Good evening,
I’m building my first N scale layout, and have been given a lot of Atlas Code 80 track and 14 turnouts. I am, however, intrigued by Kato Unitrack, especially the Double track/Concrete tie track.
I’d like to have a large Double loop around my 4’x8’ layout. I thought that I might use the Kato double track on the outside loop, and transition to Industries using the Atlas turnouts and flextrak as suggested by my LHS. I can’t see how to do that with standard Kato track pieces, and am open to just staying with the less expensive Atlas track. I know Kato has a transition piece for Kato-to-Atlas, but don’t quite understand how to transition from double track to Atlas track.
Some other info…I’m an experienced model railroader, have excellent soldering skills[thanks Heathkit!], will need to be DCC functional at some point, and have built a large layout before in O scale.
What are your suggestions?
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Dan
If I were building a permanent layout, I would use either Atlas or Peco code 55 flextrack. Flextrack allows more design flexibility, and the use of easement curves between straight track and curves. The downside is that this approach requires more planning, and more work laying the track.
I used Kato Unitrack for a temporary layout I had, and it is good for that purpose. But I am not comfortable using it for a permanent layout. Also Unitrack has all the limitations and problems of sectional track: no easement curves, limited variety of trackwork and unrealistic turnouts. What’s more I found that the Kato track geometry requires the use of Kato’s expandable sections. Kato turnouts are not exactly the same length as Kato straight tracks, so you end up using a lot of those tiny short sections. I believe Kato makes a special transition track to connect Atlas track the Unitrack, but I’ve never actually used it.
You mention that you have a lot of Atlas code 80 and 14 turnouts. I am not a fan of sectional track, and unless your budget means using the track you were given, or nothing, I would try to do the best I could with your Atlas track. If going to code 55 were out of the question, I would use the Atlas turnouts with Atlas code 80 flextrack.
The other consideration is depending on your era and equipment, Atlas turnouts have a plastic frog. I used to run small steam locomotives, and frequently had problems with stalling on Atlas #6 frogs. When I was gathering equipment for a layout I was planning, I decided that I would go with turnouts equipped with metal frogs. At the time, Atlas had not yet produced their code 55 line, so I went with Peco code 55 Electrofrog turnouts.
IIRC, Kato turnout frogs are powered.
It is my understanding that DCC operators prefer unpowered frogs. I have never used DCC, nor did I consider using it (too much equipment to convert), so I can’t speak to any DCC iss
You don’t need a adapter track to go from Kato Unitrack to Atlas code 80. The plastic clips joiners that hold the Kato track sections together are easy to remove. Then a Atlas rail joiners can be used to connect the Atlas rails to the Kato rails.
I like Peco track both code 80 and code 55. I use Peco switches. I use Atlas or Peco code 80 flex track for main lines and use Peco code 55 on other tracks.
Thanks for the detailed info gentlemen. Another thing that keeps me from the Kato Unitrack is that I want to main lines on the perimeter. Kato has track for that, however, I don’t see any pieces to transition from the double track to turnouts. At least not in their online documentation.
Perhaps it makes most sense to use Atlas Code 80 flex track, determine what I’m going to do re:DCC, and buy turnouts from there.
Thanks again!
Dan
Dan,
I use the Peco C55 electrofrog turnouts and DCC and the only time I get shorts is when the crew (that would be me) forgets to throw the turnout in the proper direction.[banghead]
Scott