Recently, David McConnell reported about a potential problem with Lionel O FasTrack library in SCARM, related to O31 turnouts with part numbers 6-81251, 6-81252, 6-81253 and 6-81254.
The issue comes from the length of the straight leg. In the Lionel website and in all Lionel catalogs, including the last “Track & Power 2016-2017″ edition, these turnouts are described as 10″ in length.
And these tracks are represented in the SCARM library in the same way – they are exactly 10″ in length.
However, the real Lionel O31 turnouts seems to be a little bit longer – 11 3/8″. That was measured by David and is also written on the product box.
I am still not sure what is going on there. It can be a new item with the same part number and a different length than before or it can be a wrong batch with turnouts (note that the box is labeled for both O31 and O36 turnouts in both left and right versions), so I will try to check that with Lionel representatives.
Any help from the SCARM users and model train fans using Lionel O FasTrack items is also welcome. If you have real O31 FT turnouts, please, measure the length of the straight leg and post a note in the comments area below. Mention also the part number, the box labeling and if it is a newly purchased item, or old part.
Thanks to David about the information and pictures of these turnouts. I am really sorry if some of you have a track plan in SCARM, that includes these turnouts and if they does not match when assembled.
Update
Mystery solved. The mistake comes from the catalogs and the Lionel website and that was confirmed by Lionel representative. The actual length of O31 switches is 11 3/8″, so these tracks will be updated in the next version of the program. If you cannot wait, just left-click over the link “Lionel-O-FT.scpem” below and install the updated Lionel O Fastrack library on your PC. Please note, that you must have SCARM v. 0.9.34 already installed, otherwise the update will not work.
Updated library
Lionel-O-FT.scpem
I have no personal experience with FasTrack but I was interested in this subject. The O31 switches are a later addition to the FasTrack line. I would guess that Lionel did not include the short removable straight section (which O36 switches have) as an economy measure, and the issue was confused by inadequate documentation.
The short sections with the Lionel FasTrack switches are 1/4 curves to make up the length on the diverging route. There are no straight short sections with the switches. The O-36 switches still have a 10″ straight section shown on the box (and as measured), but the 2017 Ready-To-Run catalog (page 109) is showing the straights as 11 3/8″ on the O-36 switches.
Yep. Seems like this is another (new) mistake in the new catalog. O-36 turnouts are 10″ in length and that was verified.