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Flextrack + Kato Turnouts

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  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: NC Piedmont
  • 154 posts
Flextrack + Kato Turnouts
Posted by dad1218 on Monday, December 31, 2007 5:50 PM

 Has anyone tried using flextrack with Kato turnouts. I am in N, but I believe the answer is good for all scales. I love the Kato turnouts but I don't want the number of connections with sectional track.

   Or would I be better off to use all Kato track and use alot of feeders?

               Gary

  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: St Louis
  • 516 posts
Posted by mls1621 on Monday, December 31, 2007 6:05 PM

Kato offers a small adapter track section to convert to flex track.  I used to have one and, for the life of me, can't remember how long it is.

You'd probably need to use the Unitrack to transition each end of the turnout, then add the adapter, and continue with flex track.

Mike St Louis N Scale UP in the 60's Turbines are so cool
  • Member since
    July 2006
  • 290 posts
Posted by steamnut on Monday, December 31, 2007 6:13 PM
Kato has the BEST connectors in model railroading - both electrically and mechanically. While you'll need to buy a few feeder tracks, one every twelve feet (minimum) will work fine. My Kato layout in my previous house was up for twelve years, zero electrical problems. In fact for me, I would put it the other way around - the turnouts are the weakness.
  • Member since
    January 2005
  • From: Alexandria KY
  • 470 posts
Posted by Zandoz on Monday, December 31, 2007 9:01 PM
The Unitrack to sectional/flex adapter track is a straight 2-7/16" long.  My original plan was to use Unitrack for the mains, and using the adapteer tracks to switch to Peco code 55 for the sidings.  The more I played with the Unitrack, the happier am with it's quality, and somewhere along the line I decided to simplify and go total Unitrack.

Reality...an interesting concept with no successful applications, that should always be accompanied by a "Do not try this at home" warning.

Hundreds of years from now, it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove...But the world may be different because I did something so bafflingly crazy that my ruins become a tourist attraction.

"Oooh...ahhhh...that's how this all starts...but then there's running...and screaming..."

  • Member since
    November 2002
  • From: Florida
  • 63 posts
Posted by pavalons on Tuesday, January 1, 2008 9:00 AM
For those who use KATO HO unitrack, you can use Atlas flex track and just remove the unijoiner and connect with a code 83 transition joiner which are made by Atlas.
  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: NC Piedmont
  • 154 posts
Posted by dad1218 on Tuesday, January 1, 2008 4:26 PM

  I will probably go with all unitrack. We looked at a house earlier today that my wife really likes. The layout will have to be u-shaped, 5ft x 10ft x 4.5ft, maybe with penisulas.

                       Gary

  • Member since
    June 2004
  • From: Pacific Northwest
  • 3,864 posts
Posted by Don Gibson on Tuesday, January 1, 2008 5:55 PM

A WISE decision.

THE ADVANTAGE of 'Unitrack' over other brands is their avoidance of passing current through the friction fit Rail Joiners.

Rail Joiners provide 'iffy' contacts with age. Substituting other brands of 'plug together' sectional track in my opinion would be unwise. All this to save a buck?

Most recommendations for flextrack include adding a buss wire and feeders to each piece for reliability. Unitrack has those built in.

Don Gibson .............. ________ _______ I I__()____||__| ||||| I / I ((|__|----------| | |||||||||| I ______ I // o--O O O O-----o o OO-------OO ###########################

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