or possibly what I’m thinking of doesn’t reverse direction but it does give you more than a basic loop. Is this possible with Fastrack or are the minimum radius too large as someone else has suggested. If so what size would we have to go up to? Or do you have any other suggestions for something in a similar vein? I hope I’m making myself clear as to what he is looking for. If need be an up and over is not out of the question. Don’t want a straight figure 8. I did look on Thor-Trains site and didn’t see any answers with Fastrack. If absolutely need be He would be willing to use another Mfg’s Non-Tubular track.
I would not use the over-under method as someone will have to be constantly adjusting the power to the engine when it goes up and down the incline. Keep the layout flat. It will be more fun.
Dave, in the Fastrack book, they suggest using a 5x9 table, like a ping pong table. They also have a figure 8 that has a siding to make things interesting. Not sure if they have any of this information on a web site, but for not a whole lot of money, most train stores should have a copy.
There is a Fastrack Group on Yahoo and they have a few examples under both the photo and file section. I used one of them last year on a 6 x 8 layout. It wasn’t so much a figure 8 but more like a pretzel.
In the last issue of CTT, they had a trackplan that sounds like what you’re looking for. Here’s a slightly larger version of their plan that is going to be my Christmas tree layout eventually:
