Isolated Fastrack rails

[casconi]

I got the DZ-1240 to work by using a Lionel Accessory activator at each end. Flawless.

Chris

[cmrj]

Hi casconi,I Iooked at the wiring diagram. You can make make regular strait section's into isolated outer rail. By removeing the metal jumper plate under the plastic base. You will also need to remove the one rail pin and maybe file back the rail a little.You will only need to remove the rail pin on the first and last section. as for wire conection's the one outer rail has a mini spade conector or you can solder a wire on to the tab. Lionel also make's isolated outer rail section kit 6-12029 and extenstion 6-12027 . They also have the wiring harness 6-12053. Hope all work's well Mike

[casconi]

I need to make isolated rails for straight sections only. I want to make the 6-12060 product will work? Any more suggestions?

[Anonymous]

Jim, at times you need to make an isolated rail in a curved section or on a switch, where a 5" straight wouldn't fit. The process I described above takes longer to read than to actually do.
And to make longer isolated sections the jumpers between the two outside rails on any tracks in the block would need to be removed on any regular peice of track.

[Anonymous]

Or you could buy the 6-12060 isolated Fastrack 5" section... It might be easier than the above process?

-- JimV

[Anonymous]

You could cut the rail but it leaves an ugly gap and the cut ends can eventually flair up.

It looks better to remove the pins and place an insulator between the two track sections.
Flip the track over and pry up at least two pairs of tabs holding the rail to the roadbed. Pu***he tabs through the slots in the roadbed far enough to remove the pin. If you try to pry the rail from the roadbed it may bend so best to push it from underneath. Same goes if you pry up only the end set of tabs holding the rail to the roadbed; the rail will bend before you get it away from the roadbed enough to remove the pin. Place a small piece of clear plastic under the rail and pu***he rail back down and secure the tabs back, fold the plastic up flush with the rail and trim it to slightly bigger than the rail profile. It will now stay in place when another section is butted against it. If creating blocks just for the center rail that is all that’s needed. For outside rails there are metal jumpers connecting the outer rails together that need to be removed by prying up the tabs again, removing the jumper and securing the tabs back down.

If you want to cut it you should still pu***he rail up away from the roadbed to avoid marking the roadbed with the saw, as the rail is slightly embedded into the roadbed.

[casconi]

Is there a way to make isolated Fastrack rails?
I want to use a Z Stuff for Trains DZ-1240 which uses automatic start and stop of trains with e-units. (Amtrack Budd Car SSS for my layout). You can run point to point lines with the 1240. The directions call for isolated rails. A copy of the instructions can be foun here:
http://z-stuff.net/DZ-1240instr.htm