Working on designs to improve my O Gauge layout. Right now i've got some post war engine, cars and accessories with some early modern era engines and cars that runs around on O tubular track. With the redesign thinking about making the upgrade to Fast Track and what i need to know is can atleast most the post war Lionel stuff work on Fast Track and can Lionel O27 trains run on it also or other makers like Marx for that matter? I've heard of a few stories where operators have said the clearance wasn't there didn't know if they were older trains or new trains from different makers they were having problems with. I don't know what's in store for the layout in the future and want the setup to be as versital as possible to run as much of the spectrum of O Gauge as possible. Till recently i figured i'd stick with what i already had and only do a minor redesign on the layout since i was looking to build a HO layout on the other side of the basement. After seeing the room and money i was going to need to make a good layout decided on doubling the size of my O layout instead for now. Can O27 stuff run on O track and can Marx run on a setup made for Lionel even if not at the same time?
Any "O"/"O27" trains will run on any "O" track. It's the curve size (O27, O31, O36, etc) that may limit some of the larger engines/cars. I've run prewar and even British Hornby on FasTrack.
I'll tag along on this thread with a very similar question. I too run mostly postwar (ie- often with Magna-Traction), along with a little prewar (larger flanges).
For my next layout, I'm wondering what alternatives I can consider to my current 031 tubular? I'm considering alternatives mainly because 031's high profile is rather unrealistic. As indicated above, it must be magnetic, and it should handle pre war larger wheel flanges, but ideally, would be somewhat lower profile, for greater realism. Perhaps these are mutually exclusive criteria, I don't know.
I've tried gargraves, but their switches are unfriendly to pre-war. Ross switches may work, but I don't know it they are magnetic. Fastrack may work, but is it magnetic? and I keep hearing that it is expensive;also I prefer track I can cut and fit at will. Beyond these, I don't know of any other viable choices, other than 'new' Lionel 027 track in it's various radii; and I don't know if that will accommodate pre-war wheel flanges.
Everyone's knowledgable feedback much appreciated.
runtime
Have Fastrack and love it. Couple of things: It will run anything, provided the items have appropriate radius for the track radius. Some pieces will state "042", which would allow you to run on anything 042 or larger, but would not allow you to run on 036 (which is the smallest for Fastrack). Regarding prewar, some of the older locomotives have gears that go all the way to the end of the flanges. They will have problems on newer turnouts (Switches). I have one Marx locomotive like this and so have a separate loop of Fastrack that has no turnouts.
Dennis
TCA#09-63805
If I was already set up with 031 and had more 031 to expand... I would stick with it.
Thanks for the info, Fast Track should work then one of the biggest problems i'd have is finding sidings for the track with the old stuff. Right now i'm using 2 No042 manual switches which on the new layout won't work unless they are along the edge of the table and i don't want to have to hunt over Ebay for the next 2 years to get what i need to finish the layout. As far as the Marx go haven't read much on them but are the transformers compatable with the other brands? I wouldn't run Lionel's or MTH trains on them but was thinking about for Lionel and other accessories?
Regarding transformers, not really an issue as to name brand. A couple of things are at issue: First, is it safe? Is the power cord intact? Second, is it AC, or DC? I figure the Marx is probably AC, but I am not positive. You should know what you are sending to the trains, and what the trains require. Also, is there enough power output for the trains, lights, etc. from the transformer. You can use a modern transformer for your older equipment. In many cases, you may find it easier to get a starter set that has modern power and track and build from there. Or, even if you go that route, you may find you need more power pretty quick. You can pick up some nice transformers for under $200. I refurbished KW has 190 watts and should handle most small to medium size layouts.
Marx is AC, but they tend to be small, lower in voltage than even American Flyer, and without circuit breaker.
However, there are exceptions:
http://cgi.ebay.com/MARX-1KVA-transformer_W0QQitemZ200387609852QQcmdZViewItemQQptZBI_Electrical_Equipment_Tools?hash=item2ea80844fc
Bob Nelson
Before I got in to Lionel, I used to collect pre-war Marx tinplate. It was a mix of AC and DC. I found this out the hard way when I burned out the motor in one of my streamliner sets... took me a while to find the correct replacement. Regarding the fastrack.. I have a whole bunch of it. great for quick set up and breakdown for portable use... but its really expensive to work with. I have stuck with the big tubular stuff, leaves more options in my opinion... I have 031, 042, 054, 072 all on the same layout.. its proving to be an interesting journey.
Right now i'm think 5 steps ahead here and researching for the future so i know what i can use with what i have or come across when out hunting. Definatly wouldn't mix the brands each would have their own loops and power supplies but i saw collectors that have Lionel setups but use Marx and Lionel accessories and just curious how they're powering those accessories mostly. Power wise right now i have a TW for the layout. Checked the prices between tubular and Fast Track true Fast Track is more expensive which i figured it was but when you get to the stuff like the switches the price difference isn't as much as i though. Don't remember where i saw it but read O36 was all Fast Track came in (might of been an older article) but with O36,48,60,72,& 84 feel better about the choices for the layout as far as turn go. I don't know if they changed it but each piece can still be made a terminal piece correct?
I just looked at the bottom of some of my fastrack, and each one does indeed have terminals on the bottom... Not sure how you would isolate them though....
Ok good had to ask i saw parts of Fast Track for sale that had that done already so had to find out if it was a convenience or they changed them again since the video i saw that used Fast Track. More wanted to know so i can plan how how to get an even current around the track. isolate is easy depending on what you want to isolate it for you use a dremal and put a small gap between the neg or positive rail or you can buy section already isolated.
You can pull pins on Fast Track, just undo the little tabs that hold the track section in place and lift up the track. The pin is a separate piece that comes out very easily. Also take out the little piece that connects the two outside rails. There you go, an insulated section. Good write up on that in the Jan 2010 issue of O-Gauge Railroading - step-by-step. Also, if you go with Fast Track, check out Anyrail at http://www.anyrail.com/index_en.html, this is a cheap layout design program that's easy to use and has a good Fast Track library. Don't use it if you're going with any other O gauge track though. Go to Mouser Electronics and get a pack of the little terminal connectors (517-1604-A) that fit the tabs on Fast Track. Fast Track is the easiest stuff in the world to work with, but noisy and not realistic looking to me. I like it for carpet floor layouts and the Christmas layout. If you put it on a board, put a minimum 1" Styrofoam insulation (blue or pink) under it to deaden the sound. Keep 'em rollin!
I have used Fastrac for a small loop and was very dis-appointed with it, so I sold it at a train show in Delray Beach FL. Fastrac is very expensive when you try to custom fit something together, also Fastrac switches are almost twice the price I can buy Ross Custom switches in Miami FL. Fastrac 036 curves will run over half the stuff that can be run on 042 O gauge curves. Just like regular 031 track Fastrac needs aditional power feeds.
Gargraves track has several sizes of curves, 031 to 0110, and can mate up to Ross switches with just regular Gargraves track pins. Gargraves mates up to 027 track very well with just adapter pins. One thing about Gargraves track and that is all rails are seperated from each other electrically! The other thing about Gargraves switches is that some of their switches(072 Gargraves) don't allow the center rail power to go to either output side of the switch.
Lee F.
Since the site was down the last few days had time to go back and watch some of the older toy train shows i taped off TV over the last year. One minor thing i liked about the modern switches i wasn't seeing in the pics of the Fast Track switches and just figured they were older Fast Track switches till i rewatched some of the tapes. The switches i liked were MTH Real Track switches. Like i said a minor thing only all these years i've had the two No 042 switches and always liked the red\green lanturn's. Checked the price on Real Track and it costs a little less any quirks to working with Real Track over Fast Track? I know Real Track uses Lock On but don't know what the bottom of a piece of Real Track looks like wondering of i could still soder the wires under the track instead of all the Lock On's?
The older Realtax by MTH was not worth a hoot!!! When I say older I mean 2009 and older. Track connections were horrible(sometimes had to really force two tracks together) & sometimes wouldn't connect electrically and the switches fell apart as soon as you opened the box.
Even on other forums people are complaining about MTH's Realtrax.
The new Realtrax(2010) has yet to be proven in my opion!!
My personal choice is tubular track similar to the original 031 & 042 style by Lionel. However I hate the new Lionel switches in O gauge, they are totally worthless pieces of junk.
Don't know about Fastrac switches except they are too pricey for me.
I would hve to agree.. I have not used anything but original Lionel stuff so far.. Most of the track i have used for my layout is older Lionel NY. Some of the stuff is new (054 and 042) flimsy at best. I recently bought and installed a new 072 switch, and so far so good. As I understand it, I got lucky. A friend of mine recently built a whole layout, using all new track and 072 switches. Several sections of track had dead shorts, and all of the switches had problems. Mostly excess flash, causing derailments. One of them had the rivets installed so tightly it was causing the switch to bind. Makes me glad all of the other switches I used are old 042 manual switches.. (I even have a spare set)
This is a real disapointment given the prices of these switches and tracks...
So what's the physical difference between the 09 and the 10 versions?
If you want to go with a molded trackbed system, Fast track is probably the better of the two. Realtrax has not earned a good reputation. I don't know anything about Atlas Industrial Rail but that's another starter set molded trackbed system. My local dealer is a big Atlas 21st Century supplier and he handles Fast track primarily with some MTH for molded trackbed track. That's a big clue for me that he doesn't carry the Atlas Industrial Rail. Maybe it would be good to bite the bullet and look at Atlas 21st Century. I like it because it is still a "piece together" system although it offers a flex track section, and it offers curves from 027 all the way up to over 100"
A major reason why most people don't use Atlas track is because they probally think of H.O. track instead of O gauge track. Atlas was a big player in the H.O. field for years and within the last 15 years got into O gauge.
So far I have not heard of any negative reports about Atlas track. The only time I heard of any negative report was when somebody mixed Atlas with another brand, had to adjust the rail height.
Molded track bed isn't part of the descision for me. I'm looking for something easy to work with that atleast looks like real tracks but is reliable, and has a good selection of track piece. I've got tubular right now but most of mine is 50-60 years old and if i'm going to redo the layout to something fun instead of functional i'll have to look to get alot more prob have to replace what i have. Right now i've got two 042 switches my layout is only 4'x8' and there's a switch on each side of the table. Even on that size table they're a pain to use since they're manual switches and i want to expand the layout to atleast a 8'x8' or even a 8'x10' . The one thing i like about MTH is the switches are alot like the 042's with the lanterns. To me that's the only thing i don't care for with the Fast Track. Unless Lionel made switches simular to the 042's for Fast Track in previous year but aren't making now that i don't know about.
Fox14120The switches i liked were MTH Real Track switches. Like i said a minor thing only all these years i've had the two No 042 switches and always liked the red\green lanturn's. Checked the price on Real Track and it costs a little less any quirks to working with Real Track over Fast Track? I know Real Track uses Lock On but don't know what the bottom of a piece of Real Track looks like wondering of i could still soder the wires under the track instead of all the Lock On's?
Before you fall in love with RealTrax Switches read this:
Buckeye Riveter Chief....I hope you are paying attention because you need to see how I solved my problem with the MTH O-72 Realtrax Switches. Oh!! What's that? You say the Chief is off goofing off fishing at the lake? Anyway, here goes. A little history about the MTH Realtrax Switch Problem: The Chief and I installed a bunch of MTH Realtrax Switches on our layout. I have 12 MTH Switches and the Chief has a few more. When I started my layout, Fastrack by Lionel had not been born. About half way through the building of the second phase of my layout, I started to notice that the newer track did not fit as well as the old. The Chief was seeing the same thing as he connected his Realtrax. (Incidentally, someone in the last month provided a history about the manufacturing changes of Realtrax....THANK YOU!) The Chief and I really became upset when the new O-72 Realtrax Switches started not to work. The Chief had switches that the switch motors were DOA. I opened a box of a supposedly new switch and discovered it had been reconditioned. Then I started seeing derailments at two brand new O-72 switches. Two out of my six O-72s would derail certain types of locomotives including BEEPS, Post-war, and Williams. After watching a small new Lionel Steamer ride over the frog and derail, I said something has to be wrong with that switch and not the engine. Here is the MTH O-72 switch that was derailing random locomotives. Look at the gap between the back of the wheel flange and the guard rail. The car is an MTH tank car. Needless to say when I measured the gap between the guard rail and the main rail on an O-72 switch, it was the same as on the O-42 switches by MTH. Logic says that on a straight section of track, the gap between the guard rail and the main rail would be the smallest. On sharper turns, the gap should be the widest. To check to see if the gap width between the guard rail and the main rail was too large and causing the opposite wheel to ride over the frog, I put three (3) layers of 7 mil electrical tape on the guard rail, as shown below: The tape effectively, reduced the space between the guard rail and the main rail. After several hours of running various types of locomotives and rolling stock through the switch at different speeds, not one derailment occurred. I sent the locmotives through the switch in reverse, too, with loads and without loads. BINGO!! After a trip to the LHS, where I purchased .020 x .188 styrene strips, I added one to the face of the guard rail as shown below. After several hours of hard running, not one locomotive on the Baltimore, Ohio and Wabash Railroad has had any problems negotiating this switch. Now you know, Chiefie!!!
Chief....I hope you are paying attention because you need to see how I solved my problem with the MTH O-72 Realtrax Switches. Oh!! What's that? You say the Chief is off goofing off fishing at the lake? Anyway, here goes.
A little history about the MTH Realtrax Switch Problem:
The Chief and I installed a bunch of MTH Realtrax Switches on our layout. I have 12 MTH Switches and the Chief has a few more. When I started my layout, Fastrack by Lionel had not been born. About half way through the building of the second phase of my layout, I started to notice that the newer track did not fit as well as the old. The Chief was seeing the same thing as he connected his Realtrax. (Incidentally, someone in the last month provided a history about the manufacturing changes of Realtrax....THANK YOU!)
The Chief and I really became upset when the new O-72 Realtrax Switches started not to work. The Chief had switches that the switch motors were DOA. I opened a box of a supposedly new switch and discovered it had been reconditioned. Then I started seeing derailments at two brand new O-72 switches. Two out of my six O-72s would derail certain types of locomotives including BEEPS, Post-war, and Williams. After watching a small new Lionel Steamer ride over the frog and derail, I said something has to be wrong with that switch and not the engine.
Here is the MTH O-72 switch that was derailing random locomotives. Look at the gap between the back of the wheel flange and the guard rail. The car is an MTH tank car.
Needless to say when I measured the gap between the guard rail and the main rail on an O-72 switch, it was the same as on the O-42 switches by MTH. Logic says that on a straight section of track, the gap between the guard rail and the main rail would be the smallest. On sharper turns, the gap should be the widest.
To check to see if the gap width between the guard rail and the main rail was too large and causing the opposite wheel to ride over the frog, I put three (3) layers of 7 mil electrical tape on the guard rail, as shown below:
I would not recommend MTH RealTrax. If you do a search of this forum, you will find discussions and comments for the last six years about the problems the Chief and many others have had with RealTrax.
Celebrating 18 years on the CTT Forum.
Buckeye Riveter......... OTTS Charter Member, a Roseyville Raider and a member of the CTT Forum since 2004..
Jelloway Creek, OH - ELV 1,100 - Home of the Baltimore, Ohio & Wabash RR
TCA 09-64284
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.
Get the Classic Toy Trains newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month