Right now I only have fastrack but if it really that much less expensive, I may get some different for another loop. I have heard it is cheaper to buy other track than Fastrack like tubular but I dont know what the difference in price is.
For standard O-gauge tubular track, the MSRP of a 10" straight or O31 curve is $2.49(gosh, it’s gone up-it use to be $1.80). For O27, it’s $1.69 each. The discounted price seems to be about $2 a section for standard O, and $1.40 for O27.
Consider also, though, that there’s a whole lot of good, used track of either type out there. I frequently pay $1 a section or less for postwar O gauge track, and have on several occasions turned down free boxes of O27 track because I have too much of the stuff.
Occasionally, you’ll also encounter a store going out of business or some other such sale, and be able to get tubular track dirt cheap. For example, on Ebay the past December, I bought O-gauge O42 curves from Fox Auto Parts for $.60 each.
When I first got into the hobby in 1993, 8-1/2" 027 straights and 027 curves were $.89. O gauge 10" straights and 031 curves were $.99. When I built my second layout in 1999, the O gauge track was up to $1.39 each. The cost of steel has grown exponentially from 1993 until now, and the price of tubular track has grown with it. Everyone seems to rave about Fastrack, Gargraves and other realistic looking track. I still use and will continue to use good old tubular track. It has great conductivity, it is easy to assemble, it can be dressed up with ties and ballast and it has traditional and sentimental value.
Back in the 50’s , Lionel " 0 " gauge was $.30 a section. I recently paid $1.30 a section from Williams for " 0 " gauge track, which is the same as Lionel. I pay $25.00 each for… " 0-22 " switches, which are in excellent condition.
The prices you quoted are 40% off current MSRP, which is pretty good.
If your layout is on the floor, consider staying with FasTrack. When I used O27 track for my Christmas layouts, oil/grease from the locos got on the carpet, I had to move pins to get reverse curves, the track joints got loose (track clips helped but were one more thing to install), and regular handling caused some of the center rail insulation to fail. Now that I have FasTrack for my Christmas layout, my O27 track is gathering dust (I use GarGraves phantom flex track for my permanent layout).
If you have a train table with a (more or less) permanent layout, O27 or O31 track can be a good, much less expensive option. For comparison pricing, look at the catalog at www.lionel.com .
I really like the look of Fastrack but the price of tubular seems to be much cheaper. And I do not dislike the look of tubular either. I was wondering how it would look if I had one loop in Fastrack and the other in Tubular track. If anyone has any ideas on this, or even better any pics of a layout with both that would help a lot.
I’ve seen plenty of layouts that mix track types, sometimes out of necessity such as when a layout uses both Standard and O gauge, or O gauge and S gauge. I wouldn’t hesitate to mix tubular and Fastrack, especially if you plan to add ties and ballast the tubular. Ties and ballast (or other roadbed) disguises the difference. Used tubular is cheap cheap cheap and as long as it’s clean, it works very well. I can sometimes get used O27 for as little as 25 cents a section, and I’ve seen O31 tubular for as little as 50 cents a section.
Where I live Fastrac switches cost about $180.00 a pair brand new, so far as price it is out of my reach! Fastrac straights or curves cost about twice as much as tubular track and do not match the curve radius of tubular track so I must stay with tubular track.
Another thing about tubular and Gargraves track is that you can cut it to fit and just add some track pins after sanding the top of the track, try doing that with Fastrac[swg]!!
I think it would look like you could’nt make up your mind about what track you wanted[:D]. Seriously, every type of track system has a purpose…traditional look, easy snap-together with roadbed, track you can ballast or bend, and so on. Track is a very important part of your layout, and I think you should go with what will make you most happy, over time.
the prices you quoted were very good . i pay $ 3.00 for 1/2 track - 3.25 for 10" straight and 036 curve which is about 20% off of cost . remote switches are priced at $58.00 .
They I belive are based in NY. They also had good customer service. One of my fastrack bumpers was not in my shipment, so I called and they set one out to me the same day. Their shipping if I remember was really fast too.
Their prices for most stuff is the cheapest that I could find on the internet. If I am to get Fastrack that is where I will be getting it from. There is a LHS close to home that I will get some of the pieces that I forgot or need. His prices are okay but even with the shipping this place beats him by a long shot.
my layout started with o27 tubular. I have since upgraded to gargraves. I started buying it from ebay about a year ago. the average price was about $2 a 3 foot section of the flex used. I have to say most of it was not used. people with large layouts buy it by the case and sell the leftovers, their loss our gain. I have also done well with ross switches (much better than all the rest). you just can’t be in a hurry, you have to wait for the right deal. the gargraves mates easily to the 027 tubular so you can use both together.
Remember- it’s not just the cost of the track you should keep in mind when considering tubular vs. FasTrack. You’re committing to a track SYSTEM. Don’t forget the cost of switches (HUGE), difference in availability of used pieces (HUGE), the difference in cutting it (HUGE), the difference flexibilty (HUGE), the difference in available radii, etc. Though I’m a Flyer guy, my son has three sets of FasTrack from three Lionel sets. He likes the ease of setting up an oval on the carpet or whatever, but is easily frustrated when I tell him no, I’m not going to fund a $60-a-piece remote turnout. Plus, the noise from FastRack would drive me nuts.
When I bought the items a year ago or so, their shipping costs were very reasonable. The used UPS ground or FedEx (dont remember which) and it was I would believe at cost. I ordered a lot of fastrack pieces as well as some of the packs that have the outer loop or figure 8 and it came in one big box and it did not cost for shipping any more than like $10 or $15 at worst case. I have sent tons of stuff by selling stuff off of ebay so I know about how much the ups/fedex costs are and I remember that the shipping was not marked up for them to make profit on it. I was very happy with them.