Fastrack

[Skywatcher416]

I am just starting a small layout 6' by 9' and will be using Lionel Fastrack and wanted to know if 072 curves will work on this size of layout. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks

[gunrunnerjohn]

I think something that size will be overpowered using 72" curves.  They won't even fit on the 6 foot side!

 

I think I'd be thinking more along the lines of the 36" or 48" curves for that size.

[lionelsoni]

Unlike traditional tubular track, which is described by the diameter to the outside ends of the ties, Fastrack is measured to the center rail.  Since 72 inches is 6 feet, the center of the curve would be exactly at the edge of the board and half the track would be hanging over the edge.

[rockn77]

I have a fastrack layout in my spare bedroom ...  the room is 11 x11 and I use nothing but 036... that way I was able to laydown three independent loops with room for a yard etc ... you could throw in some 048 but 036 will give you more options to lay addition loops.

[gunrunnerjohn]

The downside of O36 is you are somewhat limited as to the things you can run.  I've personally limited myself to smaller stuff for that reason.

 

[Skywatcher416]

Thanks for all the advice, sounds like I will need to avoid the 72 track. I have 36 curves and was hoping to run 2 trains one on a outside line and one on a inner line and thought if it would work 72 would give me more room to be able to do this.

[fifedog]

Don't give up on the O-72 too fast.  I too started with a 6x9 (L-shaped with O-42 return loops on 4 foot ends).  I used O-72 instead of straight pieces to help "push" the trackwork away from the layout edge,  This allowed me to incorporate a nice s-curve, thus "extending" my run, and adding interest.

I encourage you to use the O-60 and O-48 curves of Fastrack for your two train operation.

[gunrunnerjohn]

You can run two loops, just put a straight extension in the outside loop.  You can also consider Fastrack in O-48 and O-60 sizes, no reason you have to jump right to O-72.

[Boyd]

At each end where the track turns around 180 degrees,, you can lay down 1/4 of a circle of 72" curves, then right to a 1/4 of a circle of 60" curves. 1/2 of 72" is 36". 1/2 of 60" is 30". 36+30=66" center rail to center rail. To outside of edge of track I'm guessing it would end up being 70" across. 6' wide table is 72". The average person won't notice two different sizes of curves at each end of the layout.

[Joe Hohmann]

My layout is 5x8, and I use 36" and 48" FasTrack. I have the track close together at the rear of the layout, which allows space between the tracks up front for a station platform and milk can unloading platform between the tracks. The close-together tracks in the rear is good for a bridge, or tunnel opening.

[Skywatcher416]

Thanks to all for the help. I think I am going with 060 on the outer loop and 048 or 036 in the inner loop. 

[8ntruck]

[View:http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/themes/trc/utility/:550:0]Here are a couple of pictures of a 6' by 9' Christmas layout I did this year.  The curve on the elevated end of the layout uses two 90 degree sections of 48" curves with something like 18" of straight in between them.

60" curves would fit nicely into a 6' wide layout too.

[View:http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/themes/trc/utility/:550:0]

 

[View:http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/themes/trc/utility/:550:0]

 

And a couple of pictures of the layout under construction, before scenery.

[View:http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/themes/trc/utility/:550:0]

[View:http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/themes/trc/utility/:550:0]

Good luck.

 

[Buckeye Riveter]

I use O-42 curves.  When I started the layout, I found out that the majority of equipment I was interested in running could handle O-42. Take a look at the Lionel, MTH, Williams, Atlas and Weaver websites for locomotives you might like to have in the future and see what they recommend for the minimum curve.