Put up an oval of FasTrak around the tree last night

[Dave Farquhar]

Tony, yes, I can't remember if it's the left-hand switch or right-hand switch they've released, but it's only one. The one they did release was very recent so it may not even be in stores yet.

[cnw1995]

Tony, that sounds just great. I started last year with the Ballyhoo train around a loop of 027 track and then it just growed...

[Anonymous]

I believe they sell insulated track sections. And you can always put a cutoff wheel on your Dremel tool & cut a gap in the outside rail. You'd have to cur 2 gaps on 1 section or 1 gap on 2 sections to fully isolate the trigger area, though. That's better than having to use or insulate a bunch of sections if you need something longer than one track section to be insulated.

I'm not sure what you mean by "lack of ohe half of a pair of electric switches." I thought all of the switches released to date have been manual. Did they release only one remote operated switch??

Tony

[Dave Farquhar]

It seems ideal for those kinds of layouts. It goes together pretty quickly and tightly so you know you've got good electrical continuity, and the integrated roadbed keeps dirt off the carpet and carpet out of the trains. I'm not sure how you'd do insulated track sections to trip accessories and such, and the lack of one half of a pair of electric switches is a problem. And then there's the cost.

But for a loop of track around a Christmas tree, or a loop of track to stash under a couch or bed and then get out to play with, it's great.

[Anonymous]

I stopped at my local hobby shop on the way home last night & picked up $72 worth of FasTrak: 1 terminal section, 2 boxes with 4 36" curve sections in each, and 2 boxes with 4 full straight sections in each. A bit pricey, I thought.

I got them home & sat down on the floor at the base of the tree after dinner. The stuff went together pretty quick. The oval has 3 straigthts, 2 curves, a straight, & 2 more curves, then repeats. Pretty much fills the area under the tree that I could use. It's not much buy Luke is happy!

We took down Luke's Ballyhoo Bros. Circus set, my BW-80 transformer, and a couple of cars from my dad's old Post War set. We got everything on the track & the power hooked up. I'd say it took less than an hour.

This stuff seems to hold together very well & it look all right. Not the most realistic stuff in the world, but not bad. The little Hudson has no trouble going around it & the sections show no signs of separating.

First thing this morning, after he got dressed, Luke went & turned on the trains & started running them. This looks like the start of a new family tradition!

Tony