Fastrack or Atlas

[jmpmap]

Recently moving and dismantleing my old Trainmaster Command layout, I am now in the rebuilding stage. Most of the support structure is completed. My last layout was built using Lionel and K-line O-guage track with the minimum radius of 054, but mostly 072. Until last week, I had planned to use Atlas on the new layout until I saw how nice Fastrack looks. It appears to be built well, but I am concerned about how well the track will support my heavy, large locomotives. I doubt that too many of you have tried this given the larger radius track is not yet available. Is the track structurally sound for heavy duty use?
Has anyone tested large engines? How have the 036 turnouts performed?
I am two weeks from laying track, so I hope the 072 Curve Fastrack ships soon.
I will add switches later. I can attach some pictures of the old layout if someone will tell me how.

[ChiefEagles]

do [img] then the pasted properties and end with a / and img in brackets. If I try to do it exactly like it is done, it will try to show picture.

[FJ and G]

If you don't care about realism, Fasttrack might be fine. It looks kinda neat and probably is cheaper than Atlas. It can support large locomotives but Atlas has a better track selection.

[willpick]

One thing that you should know about Fastrack is that it is noisy due to the hollow plastic roadbed. It's to my ear noisier than tubular track. The Atlas track on a sound isolating sub roadbed(such as Viynlbed or Woodlad scenics roadbed) is very quiet even at 50 SMPH.
As to price, it's about the same when you buy in bulk with the discounts available, and Atlas has so much more available right now. IF you have Magnatraction engines, then you might favor the Fastrack, becuase it's steel(and tubular). The Atlas comes in nickel silver and steel, but the steel selection is limited.

[spankybird]

Hi

First I would like to welcome you to the CTT forum. Hope you will continue to post many more times here.



Here is a thread on posting pictures on the forum

http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=13916

If you need more help, just ask and we will try to help

There has been a lot of posting on fastrack. Most people have complained on the noise level of it.

If you go to the top red bar, on the right hand side is a search function. Click on the advance button.

If you search for fastrack and Classic Toy Trains Form, Toy train operating and collecting, it will provide you with a list of all the threads. You will have a lot of good reading





tom

[Anonymous]

Regarding Fastrack, The Rock was planning to redo his layout with it until he heard the noise. It is just too loud to deal with. He'll stick with the O27 tubular until Lionel addresses the problem. However, it does look a lot better than the MTH Realtrax.[;)]

[4kitties]

I like the look of FasTrack, but I believe Atlas track is much more versatile. I don't know how one would cut FasTrack if it could be done at all. My track plan, while not real complicated, couldn't exist without custom-cut pieces of flex track. They let me do things like change my track spacing from Atlas' standard of 4 1/2" to slightly narrower, to accomodate the MTH double-track truss bridge.

I won't belabor the point because it's already been discussed at length, but I have a loop of FasTrack for my Christmas layout and I will say that the noise would be a problem for me on a permanent layout.

[jmpmap]

Let's give it a try.
This is my old layout that ran from 1995 until July 2003.

[jmpmap]

Hey it worked. Thanks.
Marc

[spankybird]

Hi Mark,

Glad that you were able to post your pics. If you click on it, it will get larger. Depending on how you crop and edit it and which host you use will determine how large it gets.

This is my small layout.



You can click on the web icon below to see my web page.

tom

[Anonymous]

Tom,
Nice pic! There's nothing better than a traditional toy train layout![:)]

[Big_Boy_4005]

It has been a while since we have talked about Fastrack now. I have gathered all of the different topics, and provided the links in a single place. I call this is the "Encyclopedia of Fastrack", everything we know about the product so far. There are even some pictures along the way, but mostly very interesting reading, including some fairly strong opinoins, and some important discoveries and observations.

http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=12436
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=11387
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=11805
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=11722
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=11743
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=11600
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=12044
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=12253

I think that we have learned a lot from our discussions here and perhaps it time to move on to other things. Here are a few final thoughts:

QUOTE: By Amtrak Jack
According to Lionel's "Inside Track" the official publication of the Lionel Railroader club, Winter 2003 issue, page 3 and continued on page 10, in an article entitled, "Lionel: State of the company," William L. Bracy states:

QUOTE: "The reception to FasTrack was the big surprise for us, as we had believed our new track system with built-in ballast was best employed by new model railroaders, who may build their first loop around the Christmas tree on a carpet in the family room. Little did we know how powerful would be the reaction from experienced Lionel operators, who immediately saw the potential for FasTrack on existing benchwork, especially once the different diameter curves and remote switches become available in the first half of 2004. Now everyone is up in arms to have us deliver all 40 FasTrack products ASAP, so they can customize their existing layouts with the latest track system from Lionel." END QUOTE.

---

Well gang, I think that might have been an accurate statement when it was made, but I sense that the tide may have turned somewhat. It will be interesting to see the outcome of Lionel's Fastrack adventure, as I know that all of the discussion here has managed to change at least a couple of opinions. We need to remember that many more people than we are aware of, read what we write, and that some of them may also have noticed what was said here about this product.

It was never my goal, and most likely not anyone else's, to try to stop people from buying Fastrack. This was an effort to truly understand and evaluate the product in a way that is not simply a rubber stamp of approval. The goal was to educate potential consumers to several issues that we as serious hobbiests noticed about this new product line.

If Lionel is as committed to this product as they say, I feel that they have some engineering and design issues that need attention before I would recommend this product to anyone.

P.S. I miss my friend Amtrak Jack, and wish he would come back.

[Anonymous]

Fastrack is easy to set up and requires no addtional dressing up. If your the kind of guy who likes to rebuild his layout every few months or years you may want to consider Fastrack. BTW, I have run my Century Club 773 Hudson and Lionmaster Class A just fine on Fastrack.

[ben10ben]

I have run an engine weighing in at around 10 lbs. on Fastrack, and it had no problems whatsoever. I don't have anything heavier than this, so can't comment.

[Big_Boy_4005]

The two major problems with Fastrack which Atlas and even MTH Realtrax don't have are: Sound problems, and difficulty with insulating the rails, especially the center.

Because of the way the track is constructed, there is no way to stop the echo of the hollow rails. The roadbed is not the source of the noise.

The problem of insulating the rails requires the modification of the track. It can be done, but if you are creating a large complicated layout it hardly seems worth the trouble, when NO OTHER TRACK SYSTEM has this problem.

[wallyworld]

I have regretted not having gone to Atlas instead of Realtrax. I looked at Fastrack, aside from pin connectors versus clips- not much substantial difference from Realtrax unless your'e into counting ties per section. Atlas has great flexibility in configuring layouts with little or no compromise involved.

[Big_Boy_4005]

Well Wally, it sounds like you may have fallen victim to my biggest pet peeves of integral roadbed track systems. LACK OF FLEXIBILITY. For beginners in the hobby it isn't a big deal, but as we want to build more complex layouts, this monster rears it's ugly head.

Then what??? Swith systems??Oh my aching wallet.

By the way, if you really study the Realtrax and the Fastrack, you will find that the Realtrax is the lesser of two evils.[}:)][banghead][%-)][:P][;)]

[willpick]

Well, Wallyworld, just to give you and all the other Realtrax users a heads up: MTH has cataloged an O72 wye switch, as well as O72/O54 curved(left& right), and O42/O31 curved left/right switches in the new 2004 vol 2 book. gives you a little more versatility[;)]

[eZAK]

Forget 'em both and go with Gargraves! [:)]

[jmpmap]

Well, I guess I have my answer. I will probably go with Atlas. I already have a lot of it, and as of this weekend, I will be ready to lay track. Since Lionel has not shipped the 072 Fastrack curves yet, I am not going to wait. thanks for all of the comments.

[insfil]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jmpmap

Recently moving and dismantleing my old Trainmaster Command layout, I am now in the rebuilding stage. Most of the support structure is completed. My last layout was built using Lionel and K-line O-guage track with the minimum radius of 054, but mostly 072. Until last week, I had planned to use Atlas on the new layout until I saw how nice Fastrack looks. It appears to be built well, but I am concerned about how well the track will support my heavy, large locomotives. I doubt that too many of you have tried this given the larger radius track is not yet available. Is the track structurally sound for heavy duty use?
Has anyone tested large engines? How have the 036 turnouts performed?
I am two weeks from laying track, so I hope the 072 Curve Fastrack ships soon.
I will add switches later. I can attach some pictures of the old layout if someone will tell me how.

[insfil]

Hi JMPMAP, I will be laying track for my basement layout very shortly, after months of research and comparisons I've settled on Atlas. The availability, the
overall construction, the great look the track has, the various articles in CTT about the Atlas system convinced me in was the right track to go with. Yeah, it
may be pricey, or not , depending on the quantity, but to me, looks and quality
are important. Good luck.

[Big_Boy_4005]

Good choice guys, I'm glad you found our discussion helpful.[swg]

[jmpmap]

I had already invested about $400 into Atlas when I saw the Fastrack. At least I will not have to put the track up on ebay. Only a case of Fastrack straights.

[jmpmap]

One final word if anyone is still reading on this topic. I now have the Atlas Trackwork almost complete. I layed the track on Midwest Cork roadbed. It is so much quieter than my previous layout of Lionel O track on rubber roadbed. I used the spare box of fastrack to put on the shelfs for display. On a test run, the fastrack is much noisier, but not any noisier than my old layout. Thanks for all of the input.