I apologize if this is hard to understand, but I have a postwar Lionel 675 locomotive and tender and I was wondering if I could run it on my more "modern" FasTrack rails instead of the original rails. I have the transformer for the old 675 and my newer one, if that matters. I would like some advice on this because I haven't touched my trains in a long time, but I am starting to get back into it.
The 675 will run just fine on your new track, in fact that includes all PW engines. You need to oil that 675 axles and armature ends. Not much just enough to lube it. Oiling the axles on PW cars also helps a lot.
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Charter Member- Tardis Train Crew (TTC) - Detroit3railers- Detroit Historical society Glancy Modular trains- Charter member BTTS
Should run fine. However trains run on FasTrack are significantly louder than traditional tube track.
BigAl 956 Should run fine. However trains run on FasTrack are significantly louder than traditional tube track.
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Everything should work fine, my whole layout is made with lionels fastrack and i run mostly lionel postwar locos. Works for me
My layout is FasTrack, and I use postwar and newer on it. I think the noise issue is overblown.
O gauge trains are noisy, that's just the way it is, unless you're running them real slow.
I use MTH RealTrax on my layout, I use Fastrak under the Christmas tree, and I don't notice any real difference in the noise. As a matter of fact, I don't notice much difference in the noise compared to the old Lionel track that was on my layout when I was a kid.
I agree with the previous replies.
But I have a quick question: Any reason why you are thinking about the FasTrack instead of the tradional tubular track?
We run postwar on traditional O27 track with no problems. There is a lot of O27 track available and it is less expensive than the Fastrack.
Thanks.
I disagree the noise is a big issue with fast track Couple of years back I ran a circle under the tree of fast track with A PW train Downstairs neighbor thought we were trying to saw though the floor.
Joe Staten Island West
Tried using some FasTrack. I had a line that was side by side with tubular track. Fastrack is significantly louder.
I used Fastrack under the tree one year. Noisy as all get out. Can't imagine how loud it would be on a plywood tabletop.
Fastrack is also just so big. Takes a lot of space unless you opt to bury the roadbed (which isn't that tough to do).
Tube track with postwar trains for me. You can dress up your tube track to look pretty decent.
My Dad's Pre-War 1666 runs just fine on FastTrack.
As far as the noise issue - I have no issues with this. The layout under the tree is quiet, I think the Polar Express makes more noise 'cuz of the whistle and the chugging sounds.
Just my 2 centavos....
I am the monster in your head...And I thought you'd learn by now, It seems you haven't yet.I am the venom in your skin --- Breaking Benjamin
There’s a problem with Fast track and postwar trains that I’ve discovered, which is that trains equipped with magnetraction, don’t do as well on fast track. This is because, well, magnetraction is essentially magnetized train axles. The rails of traditional postwar “tubular” track, are steel. Steel has iron in it, which magnets stick to. But Fastrack, although it also uses steel, seems to have a thick coating of some kind, or maybe it’s another factor, at any rate, the magnetic attraction is much more subdued. So, basically, you’ll loose a lot of the benefit of the Magnetraction in your postwar locos. Heavy locomotives will do alright, but especially when pulling heavier cars, or cars with a lot of drag, there will probably be some significant wheel slipp.
If you want a track system that looks more realistic, but works with magnetraction, there’s always Lionel “Super O”, but you can’t buy it new, and also, the automatic switches designed for super O had design flaws that made them bad preformers for most people. At least, that’s what I’ve heard.
lastly, as people have been saying, YES, Fastrack is LOUD compared to the tubular stuff. The plastic roadbed really amplifies the sound, which can get rather annoying. Trust me, I know from experience. You can totally get used to it, but I wouldn’t recommend it, if you want to bring the best out of any vintage equipment.
"Unless bought from a known and trusted dealer who can vouch otherwise, assume every train for sale requires servicing before use"
If Magne-Traction doesn't work well with Fastrack here's the reason, and I'm quoting directly from the CTT special issue "Electric Trains A to Z."
"Magne-Traction functioned by having an Alnico magnet positioned between a locomotive's sintered-iron drive wheels (either within the axle or right above it). The magnetic flux was carried from the axle, through one of the drive wheels, down to the steel rails, across the steel ties to the other running rail, and back up through the wheel to the axle. The circuit of magnetic force helped a locomotive hug the rails."
So, without those steel crossties to complete the magnetic circuit the effectiveness of Magne-Traction is lessened, even if you're running on Fastrack's steel rails.
I run on MTH Realtrax which are nickle-silver and won't attract a magnet anyway, so even if some of my oldies have Magne-Traction it doesn't matter.
By the way, the only track I've used that seemed to have a coating was some Atlas 027 track I purchased for my trolley loop. Put the trolley on the track and nothing happened. "Oh great, NOW what?" I muttered. Then I guessed there must be some kind of rust-inhibitor coating on the track causing the problem. A few minutes work with some alcohol on a rag and no more problems, there WAS a coating on the track, I guessed right.
Firelock76 If Magne-Traction doesn't work well with Fastrack here's the reason, and I'm quoting directly from the CTT special issue "Electric Trains A to Z."... ...The magnetic flux was carried from the axle, through one of the drive wheels, down to the steel rails, across the steel ties to the other running rail, and back up through the wheel to the axle. The circuit of magnetic force helped a locomotive hug the rails."...
If Magne-Traction doesn't work well with Fastrack here's the reason, and I'm quoting directly from the CTT special issue "Electric Trains A to Z."...
...The magnetic flux was carried from the axle, through one of the drive wheels, down to the steel rails, across the steel ties to the other running rail, and back up through the wheel to the axle. The circuit of magnetic force helped a locomotive hug the rails."...
Don't believe everything you read.
Even Lionel's magnetic diagrams in the service literature does not show the "across the steel ties to the other running rail, and back up through the wheel to the axle".
The determinant of the magnetic tractive force is the amount of steel below the wheels & axles, not the "circuit". FasTrack has the steel tie bars, but the volume of steel in the rails and the tie bars is so much less than in "O", O-27, and even GarGraves(which has no steel cross ties) that the loss of traction would be noticeable.
Rob
Well gee, if I can't believe CTT who CAN I believe?
Next you'll be telling me there's no Santa Claus or Easter Bunny!
Firelock76Well gee, if I can't believe CTT who CAN I believe?
Even the Greenberg references have errors as well as intentional "ringers"(especially those involving Ambrose) with false information.
Bob Nelson(lionelsoni) is very quick to point out glaring errors or untruths when they appear in the publication.Follow the science, you can believe that.
Oh, I believe the science alright, however the explaination and the diagrams showed in that publication I quoted certainly looked plausible.
And as I said, it really doesn't matter to me anyway.
I suppose this Magna-Traction on Fastrack talk kind of gets back to the "is or isn't Fastrack stainless steel?" discussions we've had in the past. I do know the more chromium you add to the steel to give it stainless properties the more you lessen the attaction it's going to have to magnets.
Stainless or not, magnetic or not, what's it matter? I still have to go back to work Tuesday morning!
just tell your boss you’re too busy playing with the trains, to go to work today! That one always works, right?
Well I've been trying to spread the Gospel but it doesn't seem to be taking very well.
Make me appreciate the difficulties the Disciples had.
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