What is the configuration of the transition piece that you think you need? The available easement curved track pieces are listed on this page: http://www.katousa.com/N/Unitrack/concrete.html Do you have the track set up as shown in the following illustration?
It was on the CB&Q Silver Streak Zephyr. I mostly run ATSF, and have a lot of stuff that takes some time before I get around to running it. This was the first I had a chance because it was a request from my daughter for a small silver passenger train.
UH-OH... Time to look at my Silver Streak Zephyr... it hasn't been out of the box since I got it over two years ago. Sent from my SM-J737T using Tapatalk
It sounds like this set was purchased at a local shop. I'll echo the other poster's suggestion that somebody may have bent this track by disassembling it in the incorrect manner. I have found that things purchased at a local shop are not necessarily "new." Somebody may have bought it, abused it and then returned it. I once purchased a piece of rolling stock at a local shop and while inspecting it in my car found there to be a broken piece on it. I went back into the shop and exchanged it. I then observed as the proprietor simply placed the defective unit back into the display case for sale to the next unsuspecting customer.
The last time I looked I thought I read where the track is code 70. Operationally I don't have problems with Kato Unitrack as long as I don't slide a rail up and over the rail joiner.
David that almost looks like it is melted and twisted. If so, I have seen that before on Kato passenger cars left in just the wrong spot on a DCC layout like over a gap. As the trucks on these cars are designed to pick up power for the optional lighting unit, if they pass power between different sections they can get overheated and an axle begin to melt. Then when they start rolling the axle twists. I also had this happen years ago on an Atlas SD35 that I was running at an open house. The train had been in a siding meeting another train. When I moved it out of the siding the lead engine derailed. The lead axle of the lead truck looked just like your photo. It had been sitting right on the gap.
Another update - it seems that the Kato Gunderson MAXI-IV does not like the superelevated curves, they derail all the time. I am testing all sorts of things so I can make sure my daughter and her cousins have no issues running trains this holiday season. We will be hosting Christmas and I want to have this all dialed in for their enjoyment. I will say, aside from the bad wheel, that all of the Kato passenger equipment runs well on it, but I may have to add the outer loop because the 85 foot cars still do not look right on the 16+ inch outer tracks. What has run nicely and pleasant surprise was an Athearn Challenger and an Intermountain AC-12 Cab forward. Needless to say, 40 - 60 foot cars look much better on the tracks than the 85 foot passenger cars and the 89 foot flat cars. Perhaps the MAXI-Stacks will do better on the larger radius. More tweaking and testing to go! Happy Holidays Everyone!
Hi Brad, that car has never touched the track, the wheel was like that from the factory. And that happened to me with an SD-40 at the Cow Palace years ago too when we ran there.....
I know it was all factory new. The shop I bought it from had to order it, it was not something "off" the shelf. Like I said it had all the parts and the easements and everything. And I am the only one who has handled the track and I have used Kato track on and off for years.
