How to Create an Ash Pit with Kato HO Unitrack

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

Hello,

I’m designing a plan to expand my current layout (all Kato HO Unitrack) from a 4 x 8 oval with two sidings to a 5 x 10 1/4 oval with crossover track for a double reversing loop in the middle, seven sidings for industries, and a yard for locomotives/rolling stock at the bottom. I’m planning on running mostly steam engines, so to make it look more accurate, one of the gentlemen at my model railroad club suggested I add an engine shop and ash/inspection pit. My question, though, is how I would go about doing that when most of the track is already molded to the roadbed. Two options I’m thinking of are A) build an ash pit kit and connect its track to the existing Kato Unitrack, or B) buy an HO scale ash pit, remove some of the roadbed from my Kato Unitrack, then place the ash pit under it. Please let me know which of the two you feel would be more cost-effective/accurate.

2

Hi there. I will bump this message up a bit. I don’t use Unitrack, but I would vote for option A if you will place the pit on a siding. I’ve worked with the Bachmann track-roadbed system, and separating both was a bit of a pain. I assume the Kato system is the same, but probably more expensive on the wallet if the operation fails!

Simon

3

Actually, that´s a rather easy job to do. Get a length of code 100 track, use the rails for the ashpit, and use regular rail joiners to join the rails with the Kato Unitrack before and after the ashpit.