Kato Unitrak and DCC

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

Hey All,

I posted awhile back about using KAto Unitrak. I ahve to say it has been amazing, especially for someone who is always changing thier mind about the layout.

I have recently invested in DCC Digitrax Zephyr and I am in total awe! Love DCC and will never go back to analog, well atleast I fdont plan to. You all gave me wonderful advice about reading, so I read and I read and I read. One thing I wasnt so sure about and if you guys would guide me it would be great,; with kato unitrak I have a couple of turnouts and a double crossover. On DC I connected them to AC and controlled them with a switch. Now that I have DCC what are my options? Do I have to mannually continue to do this? I was trying to avoid using decoders, but if I must I will. Will I be able to use the switches as I did in DC?

Thanks for all your support!

Marc

2

Option 1: continue to connect the controllers to the same AC terminals of your old DC pack (and connect the DC output to the JUMP terminals on the Zephyr for an extra throttle! See the instructions)

Option 2: Get some stationary decoders that can control Kato turnouts. The Digitrax DS54 needs the addition of the Kato adapters they sell. The NCE Switch-Kat hooks right up to Kato switch motors.

–Randy

3

Nice!!1 I didnt think of that!! Thanks so much Ill trry the Jump option, gives me a reason to try it out and use taht feature!!

Thanks So Much!

4

I have much the same situation though I’m using Peco track and switch machines - I just kept my old DC power pack wired in to power those and a length of track wired as a test track for non-DCC locos.