I recently purchased 12 Lionel Flyer Fastrack curve and 11 straight sections and am having trouble connecting sections together. Except for a pair of straight sections which I got to mate with some difficulty, the rest that I have tried so far (about half a dozen) will start to join when I fit the rail joiners but stop short when I try to join the sections beyond that. Consistently they get within 7/32" of each other (i.e. There is a persistent gap that size between the ends I am trying to join) and refuse to close any further. Apparently a small number of other folks have encountered this problem as well. Does anyone have a solution, short of my sending the entire batch back to the mail order retailer as defective? Thank you.
R20 Remote/Command switches now in stock. Took 3 years 8 months!
the fast track has been out for about 4 months now . as for the switches, don't hold your breath. at fall york they admitted there were some design problems. when askes about the cost, would not give a straight answer because they want it to be TMCC capitable. so expect the switches , if they do deliver to list from around 75-95 retail.
Nickolas Smith in Broomall PA has the straights and the curves and the terminal tracks. No uncoupler yet or operating track section yet also/
Major Who can afford such track? You definitely cannot build a medium to large layout with switches costing that much! Let's see if they will be produced, at their cost I doubt many will be pre ordered.
Who can afford such track? You definitely cannot build a medium to large layout with switches costing that much! Let's see if they will be produced, at their cost I doubt many will be pre ordered.
I have figured out what is wrong with my brain! On the left side nothing works right, and on the right side there is nothing left!
Lionel new website links not working.
I only wish that someone would make a switch in a configuration that is larger than the original Flyer switch. This is why I like American models track!
MTH shows switch out of stock.
A/F Fast Track switch in stock.
OT7 Charles Ro show. AF FT MANL SWITCH LH 20IN RAD and RH 20 in. radius in-stock.
Charles Ro show.
AF FT MANL SWITCH LH 20IN RAD and RH 20 in. radius in-stock.
Lionel shipping schedule , Nov 12 Fasttrack Switches.
According to Lionel they do not have release dates to produce track for any gauge or accessories for any gauge and that have no date when manufacturing will start again. I don't know what this means but it can't be good. One rumor I heard was that Wlliams had bought the plant Lionel uses to produce these but no one really know as a few months ago Lionel was talking bankruptcy again.
Can't stop working on the railroad!
Hi, yes the AF online catalog is not too user friendly when it comes to printing selections from it.
Copies are available however. I was at a train show last weekend and a vendor was selling them for $3.00. They are available on ebay for $3.00 but the shipping costs exceed the purchase price.
Good luck securing a copy.
Oh, by the way, if one was to buy one of everything in the catalog (counting the same engine with hi-rail or scale wheels as two separate items) your total cost would be nearly $24,500.00!
Mark
stebbycentral banjoflyer: Well, the current Lionel website makes no mention of the new turnouts at all. So maybe the manual turnouts will follow. AS info he current art copy from Charles Ro for the new turnout is an airbrushed image of a lionel 6-12017 036 manual turnout with the center rail removed. Also the current SHS retail price for a turnout is $55.00 and they are not available. Let's hope Lionel actually makes the product. The new Lionel catalogues went online today. http://www.lionel.com/Products/Catalogs/Catalog.cfm?CatalogID=78&CatalogUID=DDAE43C2-1016-347D-DC5ECF578C58070A&pageID=2075 The fasttrack switches are listed with an MSRP of $89.99. The $10 transition track is also shown, and as suspected it's merely a length of straight track modified to accept the classic AF track on one end.
banjoflyer: Well, the current Lionel website makes no mention of the new turnouts at all. So maybe the manual turnouts will follow. AS info he current art copy from Charles Ro for the new turnout is an airbrushed image of a lionel 6-12017 036 manual turnout with the center rail removed. Also the current SHS retail price for a turnout is $55.00 and they are not available. Let's hope Lionel actually makes the product.
Well, the current Lionel website makes no mention of the new turnouts at all. So maybe the manual turnouts will follow. AS info he current art copy from Charles Ro for the new turnout is an airbrushed image of a lionel 6-12017 036 manual turnout with the center rail removed.
The new Lionel catalogues went online today.
http://www.lionel.com/Products/Catalogs/Catalog.cfm?CatalogID=78&CatalogUID=DDAE43C2-1016-347D-DC5ECF578C58070A&pageID=2075
The fasttrack switches are listed with an MSRP of $89.99. The $10 transition track is also shown, and as suspected it's merely a length of straight track modified to accept the classic AF track on one end.
Just another wait and see from LIONEL. It is just like there catalog that you only can print half the pages. The pages that did print out, only half the images printed. I even did like there American Flyer catalog for 2012. I just wanted to print out a copy for future reference, when I will place an order. Another one step forward and two steps back for LIONEL. Maybe I can get them to send me a copy? I will wait and see!
“Tell me and I’ll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I’ll understand.”
AZ-Flyer@American Flyer Cabinet-top Layout (5'x16'): http://az-flyer.blogspot.com/
Talked to Lionel last week and they don't know when any products as far as S gauge Fast Track will be released and that most Fasr Track products are on hold with a tentative plan to release Fast Track switched in the middle of next month. The rep had nothing more to say on this subject.
Hello again, ..just a thought:
With the release of the stand alone American Flyer catalog for 2012 we see Lionel offering a transition track to make the connection between original tubular track and the new Fastrack...6-49858 ($9.99 retail).
S-Helper still offers a set of transition pins:
00393
(retail $4.95 / 12) which allowed a transition between original Flyer tubular track and S-Helper track.
Maybe all that's needed to transition between S-Helper and Fastrack is the set of S-Helper transition pins and 1 section of Fastrack transition track. I would guess one would still have to remove the connector clip on the S-Helper section but if that's all the surgery required it seems pretty easy to do.
Hey...just a thought.
banjoflyer Well, the current Lionel website makes no mention of the new turnouts at all. So maybe the manual turnouts will follow. AS info he current art copy from Charles Ro for the new turnout is an airbrushed image of a lionel 6-12017 036 manual turnout with the center rail removed. Also the current SHS retail price for a turnout is $55.00 and they are not available. Let's hope Lionel actually makes the product.
Stebbycentral - You did real good! Congrats!
Ray
Bayville, NJ
Life is what happens to youWhile you're busy making other plans - John Lennon
I went up to Lena, IL yesterday for the "Stove Top Gang"'s annual train show and swap-meet at the Lena schools complex. Still going today, if you are in the area of northern IL, southern WI, or eastern IA. The event seems to draw more Flyer collectors than any other in our area, possibly because there's an S-Scale club in nearby southern Wisconsin.
Why it's revelant to this thread is that I found a vendor with a supply of the new AF Fastrack. I got 10 peices of straight for $40. He was kind of confused about the part that I didn't require any curved or terminal sections. I have three more S-Trax transition sections gluing up on the workbench as I type. Then I have to get out the tiny paintbrushes, so my day is planned out.
But what really made the trip worth while was that I ran across a vendor with a starter set of S-Trax for the incredible price of $20! I don't really need more curved sections, but it means I paid $5 apiece for straight track. When a box of 6 sections of straight is currently going for $56 on eBay!
Anything about manual switches?
banjoflyer Hello again. I thought I would let you all know of an update. Charles Ro just sent an anouncement for AF Fastrack turnouts NEW for 2012. Lionel's website makes no mention as yet but a google search shows retail prices of about $90.00 each from various vendors. Ro is advertising them for about $62.00 each.
Hello again. I thought I would let you all know of an update.
Charles Ro just sent an anouncement for AF Fastrack turnouts NEW for 2012.
Lionel's website makes no mention as yet but a google search shows retail prices of about $90.00 each from various vendors.
Ro is advertising them for about $62.00 each.
OUCH! MSRP on S-Helper remote switches is under $55 ($45 for manual). And given that Lionel's strategy on their regular track sections was to under cut S-Trax prices, I'm surprised.
I don't know but in the catalog it shows the curve and straight at $4.79. Not bad, but I just paid from my LHS for new "old fashioned" straight track a lot less (less than $3.99) . I like the fastrack for alot of reasons but...... And I'm not sure but the curve track in the catalog had a radius larger than the standard original track so you would need to buy all new curve track and not just replace some. I brought in one piece to compare and it was a larger radius.
Anyone else?
Good news for flyer fans,
Just received an email from Charles Ro.
Flyer Fastrack remote switches announced. Also Lionel will discontinue the flyer tube track.
Galy
Also something referred to as a transition piece of track for $7.50 each. Not sure what it transitions with...old Flyer track??
Also the turnouts look odd...the straight leg looks to be about half the length of the curve leg which looks identical to a regular 20 inch radius curve section. Maybe the transition piece completes the straight leg? It looks like the turnout needs a half section to make replace a full 10 inch straight. Or maybe if both turnouts are on the same side of a long loop you could add one straight to the other side of the loop?....who knows yet.
Here's the info from Ro:
AF49856--AF FASTRACK REMOTE SWITCH-RIGHT
AF49857--AF FASTRACK REMOTE SWITCH-LEFT
AF49858--AF FASTRACK TRANSITION TRACK
The notice say Lionel will not make the old tubular Flyer track in 2012 (or probably ever again).
I'm glad it looks like Lionel is going to expand the Fastrack line...we need it.
Regards to all,
OT7 - Welcome to trains.com!
Darren (BLHS & CRRM Lifetime Member)
Delaware and Hudson Virtual Museum (DHVM), Railroad Adventures (RRAdventures)
My Blog
Code 137
What I did was mate a 5" section of S-Trax to a standard section of Lionel track to create a track piece 15" long, with S-Trax connectors on one end and Lionel on the other. The existing rail joiners do a very adequate job of holding the two sections together. But as I indicated, you can also glue the two sections together at the ends to get one solid piece.
I've looked at the stone ballast spray paint by Floquil. Again several of the shades are close, but not quite close enough. So far the best results I've had was mixing a few drops of Testor's ModelMaster acrylic "Olive Drab" (4728), into a bottle of "Light Grey" (4765).
OTOH, recently S-Trax straight sections havbe been going for 2 and 3 times MSRP when they do show up on eBay. I don't see paying that kind of $ when there is an acceptable alternative..
Hey...very nice job of joining the two sections together.
I haven't tried to do this as yet. I'm wondering if rail joiners such as those on HO track would be helpful in keeping rails aligned.
As to the paint issue many paint stores carry a line of "Stone Surface" finish spray paint. The paint is multi-colored similar to granite and is available in several hues. Perhaps painting only the outside sloped area of the ballast while masking the tie ends and rail areas would help to make a transition of color. Perhaps adding some multi-colored HO scale ballast material between the rails would finish it.
Again, nice job. I need to try this for myself.
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