Howdy again! I'm thinking of upgrading my Atlas 2 foot by 4 foot N scale Atlas Layout to Kato, I've worked with Kato Track in the past and I'm really impressed with the overall system, Its really easy to work with (From Experiance ) ! I'm sure some of you have converted an old layout to use the system, so any tips would be appriciated, such as the radius (I have 9.75" and 11" radius curves on my layout, my track is code 80) weathering suggestions plus ballast application, many thanks for any suggestions! my layout has two tracks, no switches (Just for running trains) as it is based after an Adult Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends Parody
Well Kato Unitrack has 9.75" and 11" radius curves like Atlas, so it should fit in the same space quite well. Unitrack has the ballast 'built in' so you don't have to ballast it, although you can add a little ballast along the edge to make it a little less uniform (and so more realistic). A little weathering like black chalk, powdered charcoal, or a wash of diluted black paint or ink will make it look better too.
With my HO Unitrack, I like to color the sides of the rails with Neolube from Micro-Mark, which dries to a dark, flat gray, and then clean the tops and sides of the head of the rail with a Brightboy. I paint some of the ties with flat brown and rail-tie brown, but leave about half black.
Safety ValveI'm sure some of you have converted an old layout to use the system, so any tips would be appriciated, such as the radius (I have 9.75" and 11" radius curves on my layout, my track is code 80) weathering suggestions plus ballast application, many thanks for any suggestions!
You may already have seen this, but years abo MR did a project on using Kato track. I didn't use it, but I did use this six-part series for a lot of suggestions. Good luck!
http://mrr.trains.com/tags?tag=salt+lake+route
York1 John