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Fastrack In A Tight Space

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  • Member since
    April 2024
  • 3 posts
Fastrack In A Tight Space
Posted by Whitestone Clearview on Thursday, April 4, 2024 5:35 PM

Hello out there.  I need some help.  I'd like to st up a Fastrack

layout in a space that is maximum 33 iches wide by 62 inches long.

Which Fastrack part numbers do I need for the two far end curves?

(The sides would be standard straights.)

Thanks!

 

 

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,728 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Friday, April 5, 2024 9:20 AM

Welcome aboard!

For a 33" maximum you'll need 031 Fastrack curves.

https://www.lionel.com/products/fastrack-o31-curved-track-6-37103/

That's as tight as Lionel makes it.  The only problem you might have is Fastrack has a wide base so it might  overhang the  edge of the layout board. 

Good luck!

  • Member since
    December 2005
  • From: Hopewell, NY
  • 3,230 posts
Posted by ADCX Rob on Friday, April 5, 2024 2:38 PM

Whitestone Clearview
maximum 33 iches wide by 62 inches long.

Well, the smallest Loop of FasTrack available, 15.5" center rail radius O31, will take up 34.75"(call it 35) with the roadbed, so that would make your proposed set-up impossible.

Flintlock76
...it might overhang the edge

It certainly will!

Rob

  • Member since
    April 2024
  • 3 posts
Posted by Whitestone Clearview on Saturday, April 6, 2024 8:06 AM

Thank you very much for your advice.  I have to give up on the Fastrack idea.

But I just tried laying out the old original postwar Lionel

track, and it fits.  Not as cool as Fastrack, but should work.  I plan to

run a Scout set, which is on the small side, so hopefully it will work.

Will clean up the old track, and hope for the best.  Thanks!

Joe

 

 

  • Member since
    April 2024
  • 3 posts
Posted by Whitestone Clearview on Saturday, April 6, 2024 8:10 AM

Thanks for your advise!   Looks like Fastrack would be too wide for the

tight space.   But it looks like the old original Lionel track would fit.

Will clean up the old track and see if the old, short, Scout set likes it.

Thanks, again.   Joe

 

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,728 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Monday, April 8, 2024 5:26 PM

You're welcome!  And a Scotchbrite pad should do the job for cleaning the old track.  Your Scout should have no problems running on it.

  • Member since
    August 2009
  • 116 posts
Posted by POTRZBE on Tuesday, April 9, 2024 1:32 PM

Scotch-Brite makes an industrial strength pad. Use that, followed by mineral spirits, followed by no ox. I had to remove and clean half of my layout when I had a rust problem 2 years ago.

  • Member since
    March 2007
  • From: Rhododendron, OR
  • 1,516 posts
Posted by challenger3980 on Saturday, June 1, 2024 8:35 PM

A little late to this party, but something else to think about, if you like the look of Fastrak better than tubular, maybe consider Atlas O track. It doesn't have the built in roadbed, but it does have the more scale sized and spaced ties, as well as more scale appearing rails.

 Is available in 027 curves, so would fit within your dimensions and not have the tie ends right on the edges of the table 

 

 

Doug

May your flanges always stay BETWEEN the rails

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