I’ve been happy so far with my Peco turnouts and either Peco or Atlas flex track. However I have read some enthusiastic reviews of Kato Unitrack. What I would give up in flexibility I am promised in “rock solid” operating reliability. Apparently my SW-1000 will be able to back a unit train of coal through an S-curve in a snowstorm. But I’m skeptical. Plus, from what I can see the frogs look pretty large and DCC engines might stall every time at crawling speed. OTOH I like the simplicity and if they are as good as advertised I’d try them out when I expand my bookshelf layout into a point to point. Any experience with them, good, bad or indifferent? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Well a Kato UniTrak layout can be good just as I layout using Peco. It all depends on the design and the execution. I have used both but am more inclined to stay with flextrack than Kato because of a larger selection of turnouts, wyes etc as well as the ability to have the radius you want on the curves. And if you handy at building turnouts etc you can have what you want. For example, #12 turnouts and #10 Wyes.
My entire layout is Unitrack... http://www.trainboard.com/highball/index.php?threads/t-h-e-r-r-reborn.64636/ I used regular flex in the past. For me persoanally doing cork trackbed and flex and trying to get it all 'straight' wis a PITA. Unitrack is easier to work with. You can even make your own lengths of Unitrack to fit any situation....including curves. Mike Fifer has some great tutorials on alot of unitrack. http://www.fiferhobby.com/how-to-make-your-own-lengths-of-kato-unitrack/
Have both and even used them together on TTRAK modules. The "#4" sharper turnouts in Kato have a glitch - the points need to be nested into the stock rails to prevent derailments. There's a bunch of threads out there on that on how to pull out the stock rail with pliers, file a notch for the points, and get it back in. After that they are pretty good. If you are ever ballasting though, be aware that 'underneath' the Kato switches, inside the ballast, is an amazing collection of tabs, contacts, and switches. That's how they get reliable, by a lot of moving parts in there that could be jammed with ballast glue. If you're just setting up track and running, it's great stuff. The metallurgy is different, it really does stay cleaner. If you're putting track down 'permanently' you'll never be able to get switches back up to clean all those contacts in there if they fail. I've used all manner of Pecos and like the Code 55 electrofrogs the best, even if they are a PITA to wire. It takes a lot of work to get Peco track cut and fitted, but the end results in a finished ballast section are worth it. I also paint rail. If you're going the Code 55 route and your track is subject to any abuse (like my portable modules) it's great stuff. And you can just throw switches with your finger if you want, no machines, throws, etc. On my TTRAK modules I'm forced to use Unitrack on the connecting pieces (including turnouts on an edge) but use Peco on the inside for appearance and because I ballast everything. Both have their advantages. At Altoona I've had everything running over my modules, DC, DCC, steam, diesel, etc. and I've never seen much of any issues at all. I use my TTRAK modules for DCC testing and once I get all the jumper wires in and get things cleaned up, both Peco electrofrogs and Kato switches have exhibited no stalling issues at all. There are hidden tabs on the Kato switches you can set with a screw to have a dead frog, live frog, etc. based on switch position.
The weakness of both is the turnouts. Electrically,the Kato frogs are no cause for concern, as you can make them live. The problem is mostly in the points of both. On the PECo, the points do not always make proper contact, which results in stalls or shorts. On the Kato, on the diverging, they do not make good contact with the stock rail, which causes derailments (there is some sort of internal contact plate in the Kato). You get a double-whammy on the Kato because you do not have proper contact with the stock rail so there is a bump that pushes on the wheels. In addition, it is now out-of-gauge, because the points are not over far enough. Pushing rolling stock with truck mounted couplers makes the problem even worse, although if you are pushing long body mounts, you will have a problem, as well. This happens when you use the machine to throw the switch automatically or if you use the little nub to throw it manually. You must push on the inside of the points to assure that they are all the way over and onto the stock rail. This happens more frequently on the #4s. The #6s usually are not a problem. My pike is a dog's breakfast of track: UNITRACK, PECo, Atlas flex, Atlas sectional, B-mann, UNITRAM. I tend to favour live frog turnouts, although I do have one Atlas #6 sectional. My very small locomotives do not run on that part of the pike. I find the continuity on the B-mann track more reliable than any of them. The worst is the UNITRAM. The UNITRAK is generally allright, but I have had "weight/pressure" stalls on certain sections of it. A "weight/pressure" stall is where the weight of the locomotive pushes on a track joint that causes the metal joiners (or part thereof) to separate from the rail, thus break continuity. This is why shims often work in those parts of the track where you have frequent stalls of this nature, Once you put in the shim, the track no longer moves at the joint sufficiently to break continuity. B-mann turnouts are another matter. If I had it to do again, I would not use them. Stalls on the frogs, even though you do wire them to be live, and, they test live on the multimeter, are frequent enough to be annoying. The straight and curved sections are, however solid. One drawback on them, though, is that the joiners do not come off easily, so if you need to isolate sections of track, you must put two pieces of small flex or Atlas sectional between them and connect them with plastic rail joiners. Kato sells plastic joiners without the metal inserts if you need to isolate sections of UNITRACK. Those joiners also work on UNITRAM. The UNITRAM has proved to be a large disappointment. The continuity, even between straight sections is not reliable. The turnouts show the same problem with the points as do the #4 UNITRAKs. In addition, they are far too sharp for most power. The UNITRAM is double tracked. You have plastic frogs and plastic diamonds where the outer track crosses the inner on the turnout piece. They seem to be placed so strategically that the small power that will take those turnouts without climbing or derailing stall for lack of contact. The only power that will go through those turnouts without stalling or derailing enough for it to be annoying is the E-R shark. That is no help, as you usually would not see sharks doing street switching. You would see their street RUNNING, but not switching. You can hardwire together a pair of small diesel switchers, as well. I did that with the B-mann Plymouths. You can cut the straight and curved sections of UNITRAM to make single track. I took apart one turnout piece, to see if I could duck around the diamonds, but, I looked at how it was constructed and lost the courage to do it. I have only a few sections of UNITRAM straight left on my pike. I took out the rest of the UNITRAM. There were just too many operating headaches.
@randgust posted his as I was typing mine. He and I have made the same observations about the UNITRAK #4. As his is the voice of long experience, Original Poster can see that my difficulties with the UNITRAK #4 are not unique or due to my mediocre trackwork.
I have used both, never had problems with either one. With Unitrack you are kind of limited as to what you can do. I started of with Peco and Atlas flex track, got out of N and went to G scale. Had 60x60 layout in the backyard. As I got older didn't want the wife to worry about it, took it down and got back into N with Unitrack. I have a 3x8 layout now, thinking of going to 8x12 not sure yet.
This discussion will be an all consuming as well as forever in longevity as we discuss again and again the virtues and downfalls of said products. Right next to which company makes the best locomotives or passenger cars. I prefer (there in is the key to any validity) Peco Electrofrog Switches and Kato's #6 Turnouts. I didn't say turnout? No I didn't say that. That wouldn't be like me at all. I don't use the "T" word. More on this later. NO NUMBER 4's....period for reasons already discussed in posts above. No need to repeat this issue. I AGREE!!!!!!!!! I do use Peco switches in my yards and working spurs with those infamous hand throws. Providing I can reach them. On my mainline I use the Kato #6 switches as they out perform anything out there, at this time. I fumbled, fumed, farted and dragged locomotives over the (using a sky crane with five digits) Atlas switches ......for years. Until I finally learned my lesson. I threw them out the window, the window, the seventh story window. With a mighty heave and a might HO I threw them out the window. Old camp song author unknown to this TB participant. I do use Atlas flex track as I like the way it goes in and lays down. Never mind the flexibility I get. I'm never stuck to a per-established curve which is not of my choosing. Choices I got to have choices. Adding: Including the one sliding rail. I can offset my joints and I do like that. Resembles the 1:1 foot scale and makes for a far better joint. If anyone is listening out there. I would like to see a Kato #7 or #10 switch, with less swing out on the transition side. I end up cutting them back to fit my track layout needs. I don't recommend that unless you really know what you are doing. I cut in my own isolation gaps using a technique I can discuss later, if needed. No more curling, because they dry out, derailment causing, bouncing train cars from those darn plastic isolators on my layouts. They went out the window as well. Trash man didn't even want them. You asked. You received. Have fun whatever you do with your layout.
What the heck, if you really want the best track, handlay it yourself. Fast Tracks makes it very fast and easy!
Kato unitrak doesn't fit my particular needs for modeling but that is just me. I prefer Atlas flex over Peco because of the flexibility on achieving my sharp radiuses. With Peco it is a battle to get that small. I will say this for Peco, that for larger radius it works great because once bent it stays there. Peco for turnouts because of a greater selection and because I achieve block control on a DC layout with the ones I use.
I'm not a doctor I don't have any patients uhh...err patience. LOL You'll never catch me hand-laying track for that reason. Hat's off to those who do.
In my last layout, I used ME code 55 with handlaid turnouts, including yard ladders that were built in one continuous piece. The patience requirement was not a problem for me, one of little patience. You need only to be prepared to build a couple first that you will throw away, but the expense isn't that much. And you don't need expensive jigs to build them, paper templates that you can get for free and print out yourself, which is a good thing, because to do the job easier and better you will need a resistance soldering machine with the tweezer tool. When build my next layout, what I would really like is to use ME code 40 track for mains and something smaller for sidings and yards. If I can't get something smaller, I'll do the whole thing with code 40. And the good news there is for Matt, I'll need lots of his wheels.
You could do what I did. On my main lines I used code 55 ME track, in the sidings, branchlines and industry track are all ME code 40 track
I guess I would like some hot sauce, since I'm gonna have to eat those words. The alcove layout is awkward to reach into... which I *KNEW*... but after trying to fit flex track in there the result was a real dog's breakfast. Culminating in a p'ed-off me... (not sure about the language standards and practices here... trust me, obscenities were muttered.) ...tossing a ruined remote turnout onto the floor and realizing THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE FUN! It's the space I have today. In a few years, a railroad space will be available wherever we end up. This is my chance to experiment and learn. (Keep repeating that to self...) The Unitrack is just what I need to do most of the alcove layout. It won't be perfect, but it will at least let me have some fun. I'll keep working at some parts near the front where I can lay some yard tracks and spurs.
