Compare the advantages and disadvantages of tubular track and fastrack.

[magicman710]

I know this topic has been talked about alot, but I'm planning on building a 10 ft. x 25 ft. layout soon and would like some pro's and con's on both track systems. Please do not suggest any  track from other companies like gargraves, mth, and atlas o. Please just suggest either types of lionel track.

[Anonymous]

I would suggest tubular track.  It is cheaper, and I think that postwar trains just don't look right on anything else (no offense intended towards anyone, just my opinion).

[Anonymous]

Here ya go...

http://www.purkeystoytrains.com/trackguide.html

This is the site for a LHS.  They compare all the different track systems, I know you only asked for Lionel track, but this is a good overall comparison.

[Frank53]

First and foremost, the true answer can be found in your sig line, however:

Tubular Track (the most venerable and time proven of all track systems) Advantages:

1. Tubular track was made in the USA, which should be enough;
2. In independent laboratory analysis, tubular track has been proven to have superior conductivity when compared to cheap Asian imported plastic track systems;
3. Tubular track has tradition and character;
4. Tubular track is more visually appealing;
5. The visual appeal of tubular track can be greatly enhanced with ballast for an even more realistic appearance;
6. In constuction, tubular track is more "forgiving", meaning you can cheat it a bit when you are trying to make a track configuration that isn't exactly a perfeact fit;
7. Expense - Tubular track is so much less expensive than fast track, it is practically criminal - using tubular track is practically being given a license to steal
8. Abundence - there is so much tubular track out there you can build a layout from here to Pluto and back and still have some left over for industrail siding;
9. Noise - running on tubular track is nearly silent, particularly when compared to the echo chamber which is fasttrack;
10. Choices of radii - tubular track has a broader range of size choices, and is considerably easier to modify to your needs;
11. Tubular track is what O-Gauge trains were made to be run on, not plastic;
12. Health and safety - The FDA has confimed users of tubular track are less likely to suffer from the heartbreak of psoriasis when compared to fasttrack users;
13. Real men (such as Chuck and myself, for example) use tubular track and extract the pins with their teeth;

Tubular Track disadvantages:

1. None

Fasttrack Disadvantages:

1. fasttrack is made in Asian sweatshops where children are sold into slavery and workers must subsist on a single grain of rice per day;
2. In independent laboratory analysis, fasttrack has been proven to have inferior conductivity when compared to tubular track (the most venerable and time proven of all track systems);
3. fasttrack casuses global warming;
4. Fasttrack looks cheap and chintzy;
5. Fasttrack is un ballastedable, as teh design has a poor excuse for real railroad ballast molded into teh base;
6. In constuction, fasttrack is "unforgiving", requiring an absolutely perfect fit or no go. Model railroaders the world over have lost fingers and entire limbs trying to modify fasttrack to their layout ideas;
7. Expense - Fasttrack is so expensive you will have to sell your house, cars and kids to pay for a layout of any magnitude - $4.00 for a straight section??? Hah!
8. lack of availability - Fasttrack is in such short supply that you have to wait years to get it and pay through the nose for it
9. Noise - Fasttrack is louder than two cats doing the horizontal mombo under my back porch;
10. Choices of radii - Fastrack is limited to almost zero choices;
11. Fasttrack is teh anti-Christ of model railroading;
12. Health and safety - Users of fasttrack are more prone to suffer from the heartbreak of psoriasis. In addition, they get gas a lot;
13. Real men (such as Chuck and myself, for example) wouldn't touch a section of fasttrack without immediately heading for a decontamination station; Girly men - such as Apitz, for example, embrace fasttrack and paint their trains pink;

FastTrack Advantages:

1. None

So there you have it, an unbiased, scientifically documented comparison of the two systems.

 

[Dave Farquhar]

I really liked Fastrack around my Christmas tree because it holds together well on carpet and keeps carpet junk out of the trains and train junk out of the carpet.

But I use O27-profile tubular on my layout because it looks more traditional and it's much less expensive. I added ties to it. I don't think it makes it look much more realistic but it gives it a more finished appearance while still looking like toy train track.

Fastrack is louder than tubular but I wouldn't call tubular silent. It's quietER, but my wife still finds the noise objectionable if I'm not careful.

You can easily insulate one of the rails on tubular track to control accessories and such. So it's much easier to do a lot of the wiring magic with tubular.

As far as assembly, both systems have a pronounced strength over the other. Fastrack goes together very easily. When tubular goes together really easily, it usually means the track joints are too loose and you won't get very good conductivity. But tubular lets you cheat a lot more. I've drawn up plans on the computer that mathematically should have been a good quarter inch or even more off, and yet in the real world, with tubular, it went together fine. So tubular gives you a lot more margin for error.

And if you have to cut a track section to length, you can cut tubular track in a matter of minutes. It's possible to cut custom lengths of Fastrack, but it's a lot more difficult and it's probably going to end up looking like a hack job.

I don't know of any independent lab analysis that proves either Fastrack or tubular conducts electricity better. The rails are made of the same material so they should have similar properties. If you get one questionable track section with either system, you'll have conductivity issues. I've seen that with both.

Over the short term, Fastrack holds together nicely. I can hang my circle of Fastrack on the wall for 10 months out of the year if I want and it'll hold together just fine until November when I need it again. I am concerned about it over the long term. When I was a kid, plastics got harder and more brittle with time. We have better plastics today, but will my Fastrack assemble and disassemble just fine in 20 years? I don't know. I do know as long as I keep my tubular track away from moisture, it'll hold up just fine. Tubular track was invented by Marklin in the 1890s, so we've had more than 110 years to observe its behavior over time.

Both systems have their uses. The main reason I went with tubular was because some of the locomotives I run restrict me to using Marx switches, which are only compatible with O27 tubular track. But even without that restriction, I would have still gone with tubular because of the cost factor, and because I want a traditional-looking layout.

[wrmcclellan]

I originally liked both, but my layout uses tubular and I do not plan on changing it.

But with Frank's completely scientific and unbiased analysis....I remain tubular....

[otftch]

Hey,I knew you guys were knowledgable but all this scientific stuff sure impresses me.I like tubular because it is cheaper.I know that isn't scidentific but there you have it.

                                                                            Ed

[Anonymous]

Since your tagline reads "Postwar all the way," I'm not sure why you're even considering FasTrack (which I think is a fine track system).  If you're going ALL postwar, go ALL postwar.

[spankybird]

I have tube track because my layout was built before others were made, except for GG.

If you add the extra ties, it doesn't look all that bad.

and it sure is alot less noise than fastrack.

[magicman710]

Great scientific analysis! I think i'll stick with 027, it is cheap, plentiful, and with 042 remote switches being just around $30, I'll stay away from the fastrack 036 remote switches that are $50+! Another reason, as Frank wrote, is in my signature. I love postwar, since it was made IN THE USA, and because most of my postwar accessories look better on tube track. But I must ask something about O guage track. By O gauge I mean Lionel "O" gauge track, the kind with tall rails and black steel ties. I read that 027 is a cheap, low quality track that was included in the lowest price sets during the postwar era, and that O is a high quality track included in the high priced sets. But really and truly, 027 is a lot more realistic that O. O gauge has rails as tall as the wheels, which is NOT realistic. Why do so many people use O track if it unrealistic in rail height?

[magicman710]

I'm not all postwar, it's just I think postwar lionel is better.

[Anonymous]

Not going to suggest any other brand.....and won't mention a brand.....

When I was looking at track, I looked at both Fastrack, tubular and others (can't mention them)   What turned me off of Fastrack was the look with the built in balast.  It wasn't my desire to see balasted track hanging in mid-air when doing any elevated track sections.  I did lean really hard towards tubular...but wanted something a little more realistic.  If I only could choose between the two I would go with tubular with extra ties.

 

Jerry

[Blueberryhill RR]

I think Frank53 said it all.  There is no finer track in the world, than tubular track. Get some....and let the good times roll !!!

Chuck

[rtraincollector]

If all I had to choose from was fast track and old tubular track it would be the old tubular hands down. I was thinking of going gargraves but with this coloum talking about tubular quieter than fast track it has me wonder should I reconcider tubular myself. I know what I can do with tubular. I'm going to have to make a lot of ties thou but wondering with the extra ties does it interfer with a 143c trip? (I sold boxes and boxes of tubular track like a dummy lol) I still have a few pieces. The main plus I can see is that the switches are cheaper and you can always cut a piece instead of going to your local hobby shop to get another 6 - 10 dollar piece.

[rtraincollector]

okay heres another thought this is for a reverse loop 072 in fast track I don't have the cost for tubular but bet its not even 1/2 as much This was in another question here in the forum thanks for the person who posted it sorry didn't catch the name or would post it also to give him the credit for figureing it out.

 

Here is the part list for the O72 Reverse loop but it's not obvious how to do it unless you look at the picture above.

Item list for Fastrack 072 Reverse Loop.rrt

NUMBER DESCRIPTION PRICE TOTAL
(11) FasTrack O72 22.5° curve 12041 4.99 54.89
(4) FasTrack 30 in straight 12042 9.99 39.96
(1) FasTrack O72 remote switch right 12049 69.99 69.99
(3) FasTrack 1.375 inch fitter 0.00 0.00
(1) FasTrack 5 in straight 12024 2.99 2.99
(1) FasTrack 10 in straight 12014 3.49 3.49
(3) FasTrack 1.75 in straight 12026 2.99 8.97
(4) FasTrack 4.5 in straight 12025 2.99 11.96
Total of 28 items costing 192.25

Grand total of 28 items costing 192.25

Have fun!!!! 

[pbjwilson]

 

Like, gag me with a spoon.

Oh my God!

Fastrak, groady to the max.

I am sooo TUBULAR!

[Anonymous]

i have tubular and i like it...i mean the gargraves looks really cool but i like the 027 best

[magicman710]

I dont think i will add ties, but just add ballast to cover up the metal ties, wich to me looks better than adding ties and makes the track look like its been there a long time(which I like).

[EIS2]

To me, it is much more enjoyable to run my trains on FasTrack compared to tubular if you have turnouts.  The FasTrack turnouts are far superior to any of the tubular track turnouts.  I have no concerns for derailments or shorts (except for one Lionel 2-8-0 engine) transversing FasTrack turnouts.  I have had lots of derailments and electrical arcing on tubular track turnouts.

I would rather enjoy running my trains and not be concerned with derailments.

Earl

 

[magicman710]

I think I have made up my mind to go with 027 track, but thanks for the imput Earl, I do have 2 036 remote fastrack switchs and some fastrack that I got in a set a few years back, and my trains runs so smooth through them. But I think I'll go with 027 so I'll have some money left when I get through with my layout.

I think I'll keep this post open so people can argue about fastrack and tubular!

[Rolo Tomasee]

I just recently have gotten into trains and I purchased a new set that came with FasTrack. I have no experience with tubular but I really like the FasTrack. Like Earl said the trains run smoothly and I have yet had a derailment. I have 4 remote switches on my layout and they work flawlessly. I have seen photos on the weekend photo section of Fastrack on a layout that was airbrushed and ballasted on the edges to get rid of the straight edges on the track and it looked spectacular. I have homosote over plywood with green indoor outdoor carpet on my layout and I do not think the sound from the train on the FasTrack is really loud at all. For me I like the looks of the FasTrack and the ease of putting it together along with the reliabilty.

[Frank53]

I forgot to mention that long term exposure to FasTrack gives you koodies. 

[Anonymous]

I forgot to mention that long term exposure to FasTrack gives you koodies. 

 

 

 

well i can say that tubular is way cheap...i just picked up 151 pieces off ebay for 50 shipped....that includes 6 remote switches and 2 bridges ...i think i will always use this track...i may add tiles but i really like the tubular

[magicman710]

I was going to go "O" gauge track, but I'm going to go with 027 track. One reason, its over a dollar cheaper, and it comes with a uncoupling track section, so i dont have to pay an extra $30 on a operating track section.

[Blueberryhill RR]

I forgot to mention that long term exposure to FasTrack gives you koodies. 

 

[Anonymous]

you can find good deals on ebay for track...just a thought

[dwiemer]

Magicman710, I agree in that O27 has a nice profile in comparison to Standard O.  My layout is roughly the same length width as yours.  I do have a section that is 3 levels, but overall, it is a reasonable layout.  Having said that, I used Fastrack for it and am pleased.  It does have some issues regarding noise, but that can be somewhat negated with careful planning.  The tight tolerances also can be negated by careful planning or just sitting down with some pieces and working it out.  For my layout, it cost me around $2500 in track alone.  I am sure I could have done this for about 1/5th the cost using O27. 

I also live in Georgia, where abouts are you?  We have a few of us scattered throughout the state.  Good hobby shops are hard to come by down here.

Dennis

[csxt30]

I forgot to mention that long term exposure to FasTrack gives you koodies. 

 

I heard that too !! Then you have to get the Bugaboo out !!

[wrmcclellan]

Good heavens gang - most of you are old enough to know it is "cooties" and yes it is a major risk

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooties

 

[magicman710]

How's it goin Dennis! Good to see somebody from the (in my opinion) the heart of dixie! I live In a suburb about 10 miles south of Savannah. And, to stay on topic, hobby shops are hard to find! There is one in Savannah, called Bull Street Station, and its a HO scale person's dream, with hundreds of ho scale parts, cars, and locomotives, but only lionel TRACK. No accessories, engines, or cars. There was one in statesboro, a hobbytown usa, but it closed a few months ago. I order all my lionel on the internet, and I believe the biggest lionel dealer thats closest to me is some place in Augusta. See yall later!!!

Born in Georgia, and love CSX!