Lionel's FastTrack sectional system has formed sheet metal rails attached to a gray plastic roadway with simulated wood ties.

The plastic base naturally insulates rails, including outside rails.

Track sections are assembled using the hefty metal pins in each rail. The arrangement of rail pins allows track sections to be assembled with curves in either direction, so there is no need to remove the pins.

"Isolating" rail pins are not available; rail-to-rail isolation is accomplished by a break in a rail.

Conventional track sections have a metal strip "bridge" that interconnects the outside rails. Each track section has two locations for attaching a 6-12053 Accessory Power Wire. Wire connections can be made to the center-rail and either, or both, outside-rails.

An isolated outside-rail track block is constructed with Lionel FastTrack by using accessory track sections or by modifying conventional track sections.

The 6-12029 "Accessory Activator Pack" has two five-inch track sections that have a break in one outside rail. A special ten-inch track section has the outside rails insulated from each other (no metal strip bridge) and a wiring harness connected to the center rail and one outside rail.

The arrangement of rail pins allows the outside-rail break to be positioned for either outside-rail.

Nominal use has a five-inch track section on each end of the special ten-inch track section. It must be assembled with the "cut" rail aligned with the outside rail of the ten-inch track section that has the wire attached.

Related Lionel track products include: 6-12027 "Accessory Activator Extender," 6-12016 "Terminal Section," and 6-12053 "Accessory Power Wire."

The "Accessory Activator Extender" is a ten-inch track section that doesn't have the metal strip bridge that interconnects the outside rails. Thus, the outside rails are isolated from each other. Longer isolated outside-rail track blocks are constructed by adding any number of "Accessory Activator Extender" tracks between the two five-inch isolating track sections.

Conventional track sections can be used between the two five-inch isolating track sections by removing the metal strip bridge that interconnects the outside rails. Thus, an isolated track block can be of any length and can contain straight and curved track sections. The "Accessory Power Wire" can be used to provide electrical connections to the track.

A series of adjacent isolated outside-rail track blocks can be assembled with only one of the five-inch "rail-break" track sections between each separate block.

Using the five-inch "rail-break" track sections can be inconvenient. Any conventional track section can be provided with a "rail-break" by cutting the rail. This technique is also used to provide breaks in the center-rail for controlling train power or for block control and automatic layout operation.

First, the best area for a rail break must be determined. The example at right shows a rail held to the roadbed with four sets of folded tabs. A rail break between the middle two tabs will still allow each rail section to be held with two tabs. A rail should not be cut right over a power connection.

Either outside, center, or both rails can be cut. First locate the best place for the cut, then mark the top side of the rails. A rotary tool is used to make the cut.

Remove any burrs and clean off metal particles. Check with a continuity tester or ohm meter to make sure the cut completely severed the rail and that no burrs are bridging the gap.

If the open gap is undesired, it can be filled with hot melt glue or sealer.

Wire connections can be made to the cut track section or to any track section within the established rail block.

Removing the outside rail bridges from conventional track sections yields a supply of metal bridges that can be used to make wire connections to center or outside rails.

Cut the bridge in half, or a little less, and punch a hole in the cut end. Solder a wire to the cut end. Best solder the wire before installing the bridge to avoid melting the plastic roadbed.

Lift the tabs for the rail and install the bridge wire connection. Secure the tabs, making sure the bridge doesn't wiggle. The bridge should not touch the tabs for another rail.

Lionel FastTrack isolated outside-rail track blocks can be interfaced to Three-Rail Innovations' controllers by connecting both "Accessory Power Wires" to the terminals of a controller input pair. The controller will be activated when a train is in the isolated outside-rail block and center-rail power is on. Activating a controller input with center-rail power simplifies implementation and is useful for operating trackside accessories

An outside-rail transformer can also be used so the controller is activated when a train is in the outside-rail track block, whether center-rail power is on or not. An isolated outside-rail transformer should be used for all controller inputs used for multiple train operation "Automatic Train Exchange" (ATX), block control "Train Block Controller" (TBC), or for train control features using the "Two Relay Controller" (2RC).

Now you are ready to use isolated outside-rail track blocks to operate trackside accessories. Click the bar to see how.