As someone who's built several N scale layout over the last 20 years or so, I've got to admit that my next and largest layout will be Unitrak. I don't want to spend the next 5 years laying, wiring, ballasting, testing, painting, and cleaning track. I just want to run trains and build scenery. Sometimes I get the feeling that some modelers look down their noses at Unitrak users. So be it. Sectional track is the wave of the future. This whole hobby is racing towards ready-to-run, and track will be no exception.
A 29" piece of Atlas code 55 retails for $4.25. 36 inches or Midwest cork is 99 cents. A pack of Kato Unitrak (4 x 9.75" = 39") retails for $8. Using the 50' layout example you cited, I come up with: Flextrack 21 pieces $ 89.25 Cork roadbed 17 pieces $ 16.83 For a total of $106.08 Unitrak 16 packs $128.00 This doesn't include ballast or connectors for the flextrack. I got these retail prices from Wig-Wag's website. Of course, with discount, this would be cheaper. I have no idea where you got $6.70 for a foot of Unitrak.
Well...(saying to myself) helps if ya put the decimel in the right place George...DUH. My appologizes...Kato is 123.00 per 50"...BUT...C55 on cork is only 104.50 ...so ya might wanna refigure yours too. :tb-wink:. Ok...18.50 aint much...BUT...switches and other accessories are more..:tb-tongue:. I still say...people will run what they want. I suppose thats why there are great reference places like Trainboard to keep us all straight huh? :tb-cool: .
"A pack of Kato Unitrak (4 x 9.75" = 39") retails for $8." I paid $5.99 for mine. M.B. woo woo woo must be an even better place than I thought to buy Unitrack. I'm not going to try to argue that Unitrack is cheap, but I don't know if it is as expensive as it is often accused of. Like I said before, Unitrack prices vary quite a bit from dealer to dealer. The good news is for me is, I need 3 more #6 turnouts and a bridge and my Unitrack shopping list is 100% complete. In fact I'll have some left over to eBay.
The 8.00 is MSRP...wigwag sells it for 5.44 :tb-tongue: It pays to shop around. All things said and done...we run what we run. :thumbs_up: .
BTW, I'll be very honest and publicly admit I am too stupid to lay conventional track. Yet this very minute in the background see my train going around slicker than a teflon coated eel. The track is kinda ugly but I just focus on the train. In fact my benchwork is almost eye level sitting down so I can't even see the tie spacing.
Who pays M.S.R.P. for anything? I thought Traindork was quoting what he paid? My point is the same either way...
Seriously, I don't know how a family of 4 or more does it. Must cost $100 for them to go. Nothings cheap these days I guess.
Don't forget to figure in labor. Time is money. With Unitrack, its a "snap". Laying down unitrack takes minutes, and I would bet no more than an hour for a full room sized layout vs days, even weeks, to get a full size layout down with flex. Numbers at 10/hour (minimum wage out here): Unitrack labor - 10 bucks Flex Labor - hundreds. And just because I have to say it.. Running trains... priceless.
I agree 100% :thumbs_up: And with that...I will leave the unitrack debate behind and go run my trains...LOL. **BTW...traindork...thnxs for the tip on WigWag...I checked their site...I'm liking the price on their C80 turnouts I need... :thumbs_up: .
wink:laugh::we2-jimlad: HaHaHawHaw Echo that Mystere. The only thing flex track gives us...is the flexibility to put in the size of curves you want. I wonder if that's why they call it... flex track? Do you think? Good discussion...interesting conclusion.cute: Funny faces!
Sorry to be a Johnny-come-lately, but I’ve been busy building the foundation of my new layout and I missed the start of this thread. I got to say for me it was the selection of switches that turned me to C55, but the unitrack viaduct is currently saving my tail in a very tight situation.
Unitrack is best for me for a couple of reasons. One, I am not an experienced modeler and I want to become one. Second, I am a 60+ year old who gets bored fairly easily. (I have 3 kids & 7 grandkids, almost all of whom are ADD -- wonder where they got that -- their mother??!!!) So -- I need to be able to focus my learning. If I try to learn how to build track and create scenery and ballast and all the other great things about modeling at one time, I will get distracted, loose interest and find something else to do.. Good trackwork is critical to running a layout, whether you are developing a complex layout or building a tail-chasing circle. Using Unitrack lets me get something up and running now, while I am learning about other things. If I knew at 14 what I know now at 64, what's the purpose of living!!
With turnouts Unitrack does well on price. Unitrack no.6 turnout from Wig Wag, $15.98. Peco medium C80 from M.B. woo woo woo (who are cheaper with Peco though Wig wag beats them with Unitrack) $16.09 + Peco switch machine $10.49 = $26.58, add to that your time and effort installing the switch machine and ballasting the turnout without getting ballast in the works and a few cents for rail joiners. If you're looking at Unitrack on the basis of cost the few dollars you lose on straight track you more than make up on turnouts.
