I have been doing some reading on T-Trak modules lately after reading the Model Railroader articles on the modules they created. It seemed that the spec only calls for Kato Unitrack at the edges so I wanted to see if it was feasible to do a module with flex track in between two Unitrack connectors. Then I had the idea, why not try this on the edge of my learning layout. If have two tracks that come off the edge to go to another module that I'll build (or not) in the future so I could put a short stub of Unitrack on the end. The trick, my layout is all code 55 and unitrack is something like code 80. I wanted to see about doing the adaption. Here's the result:
(Attachment Link)
Has anybody else gone down this road before?
I'm doing my West Hickory T-trak module (triple) with 33mm spacing and the Kato unitrack sections only for the very ends, everything in the middle is either Peco C55 flex on the mainlines, Peco C80 (tight-radius switches) in the yard track or Atlas C80 (60-degree crossings) so I'm mixing it completely up here with four different track types on the same module.
http://www.randgust.com/WHTTmod03.jpgI'm also using Pere Soleberg's track painting methods out of MR, which were darn close to mine to begin with. It looks very odd to see all the track spray painted Light Gull Gray and then work back up from that, but darn, the end result sure looks good, even the Unitrack. I experimented with all kinds of track painting approach on scrap pieces and compared them, what I ended up with is pretty much his method. My Santa Fe '72 track is basically a uniform dark brown in dark brown and gray basalt ballast, the Winslow yard track had almost light-gray ties from weathering in dirt so red it looks like iron ore and I'd spray painted those. That was easy. But this time, doing a 'normal' looking track on either cinders or grayish PRR ballast, painting the Unitrack gray, and repainting the ties and rail, well, that's different and in the end, all those differences really dissapear. The yard tracks without roadbed will be nearly buried in weeds and dirt.
