Atlas n-scale True-Track code 65 - transition with Kato Unitrack

[rogergperkins]

This is in "progress": note that rail transition requires some filing of railhead on Kato Unitrack on left to match True-Track on right.
Awaiting arrival of additional sections of True-Track to complete the replacement of more of the mainline.  Retaining Kato Unitrack turnouts on mainline
and in the yards and on sidings.

Revising the track side alley way.

[rogergperkins]

I have done test runs of a variety of locomotives ranging from the B'mann 44 tonner to Kato SD70ACe and GS-4. 

[rogergperkins]

 My online searches revealed that other solutions to creating a transition between the two type of track were posted.  One way used the Kato #20-045 track section; this required that some of the roadbed be trimmed from the True-Track and rail of Kato filed down.
The proof of whether my attempt works or not will come after I have a complete "loop" so I can run whole trains.
  Just noticed that I had a stack of pins on the roof from the alley way road I removed.

[davefoxx]

Roger,

If you haven't done it already, I wouldn't file that much of the Kato railhead down.  You would have to taper it waaaay back to make it smooth or risk trains hopping over the joint.  Also, depending on the thickness of the railhead on the Kato track, you may risk filing through to the web of the rail.  I would find a way to crimp the rail joiner so that the Atlas track sits on top of the rail joiner and solder that connection.  Make the top of the railheads flush before soldering.

Hope this helps,
Dave Foxx

[Dave V]

Roger,

If you haven't done it already, I wouldn't file that much of the Kato railhead down.  You would have to taper it waaaay back to make it smooth or risk trains hopping over the joint.  Also, depending on the thickness of the railhead on the Kato track, you may risk filing through to the web of the rail.  I would find a way to crimp the rail joiner so that the Atlas track sits on top of the rail joiner and solder that connection.  Make the top of the railheads flush before soldering.

Hope this helps,
Dave Foxx

QFT.

This is how I do my code 80/55 transitions and they're flawless.

[rogergperkins]

Thanks for suggestion.  I am awaiting the correct rail joiner from Atlas for this code 65, then try them and evaluate how much filing of the Kato rail is needed. Appears only a slight amount in trials to date.

[Zox]

If you haven't done it already, I wouldn't file that much of the Kato railhead down.  You would have to taper it waaaay back to make it smooth or risk trains hopping over the joint.  Also, depending on the thickness of the railhead on the Kato track, you may risk filing through to the web of the rail.

Just to supply an example, here's a filed 80-to-55 transition I did as a test a while back:



At least with Atlas Code 80, the difference in width between "railhead" and "web" is negligible, so filing down to the web doesn't seem to cause significant issues.

The filing is long and tedious, at least by hand. A grinder might make shorter work of it, but might not offer the necessary control.

I'm not saying this is the best method by any means, but it is feasible.

[davefoxx]

Here's how I did a Code 55 to Code 40 joint, using the crimped rail joiner method, so that you can get an idea of what I was describing in my previous post.  You can see the Code 40 rails just sitting on top of the rail joiner, and the top of the railheads are even:



Whatever method you choose, good luck!

DFF

[mmyers]

I used Dave Foxx's method to adapt a code 80 15 degree crossing to Atlas Trutrak a couple of years ago. I cut the sides of the roadbed off of a spare piece of trutrak and glued it in to match the cast roadbed color and profile. Got a pretty close match to ballast the ties by blending a couple of Woodland Scenics ballast colors.

Martin Myers

[rogergperkins]

I do not have any spare True-Track currently to try another approach, i.e. remove some code 65 rail and replace the Kato unitrack rail with it on a transition section, then filing down the rail of the adjacent Kato track.   

[peteski]

I really think that the method of soldering the smaller code rail on top os a flattened joiner which is installed on the larger code rail is *MUCH* easier and quicker than trying to file a slope in the taller railhead to match the height. Besides, that is how the 1:1 railroads did it (matching the tops of the railheads rather than grinding the railhead).

[TiVoPrince]

Still
like the code 80 joiner with 0.015 shim or wire inside the joiner below the code 65rail...

[rogergperkins]

I now have Atlas True-Track code 65 rail joiners and think they are the correct start for joining True-Track with Unitrack.  I have two mainline locations where I have used this joiners.  On one, I filed the rail head of Unitrack to reduce it to the height of the True-Track, but I have not filed the other location.  Trains seem to run okay over both joints.

I have created a few transitions on sidings as well and used the True-Track code 65 rail joiners; on limited use, these seem to work okay for movement of locomotives and cars.

The real reason for creating a layout with Kato Unitrack and Atlas True-Track code 65 was to allow me to replace the double mainline Kato Unitrack on the "front side" of my layout with the Atlas True-Track code 65 track.  I am still awaiting an Atlas turnout to complete the first phase of the project.

I have found it necessary to redo the double mainline to single track transition.  I am now using two Kato Unitrack double crossovers at the transition points.  At those two locations trains on either of the Unitrack double mainline tracks can move onto the True-Track single track mainline.  The second route from Unitrack is to a siding.

[rogergperkins]

One of the transition points from double mainline to single with siding in the foreground.

Single mainline section without completion of scenery or grade crossings.

This side of the layout required "major surgery" which involved removing a 2 inch wide section of the hill on the left foreground.
A turnout will be installed to serve the country grain elevator and True-Track used.

[rogergperkins]

/>A short video of the project as of 8 March 2013.