![\"fast-traxx-wm.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2013\/06\/fast-traxx-wm.jpg\")
\nBy Susan E. Campbell<\/p>\n
\nBy Susan E. Campbell<\/p>\n
All aboard for good food and fun at the
\nnew Fast Trax Restaurant, 885 Route 67 in
\nBallston Spa.<\/p>\n
Not to be confused with big box fast
\nfood, Fast Trax is a railroad-themed eating
\nplace that the whole family can enjoy. The
\nrestaurant is housed in a stand-alone building
\nwith plenty of parking and right in front
\nof the highly trafficked Curtis Lumber Co.<\/p>\n
“It’s a cute location and near a train
\ntrack,” said Kelly Napes, who co-owns Fast
\nTrax with her husband Richie and majority
\nowner Jeff Knox. “We sound a train whistle
\nwhen a train goes by and give the kids a free
\ncookie or Kettle Corn.”<\/p>\n
Jay Curtis, president of Curtis Lumber, contacted Mapes himself when Christa’s eatery moved out and the location came available for rent. As Mapes said, “He really liked our food” off the food truck that has been appearing at events like the Saratoga County Fair, Pet-A-Palooza and local food festivals.<\/p>\n
“There’s something for everybody on our menu,” said Napes, from grilled burgers, chicken sliders, the Train Rustler slider with bacon, cheese and barbeque sauce and the 12-inch Rail Dog to a veggie burger, salads and some Santa Fe inspired items like quesadillas.<\/p>\n
Now that Fast Trax has a food service on the ground as well as on wheels, Mapes said the partners are going to test out their concept and various menu ideas before heading to their next destination on Freeman’s Bridge Road in Glenville.<\/p>\n
“We hope to have a real train car and a drive-thru next to the Glenville airway (Schenectady County Airport) by January or February of 2014,” Mapes said.<\/p>\n
Enter the restaurant and customers are greeted not only by Max the Wiener Dog dressed up as a conductor, but also by a hundred adages and quotes of encouragement on the walls.<\/p>\n
“The heart of our mission is to help people be positive, go for their dreams,” said Mapes.<\/p>\n
Because the Ballston Spa High School Robotics Team mission matched so well with the restaurant owners’ “you can do it” attitude, Fast Trax teamed up with the students that designed and built a robot in six weeks and went on to win first place in the 2013 regional robotics competition.<\/p>\n
To help raise funds for the team and others, Mapes goes to the Ballston Spa school parking lot and pops kettle corn that the kids sell. Students can keep 30 percent of the proceeds for their causes.<\/p>\n
“Max’s Kettle Corn and cotton candy are easy to make and sell, and we can give back to the community,” Mapes said.<\/p>\n
As a platinum sponsor of the robotics team, Fast Trax Restaurant continues to give support as the team travels to Missouri for international competition.<\/p>\n
“We supply free kettle corn for every event and will throw a big dinner for the team and parents,” she said.<\/p>\n
Both the robot and Max the Wiener Dog were at the Fast Trax Restaurant’s grand opening. All proceeds that day go to help finance the robotics team’s travel and materials costs.<\/p>\n
“Our desire is to transfer our positivity to every person visiting us and to make this world a better place one meal at a time,” she said.<\/p>\n
Fast Trax is open 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For more information and a look at the full menu, log on to www.fasttraxrestaurant.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Susan E. Campbell All aboard for good food and fun at the new Fast Trax Restaurant, 885 Route 67 in Ballston Spa. Not to be confused with big box fast food, Fast Trax is a railroad-themed eating place that…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121,"featured_media":14127,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[110],"yoast_head":"\r\n