Slaying the Kato track dragon.

[JoeD]

Looking to start a real simple switcher and have some Kato track and switches.  I was hoping to get some inspiration on blending and weathering this stuff...any pinned tutorials here? (not looking at rebalasting it)  I'm going to lose the track/rail joiners and 3d print fillers for the opening that match the roadbed and the ties.  Seems in their wisdom Kato put full ties on the ends of the track sections so you have an extra wide tie detail to deal with.  Anyway just want to build a quickie to show off some of my weathered stuff.

Thanks in advance.

Joe

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Bury it.

Seriously.

That's been my technique.

I use foamcore to bring the level of the ground up about even with the ties, and then paint, dirt and ballast.

Take a look at the Bridesburg stuff here: https://conrail1285.com/tag/ttrak/

[JoeD]

spent a lot of time last night looking at techniques and it seems as though theres more work, working with it than there is just using something else.  I decided to use the Peco55 I have and Micro Engineering "flex" for this project.  The Kato is working to mock things up and then I'll donate it to one of the kids in the club.

Thanks
Joe

Bury it.

Seriously.

That's been my technique.

I use foamcore to bring the level of the ground up about even with the ties, and then paint, dirt and ballast.

Take a look at the Bridesburg stuff here: https://conrail1285.com/tag/ttrak/

[dem34]

Probably the best option. There really is no easy option if you want to dress up Unitrak. Every T Trak module I do is about 2-3hrs to weather and ballast for what is essentially 2 feet of track.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

spent a lot of time last night looking at techniques and it seems as though theres more work, working with it than there is just using something else.  I decided to use the Peco55 I have and Micro Engineering "flex" for this project.  The Kato is working to mock things up and then I'll donate it to one of the kids in the club.

Thanks
Joe

There is. It's worth it if you want the upsides (for it  to be part of a TTRAK module), but if you're not worried about that and just want something that looks nice, you've found the far better option.

[kiwi_al]

This is going to be a sort of indecent proposal  So Joe, MTL is producing accurate well made rolling stock, accessories and a couple of nicely built loco's. The fact that you are having trouble sourcing reliable track that looks good should get you thinking. How about MTL looking at producing code 55 track that is easy to lay and bullet proof operationally. A kind of combination of Atlas code 55 / ME /Kato track and maybe even code 40. If you crack that, the market is yours! 

[dem34]

This is going to be a sort of indecent proposal  So Joe, MTL is producing accurate well made rolling stock, accessories and a couple of nicely built loco's. The fact that you are having trouble sourcing reliable track that looks good should get you thinking. How about MTL looking at producing code 55 track that is easy to lay and bullet proof operationally. A kind of combination of Atlas code 55 / ME /Kato track and maybe even code 40. If you crack that, the market is yours! 

I've personally debated that in my head, interlocking roadbed NA style track with the Peco type code 55 rail with code 40 visible height with numbered turnouts  and slightly deeper ties to match. But I just don't see the market, reality is even in 2022 outside of our circles there is still such a large contingent still fairly happy with Atlas Code 80 and consider even Peco 55 as too "Unreliable" for their equipment. Track is also pretty fickle to get people to adopt, I think Atlas tried exactly this with their True-Track.

[GaryHinshaw]

The best looking Unitrak I've seen - by far - is @davidgray1974 's, for example:

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=48759.msg647877#msg647877

(Impressive plane models too!)  Many more shots can be found in his post histrory:

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=2390;area=showposts;start=0

[peteski]

Sure Unitrak can be made decent, but I guess for Joe, this was the deal breaker" "spent a lot of time last night looking at techniques and it seems as though theres more work, working with it than there is just using something else."

[Maletrain]

Considering how hard it is to get flex track sometimes, it seems to me that good looking NA track made in NA would find a market pretty easily.

And the "Peco style" double headed track in code 40 would scratch a lot of itches for old equipment compatibility as well as looks.

I would expect that "looks good, runs good and always available" would become market dominant.

If anybody can afford to make it.

[wm3798]

Did Atlas Ditch the code 65 TruTrack?
Lee

[dem34]

It still shows up in the catalog, not sure if they still manufacture it, and to be honest I've only seen one layout made from it, which was the LHS making use of a starter box that had gotten water logged and selling it as pre made track + benchwork.

I do actually like the way it looks and want to test it one of these days, Atlas just doesn't seem to advertise it.

[GimpLizard]

Did Atlas Ditch the code 65 TruTrack?
Lee

I checked the web-sites of a few stores and the only one that had more than a couple of items was Walthers. Lombard Hobbies and N Scale Supply don't even list it.

[Cajonpassfan]

The best looking Unitrak I've seen - by far - is @davidgray1974 's, for example:

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=48759.msg647877#msg647877

(Impressive plane models too!)  Many more shots can be found in his post histrory:

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=2390;area=showposts;start=0

Yea, I didn't even know that was Unitrak..
What happened to David, anyway, I miss his postings. Beautiful work...

[peteski]

Yea, I didn't even know that was Unitrak..
What happened to David, anyway, I miss his postings. Beautiful work...

He is still around. His profile shows: Last Active:    January 30, 2022, 01:52:50 PM