i love kato unitrack, is it better to use peco flex for yard and switching or stick with unitrack.
I don’t know much about Kato track; but, what I’ve seen, makes me think it all comes with a ballasted and raised roadbed. This would not be right for a yard, which is generally lightly ballasted and flat. However, this is a hobby and you have every right to build your layout the way you want to build it.
I suppose the answer is, “It depends.” It depends on the amount of realism and work you want. Using flex track has two distinct advantages. First, you are free to do whatever you want; you are not bound by the curves and angles provided by the Unitrack. Second, it is more realistic, in that a real yard does not typically have a raised roadbed under the track. You could compensate for this second advantage by using cork or some other filler to raise the ground to the level of the integrated Unitrack roadbed.
The biggest disadvantage to using flex track is the amount of work required. If the want to be able to control the turnouts remotely, you will need to invest in some sort of a switching motor, such as a Tortoise motor. You then need to install, wire, and provide some sort of a switch to control the device. All of this comes built into a Unitrack turnout. Also, you will need to provide your own feeder wires by either buying wired joiners, or soldering feeder wires to the track. Then there is the need to secure the track to the tabletop to maintain its shape. The bottom line is with Unitrack you could have a relatively complex yard built in an hour. With flex track it would take multiple hours, if not days to complete.
So, in the end, it all depends.
(For what it is worth, I have built N-Scale layouts using both Unitrack and Peco flex track.)
[:-^]
I would not use the unitrack, however you will have to make a provision to get from the raised position of the unitack to yard level. Those choices are an incline of flex track down on to the yard area or raise the whole yard up to the level of the unitrack. The choice is yours, and it will sure look better than a unitrack yard.
Johnboy out…
If You use Peco code 55 use it everywhere, it’s an excellent line of track an complete.
Peco track ties are based on European protype, but You could use it anyway, when ballsted and painted the difference is hard to see.
My heartburn with sectional track is the impossibility of forming appropriate spiral easements - much more important on high speed trackage than in yards. My own work is ALL flex (and hand-laid specialwork.) OTOH, if you don’t mind that, “Student driver turning a corner,” lurch at every curve…
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Having used both, I will give a shout out to Unitrack. First of all, it is nearly bullet-proof, including the turnouts. You hook it up, add power, and it just works. Second, you get to operations much faster. You lay it out, add power, and go. I am not sure I would have been as enthusiastic with the hobby if I hadn’t started with Unitrack. Honestly, I don’t know if I would have lasted at all.