Has anyone tried using flextrack with Kato turnouts. I am in N, but I believe the answer is good for all scales. I love the Kato turnouts but I don’t want the number of connections with sectional track.
Or would I be better off to use all Kato track and use alot of feeders?
Gary
Kato offers a small adapter track section to convert to flex track. I used to have one and, for the life of me, can’t remember how long it is.
You’d probably need to use the Unitrack to transition each end of the turnout, then add the adapter, and continue with flex track.
Kato has the BEST connectors in model railroading - both electrically and mechanically. While you’ll need to buy a few feeder tracks, one every twelve feet (minimum) will work fine. My Kato layout in my previous house was up for twelve years, zero electrical problems. In fact for me, I would put it the other way around - the turnouts are the weakness.
The Unitrack to sectional/flex adapter track is a straight 2-7/16" long. My original plan was to use Unitrack for the mains, and using the adapteer tracks to switch to Peco code 55 for the sidings. The more I played with the Unitrack, the happier am with it’s quality, and somewhere along the line I decided to simplify and go total Unitrack.
For those who use KATO HO unitrack, you can use Atlas flex track and just remove the unijoiner and connect with a code 83 transition joiner which are made by Atlas.
I will probably go with all unitrack. We looked at a house earlier today that my wife really likes. The layout will have to be u-shaped, 5ft x 10ft x 4.5ft, maybe with penisulas.
Gary
A WISE decision.
THE ADVANTAGE of ‘Unitrack’ over other brands is their avoidance of passing current through the friction fit Rail Joiners.
Rail Joiners provide ‘iffy’ contacts with age. Substituting other brands of ‘plug together’ sectional track in my opinion would be unwise. All this to save a buck?
Most recommendations for flextrack include adding a buss wire and feeders to each piece for reliability. Unitrack has those built in.