After happily recording audio only for years on Guitar Tracks Pro3, I decided it was time to branch out into VST instruments and midi.  So I picked up a copy of X1, and immediately abandoned it in favor of a simpler DAW.  The new Skylight interface really threw me for a loop.
Now, for reasons I won't bore you with, I am back with X1.  But I am fairly new to VSTI' s and X1, and have a couple  of questions.
After inserting a vst instrument, if I decide that I don't want keep the track, I can't seem to find a way to delete the track.
Also. in the other simpler DAW I mentioned, it was easy to switch instruments on the same track to audition different sounds. In X1 it seems once I have committed to an instrument I am married to it on that particular track. Is this because I am using "insert soft synth" instead of creating a midi track? 
 
Also, if there is a way to switch instruments on a track, will the midi data be preserved so that I can audition different instrument sounds playing the same part?  I am confident there must be a way to do this, but I am missing something. But as I said, I am new to the midi world.
 
Thanks for any insights.
 
Tom

It's not that you are using "Insert Soft Synth" that's the problem. it's the options chosen when you do so.
Don't select "Simple Instrument". This does indeed marry the MIDI to the synth.
Instead, select:
MIDI Source Track
First Synth Audio Output
Synth Properties Page
This will create all of the necessary tracks, but will also allow you to change the output of the MIDI track to another synth if you want to.
The MIDI track just contains raw data that can be sent to any soft synth.
The Synth Audio Output is necessary to get sound from the synth, and is the equivalent of your audio tracks from GTP3.
The Synth Properties Page is the synth GUI.
Deleting a track is easy, if you know where and what to click.
I would very much encourage you to spend some time with the help files.
A lot of what you know from GTP3 will carry over, but it may look different.
Of course, GTP3 didn't support VST instruments, so that will be new.
You may want to get this video:
http://www.store.cakewalk.com/b2cus/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=30-G3X11.00-20E
Well worth $20 to save you a lot of grief and help you get your legs under you.
 
 

I believe you can right-click a synth in the rack and click replace synth, which will leave the midi track alone when switching sounds.  

The "Replace Synth" feature was introduced with X1 Producer Expanded. The feature was not available in all versions of X1.

I should have mentioned I am running X1 Essential.  Thanks to all for the replies!

Just to add, to delete a track right click in the track header and one if the options is "delete track". To delete clips in a track select them and right click. Select "Edit" in that menu and one of the options is delete. I think just selecting the clip and hitting the delete key works as well.

Might I suggest you work through the help tutorials for using soft-synths? Hopefully they'll make things clearer.