FasTrack dead spot question

[Bob Keller]

A reader called and asked about dead spots using FasTrack. He has been using it for several years, then he recently added new straight sections that were dead. I suggested he compare a known "good" section with a "bad" section to see if there was an obvious flaw.

Has anyone recently encountered this? I've been replacing the Atlas and MTH track on my layout with new FasTrack and have not seen this.

[riverrailfan]

Scotch Brite pad is your friend. I've used FasTrack since it has come out. The surface tends to lightly oxidize. I used to  build carpet layouts on the floor of my finished basement. If I let it sit for 2-3 days, trains would not run. Clean the track with rubbing alcohol and lightly run a dark red Scotch Brite pad over the rails and the trains ran again.

 

Even though the track is new, how it was stored and how long it has been on the shelf can affect it. If it was bought at a train show, the elements of where they were at when brought to the show can cause this.. I would use a DVOM to check countinuity of the track from pin to pin. Also can hook up transformer power to the track and use a 14 volt light bulb to test if it conducts underload on the rails and the end pins.

[8ntruck]

Yup.  Dirt is the first thing to look for.  My layout is up in the attic and does not see a whole lot of run time.  It is not unusual to find that some sections of track have spotty power.

Towing my postwar track cleaning car around will usually solve the problem.  If it does not, elbow grease and rubbing alcohol should get the stubborn spots.

 

I got a K-line box car with a voltage meter in it a couple of years back that is a helpful tool to find areas of the track with voltage problems.

 

Good luck.

[Bob Keller]

Thanks guys, I'll pass that suggestion back to him.

[lion88roar]

This depends if he bought the track new or used. Many people will modify FasTrack for their purpose. If the track was used the previous owner could have remove the bridge straps under the track that connect the two outer rails. They could have a cut a rail to make an isolated section, or he many have bought an isolated track section by mistake or been shipped an isolated track section.

[Bob Keller]

He told me he bought it new, but when I called him back with the forum suggestion of cleaning the track, he mentioned he'd only tried it with one locomotive – and that was on its first out-of-the-box run.

I suggested he crank the power up and push an illuminated car through the dead spot. If the light stayed on, it might be the loco, if not, the track. Either way, he said he was going to try a second locomotive.

[phillyreading]

I had bought some Fastrac a while back, almost two years ago, all new track. Some of the track had been sitting around and never used, put it together and made a small layout. The track got dirty very quickly, even more then my old post war tubular track, and trying to do some fancy track design nearly caused me to get mad and rip it all out. Electrical connections were very bad, so much so that I needed at least two sets of power wires for a small 3ft by 9ft layout. I did take the track up and I traded it off at a train show. I am new to the track with roadbed installed and that might be my problem but when it don't fit together properly and needs expensive fitter pieces to make a fancy design, that's when I get rid of it. Personally, I am not happy with Fastrac!

[riverrailfan]

Yes the roadbed track is a pain. I used a friends RR-Track to design my 8x12 layout so I knew what pieces I needed to do it.

 

I took this Lionel O-gauge track plan and converted it to Fastrack for my inner loop and added 2 manual switches. The train always changed directions it was going to run that inner loop.

http://www.lionel.com/Products/Finder/ProductDetail.cfm?ProductNumber=6-22969&expandBranch=0&Keywords=&CategoryID=42&RailLineID=&CatalogId=

 

[riverrailfan]

To add one thing, the pins on Fastrack can get flackey contact.