# LIONEL AMERICAN FLYER FASTRACK



## BrokeCurmudgeon (Feb 8, 2016)

Over a year ago I bought a bunch of new LIONEL AMERICAN FLYER FASTRACK to use in my living room when I didn't want to go to my garage layout to test and run trains. For the first time today, I tried to put an oval together. I can't say that I am impressed. They don't go together easily. In fact, I gave up on one section. I suppose that they would be fine once assembled in a permanent layout but not too good just to set up and take down on the floor as I use to do with my old Gilbert tracks.
Has anyone had any experience using this track? Thanks!


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

I have some FasTrack but never built a layout using it. The nice things about it are it comes in two radius choices, same with the turnouts. Virtually any accessory track or any size piece needed is available and there are adapter sections for Gilbert track. The downsides are it is expensive, it can be noisy and may be hard to quickly assemble. Once completely assembled it should work well.
For most of my floor layouts on carpet I used SHS/MTH. The positives are it is the best looking, it comes in three radius choices, is fairly quiet and it is easy to quickly assemble. The down sides are, again, cost, only 20"R turnouts are available and there are not enough accessory and odd sized track pieces available.
When building on carpet as opposed to a hard floor the tendency of the track to "walk" across the carpet is an important consideration. By far the worst is Gilbert track with rubber roadbed. My carpet layout would walk almost an inch per day, very annoying. The SHS layout would only walk about an inch per month on the same carpet. Hard surfaces are a non issue, some 2 sided tape will hold it in place.


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## Guest (Aug 1, 2019)

Fred, I have O gauge Fastrack, not S, but I think it's pretty much the same except for the middle rail. I found new Fastrack very difficult to assemble until i discovered this technique. The pins are a very tight fit in the rails. I found that inserting one pin at a time and them pulling them apart for the two outside rails was much easier than trying to just push the sections together. It opened the rail just enough that the pieces were much easier to assemble. The track sections lock together securely and don't come apart. Nothing holds the track down on my layout. The track sections don't move and don't come apart.


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## Chuck7612 (Jul 2, 2017)

I use it every Christmas for my under the tree layout. Yes, it is harder to snap together than track with no plastic roadbed, but I don't find it to be a problem.


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## BrokeCurmudgeon (Feb 8, 2016)

Thanks all for the suggestions and encouragement. I attempted to make my oval but again gave up. It may be easier on a table but, to me, very difficult on the floor. So, I am going to sell it all and stay with the tried and true Gilbert American Flyer track.hwell:


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