LionelLionel FasTrack Electric Inner Loop Pressure Gauge

Good price, fast shipping and works well

Cost-effective way to add some flexibility to your train track layout expansion, especially when this is on sale. Includes 2 manually operated Fastrack turnouts (switches) and 2 pieces of curved Fastrack. Can be used to make the inner passing loop (as depicted on the box) or as parts for a different, expanding layout (use your imagination). Recommended but expensive when at regular price. I bought it on sale on Amazon.

I am a hobbyist that love trains. I like the HO and O gauge sets but, especially Lionel due to the size and detail of the sets. I have own my set now for 15 years, I keep it in the original packaging to help maintain it during storage. Every year around the holidays, I set it up, and run it periodically until the new year or when it's time to take down the lights. Every year, I look for new configurations to add to my existing set; and I have never been disappointed with the Fastrack product. Obviously, these track extensions are not cheap but, you get what you pay for. Just happy to find this particular configuration for just under a $100. Been hesitant before but, could not pass up this deal!!! All train hobbyist would understand what I am talking about. It's just something to remind me of my childhood and the fact that trains were key to the industrial revolution here and abroad.

The "Lionel FasTrack Electric O Gauge, Inner Passing Loop" pack is just two switches and two curve track sections. The "Outer Passing Loop" pack is the same thing but includes five straight track sections, so watch the prices of both (they fluctuate a lot!) and buy the one that is the best deal at the time.This review is focused on the switches since the curves are just curves …not much to assess there.The switches include a separate 1/4 curve section that can be removed to add flexibility to your layout. That's a great feature.These are manual switches, so you'll need to manually twist the control lever to set the direction the train will go. The good thing about the levers is that you can mount them on either side of the track to accommodate easy access. The down side is that they are flimsy plastic sticking up from the roadbed and could easily break off. Not a durable toy design and particularly vulnerable when the tracks are disassembled for storage.As for functionality, the switches hold pretty well and I haven't seen a real problem with detailing, as some have reported, but it has happened.You don't have a lot of choices if you want switches for your FasTrack set. You could buy the expensive remote switches to avoid the problem with the fragile levers and those would certainly add to the cool factor, but they are pricey.

This is exactly what my husband needed to sit up his railroad layout. It worked great and price was great.