Hello all - Need expert advice regarding track set on my 8 x 4 table. Rekindled interest in HO railroading during quarantine. Made a table and got a track set and expanded with my sons. When I used to be invloved with it, always used ATLAS tracks. Wound up buying new product or least one that was not around when I was a young adult? child - Kato. Seems flimsy and doesnt work well with many road names. Switches break easy. Am I correct or just using improperly. What track products would work better or are they all similar these days? Can someone please advise. Thank you.
[#welcome]
First as a newbee your first few post are moderated and delayed.
Second your post leaves a lot of reading between the lines.
Go into some detail of your problems.
I’m not an expert on Kato track but there are a lot of members that are.
Most model railroaders use flex track not sectional or track sets.
Mel
My Model Railroad
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/
Bakersfield, California
I’m beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
Good quality track is mainly flex track these days. Atlas also makes good sectional track and they also make a trainset looking type with moulded plastic ballast installed, True track? I have no experience with that but it does come apart if you later wish to install more realistic looking ballast. It uses the snap track sectional product installed loose on top of plastic ballast.
The other quality makers don’t make sectional track for HO. Peco does but not in my market.
If you’re set on using Code 100 then sectional track is a bit limited in maximum radius curves available in that 22" is the largest. Of course 22" radius is intended for a 4x8 layout. Atlas makes 24" radius in Code 83. Atlas Code 83 also has more realistic turnouts available.
We’ve used Atlas flex and sectional track Code 83. I can recommend that if you think you may get serious about actual modelling. We also used Peco Streamline Code 83 flex track. Peco makes very nice turnouts and they should be for the price. Peco only makes sectional track in Code 100 and I have not seen that in my town.
Walthers is now making flex track and so is Micro engineering. I’m starting to build a second layout using those two brands. I prefer the look of both to the Atlas and Peco products. I really like the look of ME turnouts but I have not run trains over them yet. I bought Code 70 although ME also makes some nice Code 83.
All four makers build pretty nice track especially in Code 83 which I recommend if you think you might get serious about scenery and operations. You’ll enjoy the look of Code 83 and it works almost as well as Code 100 in terms of reliable running.
[#welcome] I can offer some advice based on experience, expert… not really.
Kato Unitrack is a top-quality product in both HO and N scales. The N scale product has many more pieces in the product line.
For my past few layouts, and my next one, I have used Kato Unitrack for all hidden trackage. I also use HO scale unitrack to test run and verify operation of all my models.
Did you buy this used? I have never heard of anyone having trouble with Kato Unitrack other than the joiners becoming loose, and these are easily changed.
Also, I have a couple dozen turnouts, all #6 HO scale, and never had one problem.
Please give us some more detail.
-Kevin
Sounds like he is trying to use two different track systems. Which doesn’t work well as the different manufacturers systems don’t mate well. And by that I mean the connects for the ballast pieces. The track itself when removed from the ballast base will mate fine. The ballast bases don’t mate at all. Not sure what is means by doesn’t work with all road names though. Can you clarify. kato has en extensive system of components
shane
Thanks for the reply Keven. No - i bought all new. Switches seems to get stuck. Also power pack that KATO offers does not seem to power up properly higher end engines.
Thanks Mel - Sorry if post is not clear. Not sure how to do a layout with flex track. Can you lead me in right direction please as to where I find out how to build flex track layout on a 4 by 8. Thank you
Thank you for the reply Shane. My more expensive engines not being powered well or at all. I’m guessing power pack doesn’t provide enough output on the large 4 x 8 track set? I have had more then one brand new switch track w kato stick - meaning doesn’t flip easily. Someone esle posted Kato good quality so perhaps my error? Not certain. Just wondering if less issues with flex track as others have suggested. Just need someone to point me in right direction re how to find out how to build such a set on 4 x 8. Thank you Stephen S
I’ve never heard of Unitrack not connecting securely. If you can share more information on what you are trying to do, folks may be able to help. If you are trying to mix track brands, that may be a challenge with any “click-track” style track.
I use Kato HO Unitrack, and don’t see where you’re getting the idea of “flimsy”.
It seems quite strong to me – getting the sections apart (once connected) can be a job, because the joiners do the job so well.
What “broke” on the switches? Which switches were you using (#4 powered, or the #4 or #6 manual switches)? Are you throwing them manually or using power?
Stephen.
let’s start here. You are in the right place to get started in the right direction. Every year model railroader does a project layout geared for beginners. And this years should be published very soon. In the site archives you can find all the previous beginner project layouts going back many years. They use kato track system a lot too. Well worth looking through and reading them. There are also many separate articles for beginners on various topics. You are in the right place to find the info you need.
Flex track Requires a few steps that might be a little confusing right. So i would say stick with the kato track until you have the hang of of working with track in general. So switch tracks (Actually called turnouts) usually a sticking turnout is the result of being nailed down to hard or glued down in such a way that it does not sit even. That goes for any turnout not just kato. Binds the mechanism. I don’t recommend securing turnouts at all so they can float and avoid that binding. none of the six manufactured turnouts out I have are secured down.
As for the engines Could be just dirty wheels. If they are older locos. If they are new, they most likely have electronics on board and possibly sound All which draw a higher current demand than a basic older power pack can provide so let’s start with a few questions and any other information you can provide about them
questions
did you glue or nail down the turnouts?
what power pack are you using?
how old ar eyour engines?
shane
Thank you Shane for the detailed response. I did not glue the turnouts. It seems when flipped with manuel mechanism, doesnt actually flip, I have to move the actual metal on the track if that maakes sense.
WIth respect to engine, they are new. I am using standard Kato powerpack, newer one - SX ithink. I did get booster wire which did help with subway i purchased. Yes, youre right - the ones with trouble are w sound and such. I dont think w kato i can get anything else re poer pack, right? I purchaed a steam enigine that suppose to blow smoke. The engine just won’t go. had it work sporadacilly - most of time it doesnt, even with 16V booster wire. Any ideas here? by turnout itself sometime wheels roll, so defintely juice there somewhere.
Also at turnouts, often large coaches especially fork the wrong way resulting in derailment. The layout i have is “Lets DCC w amtrack” 22 inch curves. Is that part of issue? I appeciaciate the adivise and assistance - thank you
Steve
Thanks Kevin - if you had dozen turnouts and no problems, must be me then - for some reason some of mine stick - cant figure out why
both manuel and powered. Just wont move sometimes when i throw switch and i actually have to move metal inside the track. I had manual with track set i purchased - called “let’s DCC w Amtrak” and converted manual that came with it to powered. Does not flip and trains go in same direction even on working tracks when i auto flip. Could i have installed improperly?
Hi Steve,
I think the confusion that everyone is having is about what track you are using, what you are using to control the trains and which locomotives you are trying to run on the track.
I looked up the contents of the Kato track set you have and it is Kato Unitrack track pieces that are included in the set. Most people have had little trouble using the Unitrack pieces because fo the quality of product and that they snap together quite nicely. Have you had problems snapping the pieces together?
The other item that I noticed with that set, is that it comes with a DC controller. . Are the locomotive that you are running DC only or do they have decoders in them to run with DCC. A diagram on Kato’s site shows the Kato controller connected to a Digitrax DC51 command station through the jump port to run DCC.
If your engines have decoders, it could be possible that the DC controller does not have enough juice to start the locomotives. Can you give us details of the locomotives that you are running? Brand and model would be helpful.
The answers to these questions will help everyone give you the best advice.
Thanks,
Scott Sonntag
Steve,
at the top of this website is a tab “Get Started” Click on that tab to get lots of basic information that you will find helpful. The forum members will also provide great help.
Steve,
I keep forgetting about the “get started” tab That billwiz mentions. But what I was referring to about the beginners info is there.
the derailment of the Amtrak coaches is called picking the switch. Happens to all of us occasionally. Even the prototypes. It’s just one of those things. Your specific reason though is almost certainly related to the problem you are having with the turnouts not working.
let me start here. Are they wired to be powered or are you using them in manual mode?
if manual mode then the linkage might have come undone. Somehow. If they are being powered to through the mechanism, it might not like the occasional manual move. I am betting it is a linkage problem.
Does somebody here have a pic of the linkage in these turnouts they can post for Steve to compare?
your power pack is a 1 amp 16 volt unit. Not enough juice to run a dcc sound unit. Interesting ly. That power pack was designed by kato to be expandable to receive the needed components to let you do that and use it on bigger layouts. When talking power. The voltage is just the amount of current that is moving. Amps are what makes the current do work or the force to do work. My truck runs on 12 volts but has 280 amps. My layout runs on 12 volts but only has 10 amps. The amps determine how much work that 12 volts can do. That 16 volt wire is for a separate booster unit to feed into the power pack. The wire itself does nothing to change power out put. So your other locos will work once we get the needed power to them. locos with doc sound just need more power to run. Since kato made this pack expandable. Look into getting the booster unit and adding it. That should fix that.
Thank you Shane - your post was most helpful. I think that makes sense re linkage. And yes, its manual and have occasionaly switched manually. So perhaps I need to replace.
Thank you for info re power. You educated re amps. The wire I recieved is actually 16 volt and 2.1 amps - so it did actually boost power as original Kato Power pack is only 1 amp as you said. Helped with some, just didnt help with steam engine w smoke. It is made by Bachman. I suppose need more of a boost. Seems like Kato doesn’t provide anything more powerful. am i wrong? Please advise.
another question: Re Walthers - I purchased some low cost freight cars. Seems like Walthers couplers prone to break. Does Bachman, Atheran and others make better products. Is there a pecking order of companies ? What do seasoned railroaders prefer? Please let me know re that and power. thank you.
There are multiple threads on recommended coupler replacement. The general consensus on what you want to do is to use Kadees, and in all probability most of the ‘special applications’ mentioned in the coupler threads might not apply to low-cost RTR conversion – start with #5s and ask the experts here what else to try if those aren’t enough of an answer.
Kadee are the easiest and most reliable to fit to a wide variety of rolling stock.
Bachman EZ Mate II are pretty much as good and have a different profile. They definitely work more easily than Kadee in the Bachman stuff designed to use EZ Mate and the EZ Mate II are much better than the original.
I’ve not had any trouble with Walthers Proto couplers and so they would be my third choice.
I really dislike McHenry couplers. Athearn’s standard couplers are also awful. McHenry are owned by Athearn. Weird to keep making an inherently inferior design
The Macdonald-Cartier couplers that come on Rapido stuff are also less than stellar imho. There won’t be any old Rapido stuff though.
Kadee are definitely best value for the money. Almost anything can be made to fit one or more Kadee coupler. They make a multitude of coupler pockets (draft gearboxes). I highly recommend you start with the #148 which is the old #5 but with integrated “whisker” springs that are, in the end, much easier to install and use with no drawbacks but one: in certain installations they require extra care to ensure both wire whiskers are safely tucked inside the pocket before you fasten down the lid or the coupler wil not self centre. Oh, and do try not to stab yourself with the end of a whisker. Those things stick in like a needle and feel about the same.